Work has been completed on a new $118m mixed-use residential and light manufacturing development in Brownsville, New York City (NYC), US.
This complex transformed the former Fox’s U-Bet Chocolate Syrup factory into the Brownsville Industrial Center developed by Greenpoint Manufacturing and Design Center (GMDC).
It was a collaborative effort involving The Bridge, Mega Development, and GMDC, with design work by THINK! Architecture and Design.
The development features 39,000ft² of affordable, light manufacturing space on the ground floor, and Bridge Rockaway, a residential building with 174 units of supportive housing, above the manufacturing space.
These units are said to be affordable for residents earning between 30% and 70% of the area median income (AMI).
The complex also includes a 2,000ft² community space, which is said to be the first of its kind in NYC spanning half a city block in Brownsville, Brooklyn.
New York governor Kathy Hochul said: “Bridge Rockaway with its affordable homes and supportive services in combination with light manufacturing, which has long provided the pathways to the middle class for Brooklynites, is spurring a fresh start for this piece of Brownsville.”
The Bridge will own and operate the residential development, providing essential on-site services.
Meanwhile, GMDC has invested more than $11.5m in abatement measures to ensure the health and safety of both residential and industrial occupants.
The project has received state support, including a $1.6m capital grant from Empire State Development, as recommended by the NYC Regional Economic Development Council.
Additional financial backing includes $11.4m in permanent tax-exempt bonds, Federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits generating $46m in equity, and $16.9m in subsidy from New York State Homes and Community Renewal.
The New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance contributed $6.5m through the Homeless Housing Assistance Program, alongside rental subsidies from the Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative.
The City of New York and other public and private sources have also provided funding, with the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development allocating $17.1m for the residential segment of the project.
