Gilbane, Blue Sea Development, and Artspace Join Mayor Adams, City and State Officials to Break Ground on Brownsville Arts Center & Apartments
The $254 Million Project Will Bring Affordable Housing and a New Home for Local Cultural Organizations and Performances to Brooklyn’s Brownsville Neighborhood
Brooklyn, NY (September 9, 2025)-Gilbane Development, Blue Sea Development and Artspace were joined by Mayor Eric Adams as well as City and State officials today to break ground on the Brownsville Arts Center & Apartments (BACA). Constructed by Gilbane Building, the transformative project received $254 million in financing in July and will deliver deeply affordable housing as well as a dynamic cultural center and performance space to Brooklyn’s Brownsville neighborhood.
Located in the heart of Brownsville at 366 Rockaway Avenue, BACA will bring nearly 263,000 square feet of residential space encompassing 283 new affordable rental apartments ranging from studios to three-bedroom apartments, affordable to households earning between 30% and 70% of the Area Median Income (AMI), including dedicated units for formerly homeless individuals. BACA’s cultural arts center spans 28,000 square feet, including a 3,440-square-foot multi-purpose performance, rehearsal, and studio space for community arts groups, solidifying its position as a lively cultural nexus in the community.
“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,” said Yarojin Robinson, Senior Vice President, Affordable & Mixed-Income Housing, Gilbane Development. “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.”
Gilbane Building New York City Business Leader & Vice President Raquel Diaz said, “Gilbane Building is proud to serve as the construction partner on this tremendous community-centered project. We’re honored to help build spaces where residents can thrive, artists can create, and culture can flourish. We look forward to leveraging its construction to generate economic vibrancy for the Brownsville community.”
“At the heart of the Brownsville Arts Center & Apartments is a belief in connection: connection to home, to culture, and connection to one another,” said Jacob Bluestone, Blue Sea Development Company. “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.”
“The Brownsville Arts Center & Apartments shows what’s possible when affordable housing and the arts are woven together to serve a community,” said Will Law, President and CEO of Artspace. “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.”
“Making New York City the best place to raise a family means creating affordable homes and delivering high-quality community spaces; that is what this project is all about,” said Mayor Eric Adams. “We’ll bring hundreds of new affordable homes to Brownsville and give New Yorkers a vibrant place to dance and perform. From Brownsville to University Heights, we’re building much-needed homes across the entire city and reinforcing our reputation, once again, as the most pro-housing administration in city history.”
“Brownsville Arts Center & Apartments furthers this Administration’s commitment to delivering on affordable housing and the arts. By investing in Brownsville’s future, putting 283 families into affordable housing, and delivering a new arts and cultural center for the neighborhood, we are a City of Yes”, said Deputy Mayor Adolfo Carrion Jr., “I congratulate Gilbane Development, Blue Sea Development, and Artspace for reaching a monumental milestone.”
“BACA and its housing, its cultural space, and its intentional commitment to this neighborhood is the perfect embodiment of the Brownsville Plan—a bold, community-driven vision that committed to creating more than 2,500 new affordable homes alongside substantial city fundings for investments in culture, health, youth, and public spaces,” said Acting HPD Commissioner Ahmed Tigani. “In that same spirit, BACA delivers 283 deeply affordable apartments, including homes for formerly homeless households, and a 28,000 sq ft cultural arts center with performance, rehearsal, and studio space. This project is more than housing—it’s a vibrant cultural hub that will spark creativity, foster opportunity, and instill pride, showing what’s possible when we pair deeply affordable housing with spaces that honor community and expression. I am profoundly grateful to my colleagues, the development team and their partners, and our essential local leaders whose vision made this transformative project a reality.”
“The Brownsville Arts Center & Apartments exemplifies how affordable housing and cultural investments can come together to strengthen communities,” said HDC President Eric Enderlin. “With today’s groundbreaking, we are one step closer to delivering 283 affordable homes and a vibrant cultural hub for the residents of Brownsville, and we thank our partners for their collaboration in making this vision a reality.”
“Today’s groundbreaking is the start of something deeply meaningful for Brownsville, the creation of a new asset that will provide both much-needed affordable housing and a hub to anchor the cultural life of this community for years to come” said Laurie Cumbo, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. “With the City’s investment, we’re not just building affordable housing and cultural space—we’re honoring the creative spirit of this neighborhood and making space for it to thrive. This project says loud and clear that Brownsville’s stories matter, that its artists belong, and that culture should be part of the foundation in every community.”
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.”
New York City Regional Economic Development Council (REDC) 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.”
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority Senior Vice President Susanne DesRoches said,“With the start of construction on the Brownsville Arts Center, New York is taking another step toward providing residents with access to healthy, affordable, and energy efficient living spaces. By investing in clean, modern housing that supports the state’s most vulnerable populations, we are strengthening our communities and ensuring every New Yorker has the foundation to thrive.”
Set for completion in December 2027, BACA stands as a landmark investment in Brownsville’s social and cultural landscape. The development unites affordable housing with innovative arts programming, creating a community foundation that fosters creativity, equity, and resilience.
Rising on a vacant city-owned lot awarded for development through a competitive New York City Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) RFP process, BACA exemplifies the city’s “Brownsville Plan,” which aims to transform the community by pairing deeply affordable housing with opportunities for cultural expression and community connection. The project financing includes nearly $100 million from the City of New York. Social services at the site will be provided by Brooklyn Community Housing and Services (BCHS).
Designed as an all-electric building, BACA targets PHIUS (Passive House Institute US) 2021 CORE, LEED Platinum, the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ENERGY STAR® Multifamily New Construction Program, EPA’s Indoor airPlus, and Fitwel certifications, and has been recognized by NYSERDA as part of its Buildings of Excellence and Building Cleaner Communities Competitions.
Gilbane Development, Blue Sea Development, and Artspace, as joint venture development partners, along with Gilbane Building as general contractor and Aufgang as architect, remain committed to offering Brownsville residents not just a roof over their heads, but opportunities to participate in and shape the cultural life of their neighborhood for generations to come.
About Gilbane Development
Gilbane Development is the real estate development, financing, and ownership arm of Gilbane, Inc., a 155-year-old family-owned company. With over $11.8 billion in development and more than 25,000 units of housing completed/underway, Gilbane Development’s projects incorporate every aspect of real estate including: multifamily housing (market rate apartments, student housing, and affordable housing); mixed-used developments; healthcare facilities; K-12 schools; government facilities; and many types of facilities delivered through public-private partnerships. To learn more, visit gilbaneco.com.
About Blue Sea Development
Blue Sea Development Company is a real estate development company known for pioneering high-performance multifamily and mixed-use buildings, including the first affordable Energy Star, LEED-Platinum, and Partnership for a Healthier America Active Design Verified developments in New York State. With its deep commitment to community engagement, every project reflects a belief in providing quality, affordable, sustainable homes to the people who need them most.
About Artspace
The Artspace mission is to create and preserve affordable and sustainable spaces for individual artists, their families, and entrepreneurs, while strengthening communities through programs, consulting, partnerships, and the stewardship of space that sustains vibrant creative life.