A building that once was in the center of the city America's military-industrial complex is being repurposed to meet this century's greatest challenges. climate crisis.
A new „climate innovation hub“ will be built over the next three years at the Brooklyn Army Terminal in Sunset Park as part of a broader „future-proof“ plan new york By creating millions of jobs not only in the green economy, but also in life sciences, technology and AI.
Much of the development is taking place along New York's waterfront, where large areas were abandoned for decades after large-scale manufacturing declined in the mid-20th century.
Andrew Kimball, CEO of the New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC), said Thursday that the city has begun an effort to take back the city, starting with efforts under former Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
„New York City is a coastal city with over 500 miles of waterfront,“ he explained. EDC, a nonprofit organization, invests heavily in projects across the five boroughs, particularly along the 100 miles of waterfront it manages.
Previous mayors have started by building more waterfront parks and housing, but they remain severely lacking. Kimball said Mayor Eric Adams is focused on bringing jobs back to the water and using the river to transport goods.
Brooklyn Army Terminal Building in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. New York State is investing in a new climate innovation zone here as part of its broader Green Economy Action Plan.
(Louise Boyle)
Part of the plan relates to e-commerce, which has boomed during the pandemic. This poses a major challenge for New York, a densely populated city that wants to transform the city. waterway They turned it into a „blue highway,“ reducing the number of fossil fuel-spitting trucks clogging the road.
A barge or boat unloads the goods at the pier, and an electric cargo bike completes the „last mile“ of the delivery.
That's not all. There are also plans for electric helicopters. The all-electric soccer stadium for MLS team New York FC at Willets Point in Queens. and a port for preparation and assembly of offshore wind energy components at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal within the port.
The Climate Innovation Hub will occupy 112,000 square feet at the Brooklyn Army Terminal (BAT), a vast complex that is already attracting industry and entrepreneurs.
The impressive building was designed by Cass Gilbert, an architect with a penchant for the Beaux-Arts and Gothic styles, who also designed the U.S. Supreme Court. BAT was completed in 1919 and was the largest military supply base in the United States for decades.
During World War II, this was the New York port of departure for troops heading overseas. In 1958, Sergeant Elvis Presley was sent to Germany by BAT.
The hub will invest $100 million in a suite of facilities, including prototyping labs, wet labs and state-of-the-art machinery, and hopes to attract 150 startups. Nse Ethema, EDC's senior vice president for green economy, said the hub will „range from drone-based technology to solar power installations to underwater autonomous vessels that could help map the seafloor for offshore wind power generation. The company said it would support a wide range of startups.
Companies can also take advantage of the established 'Pilots at BAT' program. The program allows entrepreneurs to demonstrate their products and inventions on the 60-acre campus, including using rooftops to showcase cooling technology. We are experimenting with solar power innovations on building facades. Or use the parking lot to test your electric car charger.
But the revival of the Brooklyn Army Terminal does more than breathe new life into a neglected part of New York's history. The area surrounding Sunset Park has long been under-represented as a place for economic investment and lacked employment opportunities.
The area has one of the worst nitrogen dioxide pollution levels in the city and is also considered a „frontline“ climate community at high risk from sea level rise. This leverages the overall mandate of the 'green economy' plan, which proposes growth, but in a more comprehensive way than when past industrial booms created opportunity and wealth. Masu.
It's not all about technology startups. From coastal resiliency and building electrical retrofits to solar panels, EV charging stations, wind turbine It is planned for the next 15 years.