Brooklyn Developmental Center Mixed Use Project

In March 2017, former Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced the “Vital Brooklyn” comprehensive community development initiative to address chronic social, economic and health disparities in Central Brooklyn, one of the most underserved areas in New York State. Vital Brooklyn will create a stronger, more sustainable community by leveraging New York State programs and resources to improve the well-being of Central Brooklyn residents.

As part of the Vital Brooklyn initiative, the proposed Brooklyn Developmental Center Mixed-Use Project (Project) seeks to redevelop an approximately 27-acre site in East New York, Brooklyn, with affordable and supportive housing, commercial space, community facilities, light manufacturing uses, and open space.

Empire State Development (ESD), in collaboration with New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR), published a Request for Proposals seeking high-quality mixed-use, wellness-oriented redevelopment proposals with affordable and supportive housing components for the former Brooklyn Developmental Center (BDC), where New York State provided residential care and treatment service to New Yorkers with intellectual and developmental disabilities between 1974 and 2015.  A team—comprising Apex Building Company, L+M Development Partners, RiseBoro Community Partnership, and Services for the Underserved (S:US)—was selected to redevelop the site with a proposal based on “Blue Zones” planning, modeled after communities worldwide that have the longest lifespans.

Project Information & Resources