SEE: Bed-Stuy's Marcy Houses Gets A New $14M Community Center

BED-STUY, BROOKLYN — An abandoned police precinct has officially been transformed into a $14-million community center for Bed-Stuy's Marcy Houses.

Elected officials and community leaders cut the ribbon Friday on 3,200-square-foot center at the New York City Housing development, which has been in the works for several years.

The new center, which includes a 3,200-square-foot deck, was funded largely by Council Member Robert Cornegy Jr., who allocated $8.9 million to the project. Mayor Bill de Blasio's office gave $4.6 million and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams contributed $500,000.

“The Marcy Houses Community Center is a testament to what our community can accomplish when we join together," Cornegy said Friday. "This community center will provide a new home for the genius of our community to flourish. From music and dance to adult learning programs and workshops, we have a new base to connect, engage, and deliver resources."

The community center replaces a former NYCHA Police Service Area and two apartments on Marcy Avenue and Walton Street.

It includes the outdoor deck, two offices, two activity rooms, a culinary room and four bathrooms. Through the nonprofit Grand St. Settlement and the Department of Youth and Community Development, it will include programs for children, young adults and adults from the housing complex.

The DYCD program is one of 94 at New York City Housing developments across the five boroughs and includes academic support, life skills, health, recreation, cultural activities, General Educational Development (GED), English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), and workforce development and referrals.

Officials from the department are slated to meet with Marcy Houses residents in the coming weeks to design services specifically tailored to the housing complex.

"Grand St. Settlement is excited to get to work serving Marcy Houses and the surrounding community," said Grand St.'s Executive Director Robert Cordero. "It is clear during these times of social and economic challenges that there is a great need for high-quality youth and family programming in Brooklyn."

Check out photos from the ribbon cutting, provided by Michael Appleton at the Mayoral Photography Office: