Developers, elected officials and community members on Tuesday broke ground on the Brownsville Arts Center & Apartments (BACA), a development that will bring hundreds of new affordable apartments and a cultural center.
Gilbane Development, Blue Sea Development and Artspace were joined by Mayor Eric Adams and other city and state officials at 366 Rockaway Ave. in Brownsville to celebrate BACA, which will bring nearly 263,000-square-feet of residential space encompassing 283 new affordable rental apartments ranging from studios to three-bedroom apartments. The units will be affordable to households earning between 30% and 70% of the Area Median Income (AMI), including dedicated units for formerly homeless individuals.
“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,” Adams said in a statement.
BACA’s cultural arts center will span 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 of Affordable & Mixed-Income Housing at Gilbane Development.
The development is set for completion in December of 2027.
