ESD’s $5.5 Million Investment Supports 28,000-Square-Foot Cultural Arts Center, Anchoring Affordable Housing Development in Brooklyn’s Brownsville Neighborhood
Empire State Development (ESD) today joined Gilbane Development, Blue Sea Development, Artspace, and City and State officials to break ground on the Brownsville Arts Center & Apartments (BACA), a $254 million project at 366 Rockaway Avenue in the heart of Brownsville that will deliver 283 affordable homes for households earning between 30% and 70% of Area Median Income, along with a transformative new cultural hub,with construction expected to be completed by December 2027.
Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, “Empire State Development is proud to invest $5.5 million in the Brownsville Arts Center and Apartments. The project ensures that local artists and cultural organizations have a permanent home while also delivering hundreds of affordable apartments to the community. By pairing cultural space with affordable housing, we are reinforcing Brownsville as a community where people can live, create, and thrive.”
NYC Regional Economic Development Council Co-Chairs Félix V. Matos Rodríguez, City University of New York Chancellor and William D. Rahm, CEO of Everview Partners, said, “By bringing together new affordable homes with dedicated cultural space, the Brownsville Arts Center and Apartments reflects the kind of inclusive growth New York City needs. The REDC is proud to support this project, which will provide opportunity, inspiration, and connection to residents across the community, ensuring that the neighborhood’s creative economy and economic vibrancy continues for generations.
Gilbane Development Senior Vice President of Affordable & Mixed-Income Housing Yarojin Robinson said, “The Brownsville Arts Center & Apartments will be so much more than a home—it will be a thriving hub for people to gather for performances, for students to learn about the arts, and for local cultural organizations to grow. We are grateful to our partners, Blue Sea Development and Artspace, and for the critical financial support from the City and State. Together, we’re working to make Brownsville more affordable, sustainable and connected.”
Blue Sea Development Company Founder Jacob Bluestone said, “At the heart of the Brownsville Arts Center & Apartments is a belief in connection: connection to home, to culture, and connection to one another. It means a great deal to all of us at Blue Sea Development and Gilbane Development to be part of a project that treats cultural infrastructure and affordable housing not as separate needs, but as shared pillars of community life.”
Artspace President and CEO Wil Law said, “The Brownsville Arts Center & Apartments shows what’s possible when affordable housing and the arts are woven together to serve a community. With strong local partnerships and a shared commitment to creativity, BACA will be a place where artists and neighbors can create, connect, and grow—ensuring Brownsville’s cultural life continues to flourish for generations to come.”
ESD’s $5.5 million investment, recommended by the New York City Regional Economic Development Council, is supporting the creation of the 28,000-square-foot Brownsville Arts Center, which will serve as a permanent home for leading local and regional cultural organizations, artists, and community groups. Designed as an all-electric, sustainable development, the Center will feature a 3,440-square-foot multipurpose performance and rehearsal space, studios, and flexible gathering spaces designed to expand access to the arts, elevate local voices, and attract visitors to Brownsville.
The Brownsville Arts Center & Apartments will be the first cultural institution in New York State designed to achieve Passive House and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certification, targeting Net Zero energy use. By lowering long-term operating costs, the Center will strengthen the financial sustainability of its partner organizations, freeing resources for more programming and community impact. BACA is supported by a coalition of local cultural partners including Artspace, BRIC, Brooklyn Arts Council, Brooklyn Music School, Purelements, and the Youth Design Center. Together, these organizations will activate the new facility with affordable arts education, performances, and cultural programming that strengthen community ties and draw visitors to the neighborhood.
About Empire State Development
Empire State Development is New York's chief economic development agency, and promotes business growth, job creation, and greater economic opportunity throughout the state. With offices in each of the state's 10 regions, ESD oversees the Regional Economic Development Councils, supports broadband equity through the ConnectALL office, and is growing the workforce of tomorrow through the Office of Strategic Workforce Development. The agency engages with emerging and next generation industries like clean energy and semiconductor manufacturing looking to grow in New York State, operates a network of assistance centers to help small businesses grow and succeed, and promotes the state's world class tourism destinations through I LOVE NY. For more information, please visit esd.ny.gov, and connect with ESD on LinkedIn, Facebook and X.
Contact:
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