New York Construction Report staff writer
A major affordable housing and cultural hub is coming to Brooklyn’s Brownsville neighborhood, with financing now secured for the $254 million Brownsville Arts Center & Apartments (BACA) project.
Located on a city-owned site at 366 Rockaway Avenue, the development will bring 283 affordable rental homes to the community, including units reserved for formerly homeless individuals. Apartments will be available to households earning between 30 and 70 percent of the area median income, with layouts ranging from studios to three-bedroom units.
BACA is being developed through a joint venture between Gilbane Development, Blue Sea Development, and Artspace Projects, Inc., following a competitive request for proposals process led by the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD). Gilbane Building Company will serve as general contractor, with Aufgang Architects designing the project.
Alongside the new homes, the project will feature a 28,000-sq. ft. cultural arts center, including a 3,440-sq. ft. multi-purpose performance, rehearsal, and studio space for local arts organizations. With 263,000 sq. ft. of residential space, BACA aims to serve as both a housing solution and a vibrant community hub.
“The future Brownsville Arts Center and Apartments will provide much-needed affordable housing and serve as a vibrant cultural hub,” said Raquel Diaz, vice-president and New York City business leader at Gilbane Building. “We’re proud to help bring this vision of affordable, creative community living to life.”
Designed as an all-electric building, BACA is targeting high environmental standards including Passive House Institute US (PHIUS) 2021 CORE, LEED Platinum, ENERGY STAR® Multifamily New Construction, EPA Indoor airPLUS, and Fitwel certifications. The project has been recognized by NYSERDA through its Buildings of Excellence and Building Cleaner Communities Competitions.
Construction is scheduled to begin this month, with completion expected in December 2027.
“The Brownsville Arts Center and Apartments will be an important new community resource, bringing much-needed affordable housing and valuable cultural programming to Brownsville,” said Ariel Aufgang, principal of Aufgang Architects. “We’re designing this project to meet the highest environmental standards while strengthening the social and cultural fabric of the neighborhood.”
Yarojin Robinson, senior vice president of affordable and mixed-income housing at Gilbane Development, called the project a “powerful expression” of equitable development.
“This project goes beyond housing — it’s a cultural and residential anchor that will uplift and inspire Brownsville for years to come,” Robinson said.
Jacob Bluestone of Blue Sea Development said BACA treats housing and cultural infrastructure not as separate needs but as “shared pillars of community life.”
“When you pair affordable housing with dedicated cultural spaces to perform, practice, and gather, you create more than a place to live — you create a place to thrive,” he said.
