NEW YORK CITY-The redevelopment of Willets Point marked its first physical steps on Thursday afternoon as local officials broke ground on a new sanitary sewer system and other infrastructure improvements for the 12.7-acre site adjacent to Citi Field. The $50 million investment for phase one of the construction will lay the groundwork for more than 400 units of housing and 680,000 square feet of retail.

“We are extending that foundation to an area that many thought would always remain neglected even though it holds so much promise, and that is Willets Point,” said Mayor Michael Bloomberg, at a press conference. “Historically Willets Point has lacked adequate drainage, and as a result, has been majorly flood-prone,” he added. “That’s unfortunate because there are many opportunities in the Willets Point-area that position it for substantial growth.”

The initial phase of critical infrastructure work includes reconstruction of a storm sewer located within 126^th Street as well as the construction of a sanitary sewer main. Construction on the project will occur in the wintertime in order to prevent impacts during the baseball season.