Brooklyn Marine Terminal Hindered Again, This Time by Albany

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Delays have been aplenty for the overhaul of the Brooklyn Marine Terminal. Another lengthy wait may be ahead after the state stripped a critical financing model from the budget.

The payment-in-lieu-of-taxes program for the site is not expected to be in the final budget for New York, Politico reported. The PILOT program was considered essential for funding infrastructure improvements in the area; the waterfront redevelopment is not expected to proceed without it.

Infighting among politicians representing the waterfront area is a big part of the problem. Democratic state Sen. Andrew Gounardes supports the project — and expects the budget measure to come up again next year — but Brooklyn Assemblymembers Jo Anne Simon and Marcela Mitaynes oppose it. Mayor Zohran Mamdani is supportive of the development, too.

In September, a task force voted to advance a $3.5 billion plan to redevelop the 122-acre Brooklyn Marine Terminal, including 6,000 apartments — 40 percent affordable — industrial space, a hotel and open space. Simon and Mitaynes were among the dissenters.

The vote, which was delayed multiple times and saw the housing unit count reduced from 12,000, allowed the project to move forward into environmental review, despite concerns from officials about diminishing industrial capabilities.

At the time, Economic Development Corporation leader Andrew Kimball said once the project is officially approved, a development corporation — whose members will be appointed by the governor, mayor and local representatives — will decide how to roll out the search for developers of the residential sites. Kimball is gone, however, and the EDC has no permanent leader as it guides the redevelopment.

The city acquired the terminal through a land swap and wants to modernize the port while also addressing the need for housing and investing in public housing and off-site housing preservation.

In addition to the state budget measure, the redevelopment also needs federal funding and investment from the private sector. The required environmental review is underway.

— Holden Walter-Warner