Major Progress Across East New York and Broadway Junction

Photo Courtesy of NYCEDC

Revitalization of East New York IBZ Underway with Release of Multi-Site RFP, Completed Renovation and Lease-Up of NYCEDC’s Industrial Building, and Activation of Vacant Lot with Local Recycling Organization Sure We Can

Public Realm Improvements at Broadway Junction Advance with Release of Streetscape and Gateway Plaza RFPs

A series of progress updates as part of its commitment to improve the Broadway Junction station complex and the East New York Industrial Business Zone (IBZ) by delivering vibrant public space, creating family-sustaining jobs, and unlocking economic growth was announced today. Over the past two and half years, NYCEDC has engaged with the community to solicit their ideas and aspirations for these investments in the East New York IBZ and Broadway Junction, through walking tours, information and listening sessions, an online and in person survey, and community visioning workshops.

Approximately 100,000 commuters pass through this station every day, making it the third busiest station in Brooklyn, and this administration is committed to investing in the area’s economic development potential and create quality of life improvements for residents and visitors alike.

Local Job Creation and Expansion

NYCEDC has advanced a series of leasing opportunities on public sites to drive economic growth and create more space for new business development across the IBZ, this includes:

● Releasing a multi-site request for proposals (RFP) for two East New York IBZ sites.
   ◦ The first site is an approximately 51,000-square foot paved lot, at 116 Williams Avenue, which includes an approximately 81,000 gross square foot 4-story plus basement 1920s school building.
   ◦ The second is a 19,000 square foot paved lot, at 173-191 Sackman Street, available for activation through job-generating or green economy uses.
   ◦ The RFP also includes a Community Priorities Document that summarizes the community feedback heard over the last two years on desired uses and priorities for activating these sites in the IBZ. RFP respondents are encouraged to incorporate the communities’ priorities into their proposals.
● Completing a $9 million renovation of the 30,000 square foot East New York Industrial Building, at 171-201 Powell Street, managed by NYCEDC.
● Entering into lease agreements with the Industrial Building’s final two tenants, Lambo Mechanical and Centsible House, both small M/WBE businesses in construction trades and energy efficiency, that are committed to local workforce development in East Brooklyn and will bring over 30 new jobs to the IBZ over the next six years.
   ◦ In September of 2023, Council Member Nurse and NYCEDC hosted a “Doing Business in East New York” event in the newly-renovated East New York industrial building, where dozens of legacy East New York and sustainable businesses learned about the building and other real estate opportunities in the IBZ.
● Coordinating with the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS), to clean up and license a long-fallow 3,500 square foot vacant lot to Sure We Can, to activate the lot with a women-run recyclables-redemption facility and green community space and adding to the existing recycling ecosystem in the area.
● The multi-site RFP, license to Sure We Can, and the final tenants at the Industrial Building all demonstrate significant progress in the utilization of public sites to drive economic development, M/WBE job expansion, and further the city’s green economy ecosystem.

Public Realm Upgrades to Broadway Junction

At the nearby Broadway Junction Station Complex, NYCEDC has made significant progress towards its 2023 commitments to transform the public realm around the station with a $110 million city investment and $20 million federal grant through the RAISE program. Public realm projects aim to create a safer and more welcoming area around Broadway Junction, and could include improvements to lighting, redesign of intersections, repaving of sidewalks and roadways, new street trees and right-of-way planting, and wayfinding. This includes:

● Releasing an RFP for the design of a new gateway plaza at the station entrance to create a half-acre of new public open space. Submissions are open until February 27th, 2025.
   ◦ To create space for the plaza, the current NYPD Transit Bureau District 33 station will be relocated to a new facility nearby.
● Release of an RFP for the design of two streetscape projects around the station – located along Van Sinderen Avenue between Atlantic Avenue and Fulton Street and along Broadway between Truxton Street and Jamaica Avenue.
● Selecting design teams for both the streetscapes and Gateway Plaza projects is expected by Summer 2025 with construction anticipated to start in 2028.

Workforce Development

To complement the ongoing real estate and public realm improvements in East New York, NYCEDC is working with city agencies to build the area’s workforce and develop an employment hub in Brooklyn. This includes:

● Releasing an RFP to identify an operator to establish a workforce development fund for East Brooklyn. The fund will expand the suite of local workforce programs that connect jobseekers to employment opportunities in legacy industrial and emerging green economy industries. The RFP’s evaluation process is currently underway, and NYCEDC expects to distribute awards to selected respondents in the second quarter of 2025.
● Phase one of the “City Agencies Revitalizing the Economy” (CARE) strategy—located at 2440 Fulton Street, currently under development, will deliver the area’s largest-ever commercial building, with the New York City Department of Social Services serving as the anchor tenant.
● Co-hosting job fairs with Council Member Nurse for the Broadway Junction public realm work, along with other City and State agencies.
● Council Member Nurse holding separate community job fairs with trade unions, green industries and schools in East New York.

About NYCEDC
New York City Economic Development Corporation is a mission-driven, nonprofit organization that works for a vibrant, inclusive, and globally competitive economy for all New Yorkers. We take a comprehensive approach, through four main strategies: strengthen confidence in NYC as a great place to do business; grow innovative sectors with a focus on equity; build neighborhoods as places to live, learn, work, and play; and deliver sustainable infrastructure for communities and the city’s future economy. To learn more about what we do, visit us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.