Gilbane Development, in partnership with Blue Sea Development, Artspace and the City and State of New York, announced $254 million in financing for the Brownsville Arts Center & Apartments (BACA).
Located at 366 Rockaway Ave. in Brooklyn, BACA will deliver nearly 263,000 square feet of residential space and a 28,000-square-foot cultural arts center that will serve as a vibrant and inclusive community hub. With 283 new affordable rental apartments, BACA will offer a mix of 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.
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 financing includes nearly $100 million from the City of New York. At the heart of the cultural arts center is a 3,440-square-foot multipurpose performance, rehearsal and studio space for community arts groups.
“Brownsville Arts Center & Apartments is a powerful expression of our commitment to equitable development through design, collaboration and community,” said Yarojin Robinson, senior vice president, affordable and mixed-income housing, Gilbane Development. “This project goes beyond housing — it’s a cultural and residential anchor that will uplift and inspire Brownsville for years to come. We’re proud to partner with Blue Sea Development and Artspace to bring this vision to life — made possible in no small part thanks to the vital financial support from both the city and the state.”
Designed as an all-electric building, BACA targets PHIUS (Passive House Institute US) 2021 CORE, LEED Platinum, the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Energy Multifamily New Construction Program, EPA’s Indoor airPlus and Fitwel certifications, and has been recognized by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) as part of its Buildings of Excellence and Building Cleaner Communities Competitions.
“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,” said Jacob Bluestone, Blue Sea Development Company. “When you pair affordable housing with dedicated cultural spaces to perform, practice, and gather, you create more than a place to live—you create a place to thrive.”
With construction starting in July 2025 and completion expected in December 2027, BACA will integrate deeply affordable housing with dynamic arts programming to foster a sense of place where creativity, equity, and resilience can flourish.
“Artspace is honored to support the Brownsville Arts Center & Apartments as a limited partner, helping steward the commercial spaces where community and culture will flourish. Through master leasing, we’re working to create a stable framework that helps local partners remain rooted and active in the neighborhood. This project reflects our commitment to making space—literally and figuratively—for the artists and organizations who help communities thrive,” said Will Law, president of Artspace.
Gilbane Development, Blue Sea Development and Artspace serve as joint venture development partners, along with Gilbane Building as general contractor and Aufgang as architect.
