New York Construction Report staff writer
New York officials have approved a sweeping plan to redevelop the Brooklyn Marine Terminal into a modern port and mixed-use waterfront district, a project expected to generate $18 billion in economic activity and thousands of jobs.
Gov. Kathy Hochul, Mayor Eric Adams, Rep. Dan Goldman, state Sen. Andrew Gounardes and Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso joined city and state economic development leaders Thursday to announce the plan’s passage by the Brooklyn Marine Terminal Task Force.
The $3.5 billion vision calls for transforming the underused 122-acre site into a 60-acre, all-electric maritime port, along with 6,000 homes — including 2,400 permanently affordable units — 28 acres of open space, industrial and commercial space, and new cultural and community facilities.
“This bold, $3.5 billion vision will transform the Brooklyn Marine Terminal into a modern, all-electric maritime hub and a thriving new neighborhood — delivering good-paying jobs, affordable homes, and public amenities for generations to come,” Hochul said in a statement.
The state will provide $65 million to support affordable housing growth and fund a future cold storage facility on the site. In total, city, state and federal governments have committed about $410 million to advance the project.
Officials said the plan would create 37,000 construction jobs and 2,000 permanent positions in sectors including maritime, industrial, commercial and residential development.
Adams said the redevelopment will deliver “the open space our city needs and keep New York at the front of the green economy,” while countering the idea that “the days of big ideas and bold initiatives were over.”
The project will also include resiliency upgrades, such as raising the site to guard against sea level rise, floodwalls designed to withstand severe storms, and expanded stormwater management.
The BMT Task Force, chaired by Goldman and co-chaired by Gounardes and New York City Councilmember Alexa Avilés, approved the vision plan after a year of community engagement that involved more than 4,200 residents and stakeholders.
Next steps include an environmental review, creation of an advisory task force, and requests for proposals to identify a long-term port operator. The New York City Economic Development Corporation aims to issue the first RFP by 2026, with phased construction expected to follow.
Empire State Development President and CEO Hope Knight called the redevelopment “a once-in-a-generation project” that will “expand affordable housing and create a more resilient, connected, and vibrant waterfront.”
