Closing Comes Ahead of Adams Administration’s Fiscal Year 2025 Production Numbers Announcement
Our Bureau
New York, NY
New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) Acting Commissioner Ahmed Tigani, Gilbane Development, Blue Sea Development, and Artspace Projects, Inc., have announced the financing of the Brownsville Arts Center & Apartments (BACA) project. Located on a city-owned site at 366 Rockaway Avenue in Brooklyn, BACA will create 283 new affordable rental apartments available to households earning between 30 percent and 70 percent of the area median income, including a mix of studios to three-bedroom apartments, as well as dedicated units for formerly homeless individuals. Additionally, BACA will deliver a 28,000 square-foot cultural arts center with a 3,440 square-foot multi-purpose performance, rehearsal, and studio space for community arts groups.
Along with nearly 263,000 square feet of residential space, the new cultural arts center and affordable housing will serve as a vibrant and inclusive community hub. BACA is expected to cost $254 million, with the Adams administration contributing nearly $100 million in city subsidies. BACA marks a major step forward in bringing transformative, affordable housing and dynamic community-centered space to the heart of Brownsville and builds on the Adams administration’s record as the most pro-housing administration in city history. In addition to creating record amounts of affordable housing two years in a row, passing the first citywide zoning reform in 60 years, and advancing five neighborhood plans to create jobs and new housing across the city, new housing like his one will help New York City reach Mayor Adams’ moonshot goal of creating 500,000 new homes by 2032.
“New Yorkers need affordable homes and vibrant community spaces. This dynamic project in the heart of Brownsville will deliver both. It will give more New Yorkers an affordable place to live, a welcoming place to express themselves, and a quality place to spend time together,” said Mayor Adams. “Projects like this that deliver affordable homes and help cultivate community are at the heart of our administration’s work. From creating record amounts of affordable housing two years in a row to passing historic zoning reform to build tens of thousands of new homes across all five boroughs, we are proud to be the most pro-housing administration in city history.”
“The Brownsville Arts Center & Apartments project represents what the Adams’ administration stands for — affordable, sustainable housing paired with community spaces that strengthen the fabric of our city,” said Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce Adolfo Carrión, Jr. “This project is an investment in Brownsville’s future; we are creating homes, nurturing creativity, and building a stronger, more vibrant neighborhood for generations to come.”
“BACA is more than a meaningful investment in quality, affordable housing — it’s a powerful example of what a holistic response to community needs can look like. It stands apart as a commitment to creating accessible space for the performing and visual arts, a safe and vibrant place to celebrate our cultural diversity, and a catalyst for building real connections that bring out the best in our communities,” said HPD Acting Commissioner Tigani. “The Brownsville Arts Center & Apartments will deliver 283 affordable homes alongside a new cultural hub, reminding us why we must invest not just in buildings, but in people. When we create space for creativity and expression, we strengthen our neighborhoods and open doors for every New Yorker to feel seen, discover their passions, and feel truly at home. We thank our partners for making this bold and beautiful vision a reality.”
“The Brownsville Arts Center & Apartments exemplifies how affordable housing and cultural investments can be combined to strengthen communities,” said New York City Housing Development Corporation (HDC) President Eric Enderlin. “HDC is proud to support the financing of this development, which will bring 283 affordable homes and lasting benefits to the residents of Brownsville.”
“Arts and culture are the building blocks of safe, vibrant, and connected communities,” said New York City Department of Cultural Affairs Commissioner Laurie Cumbo. “With the Brownsville Arts Center & Apartments, we’re creating affordable housing and planting deep roots for cultural expression and community pride right in the heart of the neighborhood. Thanks to a tremendous investment from the Adams administration, this project is a testament to what’s possible when a city prioritizes the well-being of its people, equity, and culture. It affirms that every community deserves access to the arts and that Brownsville’s artistic voices matter. This project gives local creatives the space to thrive and inspire, while opening the doors for the whole community to experience, participate in, and be uplifted by the arts.”
