Affordable Housing Development for Boerum Hill Parking Lot Moves Forward

by Emily Davenport, Brooklyn Paper

Developers have been selected and details released for the development of the second of two long-empty city-owned parking lots in Boerum Hill. The forthcoming building in one of Brooklyn’s most expensive neighborhoods will contain affordable apartments, community space, and job training center.

The 11,500-square-foot city-owned parking lot at 153 Nevins Street will become 70 affordable, rent-stabilized homes, the city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development announced last week. The news comes on the heels of NYC Housing Week 2025, where the city announced a record production of new affordable rental housing as well as supportive apartments for formerly homeless households.

The development team is made up of the nonprofit Fifth Avenue Committee, which will act as the sole and lead developer of the project, and Magnusson Architecture and Planning PC (MAP Architects), which will take the lead on the new building’s architectural design.

“To combat the housing crisis, every piece of underutilized city land must be unlocked to provide safe and healthy affordable housing,” said Deputy Mayor Adolfo Carrión Jr. in a statement. “That is why transforming a parking lot into affordable housing and a job center that will provide workforce training and services to the Boerum Hill community is the right thing to do. Congratulations to Fifth Avenue Committee for such an inspiring project proposal that will provide New Yorkers with the housing and job training they need to succeed.”

The building is set to include affordable housing for those facing housing insecurity and will prioritize two- and three-bedroom apartments. Approximately 21 of the 70 new units will be reserved for formerly homeless families and individuals, while the remaining 49 will be available through an affordable housing lottery at NYC Housing Connect. Details of levels of affordability are not yet available.

Building amenities for future residents include a ground-floor community room, in-building laundry facilities, an exercise room, bike storage, and a backyard with seating and outdoor play areas.

The plans also include ground-floor use to help build community in the neighborhood. The building’s planned community room will be a place for residents to gather, host meetings, and work or play. It will open to a residential courtyard with play and seating areas.

The development will contain an emergency generator that will ensure building elevators, Wi-Fi, and more keep running during power outages. In the event of an emergency or loss of power, the community room will act as a refuge that will be heated and cooled by the generator and will provide receptacles for cell phone charging and refrigerators to cool any critical medications.

Renderings released last week show a nine-story masonry building with large windows and a cornice in shades of pale gray and brown. At street level, the building is pedestrian friendly with high ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows, and cantilevered canopies over doors.

“FAC is thrilled to have been selected by HPD to bring 70 new, beautiful, affordable homes to Boerum Hill,” said Michelle de la Uz, executive director of Fifth Avenue Committee, in a statement. “We know firsthand how much these deeply and permanently affordable homes are needed in addition to the impactful workforce development programs provided by FAC’s workforce development affiliate, Brooklyn Workforce Innovations. FAC and our talented development team look forward to working with the local community, our elected officials, and HPD to bring this vision to reality and build on the incredible transformation under way locally as a result of the 2021 Gowanus rezoning.”

In partnership with FAC, Brooklyn Workforce Innovations will utilize 3,000 square feet of the community facility space for classes and training sessions so jobless and low-income New Yorkers can gain the skills they need to establish lasting careers. BWI will also handle architectural millwork for the project and locally manufacture sustainable cabinets that will be used throughout the building.

“The designation of 153 Nevins Street to Fifth Avenue Committee marks an important step forward in our commitment to creating deeply affordable, community-centered housing in high-cost neighborhoods like Boerum Hill,” said Leila Bozorg, the city’s executive director of housing, in a statement. “This project reflects the values and priorities we heard from the community and brings us closer to realizing a more inclusive future for all New Yorkers. We’re proud to work with partners like FAC who share a vision for a New York where everyone has a safe, stable, and affordable place to call home.”

Another vacant lot in the area, at 108-114 3rd Avenue, is set to be developed as permanently affordable rent-stabilized housing for seniors.

“Our mission is clear, our resolve is strong and we’re taking action every day to build more housing across every neighborhood so that every New Yorker has a safe, affordable place to call home,” said Acting HPD Commissioner Ahmed Tigani in the press release. “After a comprehensive neighborhood engagement process, we are proud to partner with the Fifth Avenue Committee — a trusted, community-based organization — to transform this parking lot into new, deeply affordable homes in Boerum Hill. In addition to housing, we’re excited to bring a workforce training center to the neighborhood, providing greater access to the tools and resources New Yorkers need to thrive. We are grateful for the support of the council member, the participation of the local community including key resident associations, government partners, and civic groups, and the broader coalition of housing advocates across the city who continue to push for urgency and tangible solutions to this crisis.”

The city’s request for proposals for the project was released in 2023. Another city-owned parking lot, located at 108-114 3rd Avenue between Bergen and Wyckoff streets, will become senior affordable housing with 68 apartments.

As the project on Nevins Street moves forward, the development team will work with HPD to communicate updates to community stakeholders — including Community Boards 2 and 6 — obtain the necessary public approvals for the project, and secure financing before construction can begin.

— Additional reporting by Cate Corcoran

Editor’s note: A version of this story originally ran in Brooklyn Paper. Click here to see the original story.

Related Stories

• Boerum Hill Parking Lot to Become Affordable Senior Housing
• City Asks Locals for Input on Affordable Housing Coming to Boerum Hill
• How New York City Can Create Genuinely Affordable Housing

Email tips@brownstoner.com with further comments, questions or tips. Follow Brownstoner on X and Instagram, and like us on Facebook.