Ground broken on Pier 6 by NYCEDC, will create five acres of waterfront community space

Pier 6 will be a reimagined waterfront space welcoming Sunset Park residents, visitors, and workers from the Bush Terminal Campus. 

SUNSET PARK – Ground was broken at Pier 6 at MADE Bush Terminal during a ceremony at the Sunset Park waterfront Aug. 12.

The pier, adjacent to Bush Terminal Piers Park and located on the MADE Bush Terminal Campus, will create five acres of waterfront community space.

MADE Bush Terminal was unveiled last year and stands for Manufacturers, Artisans, Designers, and Entrepreneurs. It is a hub for fabricators and innovators to shape the future of innovation.

According to the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), the pier’s renovation and $25 million investment include plans to protect it from further waterfront breakdown, incorporate public green spaces, celebrate industrial history, and improve waterfront access.

“The Pier 6 renovation is a prime example of how investing in building green spaces and creating opportunities for public waterfront access are integral steps in serving our communities, tenants, and their needs,” said NYCEDC President and CEO Andrew Kimball. “We’re excited to continue delivering these programs to the community of Sunset Park, creating opportunities for residents, workers, and visitors to incorporate this multi-use site in their day-to-day lives.”

NYCEDC also says the pier will become a new open space for community residents and tenants of the MADE Bush Terminal Campus and “will stabilize the deteriorated pier to ensure safe waterfront access, honor its industrial and ecological history, and create a sustainable, resilient park.”

“With today’s exciting groundbreaking, the Harbor of the Future marches forward, with Sunset Park serving as a center of community investment, innovation, and jobs of the future,” said Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce Adolfo Carrión Jr. “The vision for Pier 6, which starts being built today, will deliver transformative, public, open green space, connect more New Yorkers to the water, and strengthen the overall district as a center for jobs and opportunity.”

Development plans for Pier 6 have been discussed with local community members through an online survey, public workshops and public tabling events, and NYCEDC has incorporated that input into the design of the site. 

NYCEDC will also protect and expand the pier’s ecology of diverse plants and wildlife, including self-seeded vegetation.

Local leaders and elected officials also discussed the project’s significance to Sunset Park and the entire borough.

“Sunset Park’s waterfront has long been a hidden gem, and the rehabilitation and transformation of Pier 6 continues EDC’s commitment to ensuring thoughtful access for residents and workers alike,” said President & CEO of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce Randy Peers.  “The new Pier 6 beautifully integrates community-informed design elements, while honoring the historic industrial past of the area as a whole.”

“While there is still much to be done to make our working waterfront accessible and usable, the work scheduled for Pier 6 is most welcome,” said Councilmember Alexa Avilés. “Once completed, Pier 6 will increase community and green spaces and will bring to fruition a resilient waterfront area.”

“This project is special because it offers so many different things to our Sunset Park community: new public space, new connections to the waterfront, protections for local plants and wildlife, and an ever-more vibrant hub where New Yorkers can access good jobs and build a new generation of homegrown businesses,” said State Sen. Andrew Gounardes.

NYCEDC will work with Arcadis, Matrix New World, SCAPE Landscape Architecture DPC, Sam Schwartz Engineering for engineering and design, Johnson & Asberry for community outreach and engagement, and JK Muir for sustainability to complete the project.