Transforming Eastern Brooklyn: Inside the big plan to bring green jobs and growth to Broadway Junction and East New York
New York City is looking to attract green businesses and local industry to two large city-owned sites in the East New York Industrial Business Zone (IBZ) nearly a decade after East New York’s rezoning. At the same time, plans are moving forward to revamp Broadway Junction, bringing long-awaited public space and infrastructure improvements to one of Brooklyn’s busiest but most neglected transit hubs.
New RFPs for Green Industry Development
The New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) released requests for proposals (RFPs) earlier this month for two sites: a 1920s four-story former school building on Williams Avenue in East New York, currently operating as a shelter, and a large vacant lot on Sackman Street in Brownsville, both in the IBZ. The agency is calling for proposals from businesses that prioritize job creation, green industry development, and community benefits as part of efforts to make East New York a leader for emerging green industries.
The site at 173-191 Sackman St. is a 19,000-square-foot paved lot, while the 69,000-square-foot parcel at 116 Williams Ave. includes the former school building, which isn’t landmarked and could be razed or repurposed. The RFPs say both sites benefit from relatively affordable real estate, transit access, business support programs, and potential tax incentives.
The Sackman Street site currently serves as a short-term construction staging area and is surrounded by industrial activities, including self-storage, a bus depot, and metal fabrication businesses, the RFP says. The required deposit for the site is the greater of $300,000 or 10% of the purchase price.
The Williams Avenue site has been operating as a Department of Homeless Services women’s shelter and HVAC mechanical shop. The shelter and shop will both be relocated this year, and the building will be delivered vacant to whoever takes over the site, the RFP says. The deposit for the site is $500,000 or 10% of the purchase price, whichever is more.
Adjacent to the Williams Avenue site, on the corner of Glenmore Avenue and Hinsdale Street, is the TLC Sculpture Garden, a long-standing community green space managed by the GreenThumb program. Businesses interested in the Williams Avenue site must enhance and integrate the garden in their plans, according to the RFP. Given the garden isn’t mapped as a park, businesses can use the site’s development rights to preserve the garden or relocate it somewhere on the same block.
“Proposals to relocate the garden must include a compelling rationale as well as substantive improvements to a relocated garden of equal or greater area to the original,” the RFP says.
Fears of Displacement
The planned investments come as East New York residents grapple with concerns about displacement and affordability. The neighborhood, which was rezoned in 2016 as part of the de Blasio administration’s housing plan, has seen limited followthrough on promised investments, Council Member Sandy Nurse said.
Nurse said the current RFP is the result of community-led planning efforts that have been in the works for years and continued advocacy for sustainable industrial and workforce development. “It’s really important that people understand this was a community-envisioned process, a grassroots coalition that has been really shaping it,” Nurse said. “A coalition that felt the city really broke promises to it during the East New York rezoning.”
Nurse said throughout the process, residents have emphasized the need for businesses that provide long-term careers rather than temporary or low-wage jobs. They want to see the IBZ positioned as a leader in green business. Among the industries that locals hope to see on the sites are renewable energy, sustainable construction, and locally manufactured environmentally friendly products.
“We really want to put the East New York IBZ on the map as a destination for the green economy that is growing in New York City; we want to position East New York residents as the forefront of that,” she said, adding she hoped businesses looking to set up shop would work with the community and follow through on what locals are asking for.
While the industrial investment is welcomed, Nurse acknowledged concerns about affordability and displacement, particularly as private development stemming from the East New York rezoning accelerates in the area.
Conclusion
The city’s investments in the Broadway Junction area, which include a $110 million investment and $400 million from the MTA, are expected to have an economic impact of about $11.6 billion. Those investments into the local economy will help create “the thriving neighborhood and community that this community has long deserved,” said NYCEDC President and CEO Andrew Kimball.
FAQs
What is the New York City Economic Development Corporation?
The New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) is a public benefit corporation that serves as the primary economic development agency for the City of New York.
What is the purpose of the RFPs for the Sackman Street and Williams Avenue sites?
The RFPs are seeking proposals from businesses that prioritize job creation, green industry development, and community benefits as part of efforts to make East New York a leader for emerging green industries.
What is the required deposit for the Sackman Street site?
The required deposit for the Sackman Street site is the greater of $300,000 or 10% of the purchase price.
What is the required deposit for the Williams Avenue site?
The required deposit for the Williams Avenue site is $500,000 or 10% of the purchase price, whichever is more.
What is the purpose of the TLC Sculpture Garden?
The TLC Sculpture Garden is a long-standing community green space managed by the GreenThumb program, and businesses interested in the Williams Avenue site must enhance and integrate the garden in their plans.
What is the expected economic impact of the city’s investments in the Broadway Junction area?
The city’s investments in the Broadway Junction area are expected to have an economic impact of about $11.6 billion.
