The New York City government’s “reimagination” of Brooklyn’s Broadway Junction has been underway since 2014. The transit-focused project is now scheduled for completion in 2030, Mayor Eric Adams announced yesterday. The $500 million investment plan—$400 million of which is coming from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)—will provide funding for upgrades in and around Broadway Junction station.
The Department of City Planning began outreach for what became known as the East New York Neighborhood Plan in 2014 (Broadway Junction is located in East New York’s northwest corner). The plan ultimately advocated for “affordable housing preservation and development, encouraging economic development, creating pedestrian-friendly streets, and investing in community resources to support the long-term growth and sustainability of East New York, Cypress Hills and Ocean Hill.” In 2019, the New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC) rolled out the first plans for Broadway Junction, building on the 2014 plan.
The MTA is pursuing the goal of making Broadway Junction a “true regional transit center,” the EDC said in a press release. Currently, the station serves the A, C, J, L, and Z trains, with the Long Island Rail Road’s East New York station nearby (but not connected), and a number of bus routes. The MTA’s investment will fund accessibility upgrades in the station, which is known for its extensive staircases and packed escalators that criss-cross the multi-level station. The station will have fully ADA-compliant transfers between the A/C, J/Z, and L platforms upon the project’s completion. Existing escalators will be replaced, and a new entrance with direct access to the L will be constructed on Van Sinderen Avenue. A design-build contract for this work will be announced later this year.
An additional $95 million from the city will go toward revamping the plaza surrounding the station, improving street safety on Van Sinderen, including for cyclists and pedestrians, and creating approximately one acre of new open space. The open space will be formed by two plazas on either side of Van Sinderen Avenue and Fulton Street. While the plan focuses on “East New York,” Broadway Junctions also borders Ocean Hill and Brownsville. Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi said that “In a city as dense as New York City, one additional acre of open space is a major win for the residents of East New York and for commuters and visitors who travel through Broadway Junction.”
The city estimates that the projects will create 2,300 new construction jobs and an $11 billion economic impact. As the neighborhood had already been targeted by the city, development in the neighborhood has picked up over the past few years. According to the EDC, 433 homes have recently been completed within a ten minute walk of Broadway Junction, almost all of which are affordable to families earning 80 percent of the area median income, and 60 percent are affordable to families earning less than 50 percent of the area median income. 1,700 additional homes are projected for the area.
Maria Torres-Springer, Deputy Mayor for Economic and Workforce Development, said: “This holistic investment in Broadway Junction and the East New York community is emblematic of how our administration approaches neighborhood planning to ensure that public investment spurs more affordable housing and connects local residents to new jobs.”
Community workshops and planning will begin this summer, with the groundbreaking scheduled for 2027 and completion targeted for 2030.
