Governor Hochul, Breaking Ground and Douglaston Development Break Ground on Phase I of Sparrow Square, Bringing 261 Affordable Homes to Brooklyn
At Former Kingsboro Psychiatric Center Site, state and city partners celebrated the first phase of this transformational project, part of the Vital Brooklyn Initiative, that will deliver affordable and supportive homes for formerly homeless New Yorkers in East Flatbush
EAST FLATBUSH, BROOKLYN – Today, Breaking Ground and Douglaston Development were joined by Governor Kathy Hochul to celebrate the groundbreaking of Phase I of Sparrow Square, a transformative affordable and supportive housing development at the former Kingsboro Psychiatric Center campus on Clarkson Ave in East Flatbush.
The first phase of the development will bring 261 affordable homes to Central Brooklyn, including 117 supportive housing apartments for formerly homeless New Yorkers in need of onsite services and long-term stability. It will also include a bed-for-bed replacement of the existing shelters currently operating on the western edge of the development.
“At Breaking Ground, we are always striving to create high-quality affordable and supportive housing that provides stability, dignity, and opportunity for New Yorkers,” said Brenda Rosen, President and CEO of Breaking Ground. “This project will provide hundreds of Brooklyn residents with homes and access to onsite supportive services that help foster long-term independence and community in East Flatbush. The start of construction on Phase I of Sparrow Square represents an important occasion not only for this site, but for the future of affordable and supportive housing in Brooklyn. We are grateful for Governor Hochul’s bold leadership, and proud to partner with Douglaston Development to bring this project for our most vulnerable neighbors.”
"Today’s groundbreaking represents far more than a milestone of a development—it marks another step towards the beginning of a new community. Sparrow Square will transform this site into a place where families, seniors, and individuals have access to high-quality affordable housing, supportive services, homeownership opportunities, and welcoming public spaces,” said Jeff Levine, Founder and Chairman of The Douglaston Companies. “We are grateful to our public, private, and nonprofit partners for helping bring this vision to life, and we are proud to be creating a community that will serve New Yorkers for generations to come."
“These two transformative developments in East Flatbush bring the promise of the Vital Brooklyn Initiative to life – creating affordable apartments and expanding access to health and community services in an area of the city that has been underserved for decades,” said Governor Kathy Hochul. “These investments put the health and well-being of the developments’ residents and the surrounding neighborhood at the forefront and bring us closer to creating a more equitable Brooklyn where everyone has a fair shot at a brighter future.”
“Sparrow Square is another proof point of what can be accomplished through public-private partnerships,” said Asahi Pompey, Chair of the Urban Investment Group at Goldman Sachs. “We are honored to partner with Governor Hochul, Breaking Ground, and Douglaston Development to build 261 homes and provide supportive services that will help families in Central Brooklyn build stable futures.”
Sparrow Square is part of Governor Hochul’s Vital Brooklyn Initiative, a $1.4 billion investment focused on expanding housing, healthcare, and economic development across Central Brooklyn. Once complete, the full 7.2-acre Sparrow Square redevelopment is expected to create approximately 1,000 affordable and supportive homes.
Phase I consists of two 10-story residential buildings serving low- and moderate-income households earning up to 80 percent of Area Median Income (AMI), and residents will have access to shared amenities including a fitness center, bike storage, landscaped terraces, and onsite supportive services.
The project will also include a new approximately 10,000-square-foot community facility for Brooklyn Ballet, expanding access to arts and cultural programming in the neighborhood, along with the creation of Sparrow Way, a new private drive aligned with East 43rd Street that will integrate the site into the surrounding neighborhood street grid.
Hill West Architects is the architect of record, with Adjaye Associates as design architect. The buildings are being constructed to meet Passive House sustainability standards and feature all-electric systems, solar panels, green roofs and green roofs. Additional street infrastructure includes electric vehicle chargers and sustainable stormwater management practices.
Breaking Ground secured $242 million in financing for Phase I last December through a combination of tax-exempt bonds, subsidies, tax credits, and funding from New York State Homes and Community Renewal, the New York State Homeless Housing and Assistance Corporation, and the New York State Office of Mental Health. The Urban Investment Group at Goldman Sachs Alternatives is providing nearly $240 million in financing for Phase I.
Construction is currently underway and is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2029.
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