MTA facility to make way for nearly $1B Bushwick Inlet affordable housing project
Bryan Kelly, President of Development at the Gotham Organization, says the project will transform the area.
Later this year, an MTA mobile wash facility may be relocated to 213 Meadow Street, clearing the way for Monitor Point, a nearly $1 billion development that promises affordable waterfront housing and new jobs for the community.
Bryan Kelly, President of Development at the Gotham Organization, says the project will transform the area. “It's essentially going to create 51,000 square feet of open space, create waterfront resiliency, local community museum, things that really make this area continue to thrive and be livable and walkable,” he said.
With Community Board One’s support and land use approvals still pending, Kelly says the development would deliver 460 deeply affordable homes and 70 on-site jobs. “460 deep affordable homes means a thousand residents who may have housing insecurity having an opportunity to live in a district where it has great schools and open spaces,” he noted.
The plan has not been without controversy.
Following pushback from Bushwick Inlet advocates earlier this year, Kelly emphasized that the project includes expanded open space, native plantings, shoreline restoration, and a new Greenpoint Monitor Museum. “The museum will include artifacts, a replica portion of the USS Monitor, classroom spaces, civic opportunities, outdoor space on the roof [and] really become a magnet for collaboration, both between the museum and other community organizations,” he said.
A key feature of the project is a 40-foot-wide esplanade that will wrap around the inlet, providing a welcoming space for runners, walkers, and other outdoor recreation.
Local resident Sara Cohen says the improvements will benefit the community. “For runners specifically, we're really excited to be able to enjoy more of the waterfront and make more use out of the parkland. If we can bring some affordable housing in, that's awesome as well,” she said.
If approved, the project promises to not only provide much-needed housing and jobs but also enhance the waterfront experience and strengthen the connection between the neighborhood and the East River.
