FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 13th, 2025
CONTACT: Emma Johnson
ejohnson@council.nyc.gov
347-864-4925
New York City Council Passes Plan for Major Life Sciences Campus in Kips Bay
NEW YORK – Today the New York City Council approved the plan for SPARC, the Science Park and Research Campus, a new center for the life sciences on the Hunter College Brookdale campus in Kips Bay. Council Member Keith Powers has championed this project in his district, and was proud to support its proposal to the full Council.
SPARC will be a first-of-its-kind destination for the life sciences industry on the East Side of Manhattan, transforming the Hunter College Brookdale campus into a hub for education, healthcare, and research. SPARC is expected to generate approximately $42 billion in economic impact over the next 30 years, creating over 15,000 jobs, including 12,000 union construction jobs and 3,100 permanent jobs in the life sciences sector.
The campus will include classrooms and labs across three integrated City University of New York (CUNY) schools—Hunter College School of Nursing, CUNY Graduate School of Health & Health Policy, and Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC). The campus will host a number of services related to the life sciences and education, including:
- A NYC Public Schools health and science-focused high school;
- A brand new STEAM center, the third in New York City and first in Manhattan;
- Outpatient ambulatory care services and a training simulation center for NYC Health + Hospitals;
- A new forensic pathology center and medical examiner facility for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner;
- Life sciences research labs for companies of all sizes;
- Community and retail spaces.
“Today’s vote to advance SPARC Kips Bay is a huge step forward in making New York City a destination for the life sciences industry,” said Council Member Keith Powers. “Science and technology are the future, and we must prepare our young people to have jobs in these growing fields. With SPARC, we are building educational opportunities starting in 3-K and going all the way to post-doctorate, providing hands-on training for students, and a pipeline to highly skilled jobs in cutting edge industries. I am proud to have advocated for this project to be integrated into the surrounding community of Kips Bay with crucial infrastructure and public realm improvements, as well as additional 3-K public school seats for the next generation of New Yorkers.”
In addition to the educational and science programming taking place at SPARC, the project also makes crucial improvements to the public realm, including:
- A new fully accessible pedestrian bridge at East 25th Street;
- Improvements to the public space near the SPARC campus, including over 26,000 square feet of open space and a network of bicycle and pedestrian paths;
- Opening new public space at a lot currently being used as a parking lot at 34th Street and FDR Drive, which Council Member Powers has committed $600k to transforming;
- Infrastructure work on the waterfront from East 30th to East 34th Street, including repairs to the substructure of the street, fixing sinkholes, and repairing the decaying timber pilings;
- Refurbishment of the Water Club at East 34th Street, including repairing the barges there and reopening the Water Club for public use;
- Increased public access to the Bellevue Garden on 1st Ave, which is owned and operated by New York City Health+Hospitals.
Council Member Powers has led community engagement on the design and goals of the SPARC project, including by co-chairing the SPARC Kips Bay Community Task Force with Community Board 6 Chair Sandra McKee. The Community Task Force developed a set of Community Design Principles, which will inform the design of the campus and its integration into the community
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