Quality Services for the Autism Community’s 15‑year lease at a new three-story development in the Jamaica neighborhood of Queens represented not only one of the largest office leases in New York’s outer boroughs last year, but also one billed as “the best version of what commercial real estate can accomplish” when all stakeholders benefit.
QSAC’s lease, spanning roughly 42,000 square feet at 222‑25 Jamaica Ave., stood apart because it provided long-term stability to property ownership while giving the organization a permanent facility that can support and expand its mission. The nonprofit group was founded in 1978 by a group of parents struggling to find adequate services for their children with autism and has grown to providing help to more than 2,700 individuals in the New York metropolitan area, according to its website.
The organization has about 15 locations across New York City and Long Island with the Jamaica space representing its largest spot, according to CoStar data. Because QSAC required a facility capable of supporting specialized programming, accommodating future growth and remaining accessible to the communities it serves, those criteria significantly narrowed the pool of viable options in Queens, brokers involved said.
The lease allowed the landlord to secure a long-term, creditworthy tenant aligned with its original vision for the property, while QSAC gained a permanent facility capable of supporting and expanding its mission, the brokers said. For the Jamaica neighborhood, the lease added a AAA tenant delivering meaningful, day‑to‑day community impact, while the city benefits from the expansion of essential social services, they said.
The deal earned a 2026 CoStar Impact Award, as judged by a panel of real estate professionals with knowledge of the local market.
About the project: QSAC’s lease includes a combination of office space, indoor parking and dedicated outdoor space. The deal also coincides with the New York City Council’s October approval of the Jamaica Neighborhood rezoning plan, which is expected to pave the way for nearly 12,000 new housing units, including about 4,200 permanently affordable homes, and more than 2 million square feet of new commercial and community facility space.
What the judges said: Rebecca D’Eloia, executive vice president at RXR Realty, said the lease, with QSAC as the ultimate user, is “poised to make a very real impact in the community where it sits” as the nonprofit organization “serves a critical and often overlooked population.”
"Social services providers bring long‑term stability," said Adam E. Rochlin, founder and principal of The Rochlin Organization. "QSAC’s lease signals growing demand for essential community‑based services.”
They made it happen: The Colliers team representing the landlord included Josh Kleinberg, executive vice president; Daniel Mundle, associate; Lars Remole, research analyst, and Samuel Essery, associate. Roy Chipkin, senior vice president at CBRE, represented the tenant.
CoStar Market Manager Morgan Markowitz contributed.