Adams Administration Secures $260 Million To Green Brooklyn Terminal And Inwood

New York City Mayor Eric Adams today kicked off Climate Week by announcing his administration has won another $260 million in grants.

These grants were won from the Biden-Harris administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, continuing the Adams administration’s unprecedented success in securing federal infrastructure funding. The grants — issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation — will support key infrastructure projects in New York City, including transforming the Brooklyn Marine Terminal into a modern, 21st-century maritime port and vibrant mixed-use community hub, as well as constructing a segment of the Manhattan Waterfront Greenway along 10th Avenue in Inwood. The administration’s Federal Infrastructure Funding Task Force — chaired by Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi — has now secured a total of $2.37 billion in funding, including nearly $1.3 billion in competitive grants. 

“Building a safer, more affordable New York City means investing in our city’s future — in 21st-century jobs, in state-of-the-art infrastructure, and in our public spaces. And thanks to the Biden-Harris administration, we’re able to take major steps forward towards doing just that,” said Mayor Adams. “We’re bringing thousands of jobs and billions in economic impact to our city by transforming the Brooklyn Marine Terminal into a modern, 21st-century maritime port and mixed-use community hub, and we’re bringing new public space and safety improvements to Inwood with our greenway along 10th Avenue. This helps get us that much closer to having New Yorkers be able to bike and walk all the way around Manhattan on greenways. And as we kick off Climate Week, these investments will help us build a cleaner, greener city for all New Yorkers.” 

“The cornerstone of building a better New York City is smart infrastructure. Today, that is made possible through an historic level of funding from the Biden-Harris administration and the tireless work of our congressional delegation,” said Deputy Mayor Joshi. “This is the largest single day of competitive infrastructure grants in New York City history. These two projects represent the breadth of urgent infrastructure investment in our city, from updating our roads for modern, safe mobility to revitalizing our waterfront for greener freight movement. Huge credit to our Federal Infrastructure Funding Task Force, which, since January 2022, has collaborated to earn us more than $1 billion in competitive grants, with more to come to build a stronger future for New York City.” 

“I cannot think of a better way to start New York City’s Climate Week than with this announcement, a generational investment by the federal government that will catalyze the reinvention of the Brooklyn Marine Terminal into a resilient, modern maritime facility with sensible, future-proof transportation infrastructure and mixed-use development,” said Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce Maria Torres-Springer. “I want to thank the U.S. Department of Transportation and the entire New York delegation for their advocacy on behalf of all 8.3 million New Yorkers to secure this transformational funding for the future of the Brooklyn Marine Terminal.” 

“This is a historic investment for a generational project that will truly transform Brooklyn’s waterfront and deliver positive economic and environmental impacts across the region,” said New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) President and CEO Andrew Kimball. “An enormous amount of thanks to the Biden-Harris administration and the U.S. Department of Transportation for recognizing the importance of the future of the Brooklyn Marine Terminal and the role it can play in bolstering our Blue Highways network throughout the five boroughs. I also want to thank our federal elected officials, Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, along with Congressman Dan Goldman who is leading our Brooklyn Marine Terminal Task Force, for their efforts in advocating for this project.” 

“Every neighborhood deserves safe streets and public spaces to share with their families and neighbors. Thanks to the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to equity, we’ll be able to fill a critical gap in Manhattan’s waterfront greenway while delivering important traffic safety upgrades in Inwood,” said New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. “We thank President Biden, local elected officials, and our sister agencies for their support of this life-saving work.”  

“… more direct path from the Bronx to the greenway along the Harlem River …”

“The greatest city in the world deserves high-quality public spaces, and these two projects will expand New Yorkers’ public space access for generations to come,” said New York City Department of Parks and Recreation Commissioner Sue Donoghue. “We look forward to working with our partners at DOT on the greenway along 10th Avenue, creating a safer and more direct path from the Bronx to the greenway along the Harlem River, connecting with historic Manhattan parks like Highbridge Park and Inwood Hill Park as well as to a new waterfront park in development along Academy Street. At Brooklyn Marine Terminal, our coastline will continue its inspiring transformation, helping New Yorkers connect with each other and with our city’s waterfront.” 

Recent federal legislation, including the Biden-Harris administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act, have made unprecedented amounts of federal funding available for key projects across the country. Recognizing this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Mayor Adams formed the Federal Infrastructure Funding Task Force. Under Deputy Mayor Joshi’s guidance, that task force evaluates the competitive grant opportunities available, with a focus on new opportunities made possible through both the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act, and works to break down silos and foster creativity across city agencies. The city has aligned its priorities for high-quality, sustainable, and equitable infrastructure with aggressive and creative grant applications from a wide range of infrastructure agencies. These two announcements represent the single largest day of competitive grant awards in New York City history. 

Brooklyn Marine Terminal 

The $164 million federal grant for the Brooklyn Marine Terminal comes after Mayor Adams, along with New York Governor Kathy Hochul, NYCEDC, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced an historic agreement that will enable the city to transform the 122-acre Brooklyn Marine Terminal into a modern, 21st-century maritime port and mixed-use community. This federal grant builds on an initial $95 million investment from New York City and New York state that would stabilize and repair Piers 7, 8, and 10; and fund planning for the site’s future, new modern, electrified container crane for operations at the terminal, as well as a future cold storage facility on-site. This new funding will help rehabilitate and extend the life of Pier 10 — home of the Red Hook Container Terminal — demolish the structurally-deficient Piers 9A and 9B and replace them with a new marginal Pier 9 that is better able to handle modern ships; and improve traffic and circulation for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists. In the next 10 years, the project is expected to generate $9 billion of economic value while potentially creating thousands of jobs. 

Last week, NYCEDC announced the full membership of the Brooklyn Marine Terminal Task Force. The task force is chaired by U.S. Representative Dan Goldman, and co-chaired by New York state Senator Andrew Gounardes and New York City Councilmember Alexa Aviles. It is comprised of a wide range of experts, including federal, state, and local elected officials; the local community board; local resident organizations; maritime and industrial stakeholders; unions; planning and environmental justice organizations; and representatives of the local business community. Through this ongoing process, the task force aims to build a shared vision across stakeholders, community members, and elected officials. The task force is charged with approving the illustrative vision plan, which will include reinvestment and development for a modernized maritime port and a vibrant mixed-use community, for the Brooklyn Marine Terminal in early 2025. 

NYCEDC kicked off a series of community engagement events in August, starting with a public information webinar on August 12th, and will hold the first public workshop on September 28th at the Miccio Center in Brooklyn. Community input will be a vital part of the master planning process as it provides NYCEDC with critical feedback at each phase of the project. An initial public survey is now available online. Additionally, NYCEDC has selected renowned consulting firm Buro Happold to spearhead the master plan. WXY is leading the engagement process. 

Today’s announcement builds on the Adams administration’s broader strategy to develop the “Harbor of the Future” — a multifaceted initiative announced by Mayor Adams in his State of the City this year to reimagine New York City’s waterfront to fuel 21st-century growth and innovation. The Harbor of the Future includes emerging innovation centers at the Hunts Point Produce Market in the Bronx, the Brooklyn Navy Yard, the “Climate Innovation Hub” at the Brooklyn Army Terminal, Governors Island, the Science Park and Research Campus in Kips Bay in Manhattan, and the North Shore of Staten Island. 

Inwood Greenway 

The $96 million federal grant for a greenway along 10th Avenue in Inwood, Manhattan will help the city fill one of the last major gaps in the Manhattan Waterfront Greenway to create a continuous cycling route around the island. The project will also address traffic safety equity in Inwood, delivering a host of safety upgrades in an underserved area to make the neighborhood’s streets safer for all. Those upgrades include a new plaza, sidewalk extensions, pedestrian islands, bus boarding extensions, raised crosswalks, and improved lighting under the elevated subway line.   

The new greenway segment will stretch 1.35 miles along 10th Avenue, from West 201st Street to West 218th Street, with new, direct connections to Inwood Hill Park at West 218th Street and the Bronx via the Broadway and University Heights bridges. The project will complement the city’s planning for a historic greenway expansion across the five boroughs, including the Harlem River Greenway in the Bronx, which is currently in the planning stage. The project also helps advance the administration’s vision to “close the loop” for cyclists and pedestrians around the island of Manhattan.   

“… pedestrian and cyclist improvements along Harlem River Drive …”

The construction of the greenway will come with a wide variety of proven safety upgrades along the 10th Avenue corridor, which ranks in the top 10 percent of Manhattan’s most dangerous streets. It will also include various pedestrian and cyclist improvements along Harlem River Drive, south of 10th Avenue. Improvements will focus on reducing the time it takes pedestrians to cross the street, slowing turning vehicles, and improving boarding for bus riders along the corridor. The city will also install a full pedestrian plaza on Post Avenue between 10th Avenue and West 207th Street, adding vital public space to Inwood. Department of Design and Construction will build the project, which will enter the preliminary design phase in spring 2025, followed by additional public engagement.   

“I am delighted that we have secured $163,800,000 in funding for the vital redevelopment of the Brooklyn waterfront,” said U.S. Representative Dan Goldman. “This incredible investment in our Red Hook community will be transformative. While the Brooklyn Marine Terminal had been mired in decades of inertia, we have entered a new era with this long overdue federal funding. This infusion will allow our city to fully enhance the economic growth and health of the Brooklyn Marine Terminal, while taking into account the public health and climate goals of surrounding communities. The future is here – and it’s looking bright for Brooklyn.” 

“I’m proud to deliver the largest federal grant funding for NYC’s bike infrastructure in the history of our city and look forward to the new, 1.35-mile corridor along 10th Avenue in Inwood in my district,” said U.S. Representative Adriano Espaillat. “Thank you to my colleagues, Senator Schumer and Senator Gillibrand, New York City Mayor Adams and DOT Commissioner Rodriguez for the local-federal collaboration to ensure this project has the necessary funding for completion.” 

“By building a better Brooklyn Marine Terminal, we’re building a better future for Brooklyn and the whole region,” said New York State Senator Andrew Gounardes. “This federal funding will help make up for years of disinvestment of the piers and allow us to invest in a modernized terminal that can sustainably handle freight deliveries, reduce emissions, expand economic opportunity and create new jobs. I’m thankful to Secretary Pete Buttigieg and the Biden administration for awarding this crucial grant and look forward to working with community partners to ensure we maximize its impact.” 

“Securing $260 million in federal funding for transformative infrastructure projects is a triumph for Inwood and all New Yorkers,” said New York State Senator Robert Jackson. “The 10th Avenue Greenway in my district is not just an investment in green space — it’s an investment in our future, linking communities, advancing sustainability, and creating pathways for safe, equitable transportation. This initiative is a decisive leap toward a more resilient, interconnected, and accessible city from Inwood to the Bronx and beyond.” 

“The revitalization of the Brooklyn Marine Terminal into a state-of-the-art maritime port and vibrant mixed-use community hub will significantly enhance New York City’s position as a global leader in commerce, while also creating vital opportunities for residents and businesses alike,” said New York State Assemblymember Charles D. Fall. “I commend Mayor Adams and his administration for their leadership and vision in bringing this transformative project to fruition. This investment represents a bold step towards building a brighter, more resilient, and thriving city in the 21st century, and I am proud to support it.” 

“The federal funding secured by Mayor Adams and his administration is a big step in the development of the Manhattan Waterfront Greenway,” said New York State Assemblymember Manny De Los Santos. “The 1.35-mile greenway in Inwood will allow residents in the district to more easily, more enjoyably, and more safely access the waterfront along the Harlem River. It will help continue efforts to build safe biking infrastructure and to reconnect communities in New York that were intentionally separated by the construction of highways in years past. Further, it’s yet another display of President Biden and Vice President Harris’ steadfast commitment to investing in green infrastructure, jobs, and historically underserved communities. I’m grateful for the continued collaboration toward this project and I look forward to the day when Inwood residents will be able to enjoy the 10th Avenue Greenway because of those efforts.” 

“Today we launch unprecedented investments to bring world class infrastructure to the greatest city in the world,” said New York State Assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar. “We have secured $2.37 billion in federal funding for modern, vibrant epicenters of activity to accelerate growth in our bustling metropolis. We will transform the Brooklyn Marine Terminal into a state-of-the-art maritime and community hub, and we will revitalize Inwood with the new 10th Avenue Greenway pedestrian infrastructure and greenspace. I am proud of my work in Albany to implement much-needed infrastructure, including the 2nd Avenue Subway expansion, the Interborough Express, the Gateway Hudson Tunnel Project, new Metro North stations in the Bronx, and the South Shore Staten Island Coastal Storm Risk Management Project. Together, we will build a New York City for the 21st century and beyond.” 

“Offering well-paying jobs and facilitating the movement of goods, our ports are as essential to our city’s future as they are to our past,” said Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso. “I am thrilled that Brooklyn Marine Terminal will see much-needed federal investments and continue to modernize to meet the needs of our borough and city. Thank you to Mayor Adams, Senator Schumer, and US DOT for recognizing the importance of Brooklyn’s ports.”  

“The DOT’s Mega Grant will kick start critical work at the Brooklyn Marine Terminal, which will contribute to significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and modernization of our port infrastructure,” said New York City Councilmember Alexa Aviles. “I look forward to these funds being used to improve traffic flow in our community and toward getting trucks off of our roads, all while building livable wage jobs for the people of our community.” 

“We have been working with environmental groups for years bringing awareness to the limitations on our waterfronts and greenways, partly due to the disastrous effects of the Robert Moses era infrastructure on our most vulnerable communities,” said New York City Councilmember Carmen De La Rosa. “The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted how valuable greenspaces were for our physical and mental health, and how many communities were deprived of access to said spaces. Our community loves our greenways, and it’s an important investment back into the most cherished aspects of our neighborhood while physically connecting our community to our counterparts in the Bronx. I’m proud that the Biden-Harris administration has committed to funding our 10th Avenue greenway, and we look forward to enjoying this upgrade to safe, green spaces.” 

“We are thrilled that the 10th Avenue Greenway project is finally becoming a reality,” said Paul Steely White, executive director, Parks & Trails New York. “This transformative initiative will close a significant gap in the Manhattan Waterfront Greenway. The 10th Avenue Greenway project not only enhances connectivity between Manhattan and the Bronx but also prioritizes safety and accessibility within our communities. By creating a dedicated off-street bike path, improving bus stops, and revitalizing public spaces, we are paving the way for a more sustainable and equitable transportation network.” 

“What a tremendous win for New York and the residents of Inwood,” said Ken Podziba, CEO, Bike New York.  “This is a neighborhood in desperate need of public investment, and the significant infusion of federal funding to create the 10th Avenue Greenway will lead to a safer, happier, and healthier future that prioritizes people over cars. Bike New York commends the Biden administration for awarding this grant to New York City and we have the utmost confidence in Commissioner Rodriguez and DOT in implementing this project, which will remarkably transform Inwood and expand the city’s greenway network.”

“We applaud the New York City Department of Transportation and partner agencies that are dedicated to building a fully connected citywide greenways network as vital open space and micro-mobility infrastructure, and an important part of New York City’s climate response,” said Terri Carta, executive director, Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy (JBRPC) and member, NYC Greenways Coalition. “JBRPC is grateful to Senator Schumer for his leadership on this historic investment in New York City’s greenway network and closing the gap in northern Manhattan.”   

“The newly announced $96 million in grant funding is absolutely vital to build out the 10th Avenue greenway,” said Dr. Sam Bowden Akbari, director of communications, Regional Plan Association. “As we heard at the NYC Greenways Summit last week, this critical funding will directly support better public health, reduced emissions, and improved transit connectivity. This is a great step toward completing the greater Manhattan Waterfront Greenway.”

Photo credit: HWM.