Much like neighboring Arverne, Edgemere was developed as a beachfront tourist district with easy access to Brooklyn and Manhattan by railway.

After World War II, the late 19th and early 20th century resorts and cheap bungalows that lined the boardwalk were considered outdated and undesirable by city officials.

Despite many ambitious plans for proposed development, no construction occurred until after 1984 and the coastline of Edgemere and Arverne remained lined with hundreds of acres of vacant wasteland for decades.

In April 2024, the vacant land became the 35-acre (14 ha) Arverne East Nature Preserve, a public park.

[7][8] In addition, as part of the Arverne East development, a welcome building for the nature preserve was built.