Nearly a year after the sale of the former Navy Yard Madison Square Boys & Girls Club in Downtown Brooklyn, the building’s new owners say they are committed to hearing from the community about the future of the site.
Alloy Development, a Brooklyn-based development firm, purchased the building in November of 2023 for $15 million. For decades, the building at 240 Nassau Street served as a hub for the community, offering after school programs to the area’s kids, many of whom live in the nearby Farragut Houses and Ingersoll Houses.
Last month, Alloy announced that they are partnering with NBA veteran Taj Gibson, who grew up in Ingersoll Houses, to form GFB Development. They described GFB as a “community-driven development firm” that will help Alloy continue engaging with the community on what it would like to see developed on the site.
“Growing up in NYCHA was a blessing and a curse," Gibson said. "It made me who I am today, but I’ve also seen how limited resources and poor housing conditions can take a toll on families. We want to do our part in changing that cycle.
“This project will rethink and reopen a vital neighborhood resource informed directly by the needs of this community. Because when residents are involved in planning for the future of their neighborhood, it makes for better outcomes for everyone.”
Gibson partnered with lifelong friends Malik Brown and Tameek Floyd on the venture. “I have an opportunity to represent people like me who still live in NYCHA and deserve better,” said Brown. “This project is all about investing in the spaces and housing that will strengthen ties between Ingersoll, Farragut, and Walt Whitman for decades to come.”
The Navy Yard Madison Square Boys & Girls Club was forced into closure last year after its parent organization filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2022, following a flurry of lawsuits alleging sexual assault from a doctor who volunteered at Madison’s centers across the city.
After buying the building, Alloy made a $2 million donation towards continuing free afterschool programming at the site over the next two years. Six community groups, Brooklyn Diamonds, Divine Angels Wellness Center, Ambassadors For Christ Theatrical Workshop, Big Apple Leadership Academy for the Arts, 4 Future Generations, Youth Beyond a Ball , and One Community Food Pantry are currently operating programs at the site.
Elizabeth Graham, a community liaison for Alloy, has been tasked with overseeing the firm’s process of community engagement. “Most developers don’t seek community feedback, much less in a robust way that Alloy/GFB have done to date,” said Graham. ”In more than 50 meetings so far this year, we have received valuable feedback from local community organizations, nearby NYCHA Tenant Associations, elected officials, and other neighbors.”
Though Alloy has no solid plans for what they’ll develop on the site, they say they are committed to including affordable housing and a community center in the final design. Nearby residents with thoughts on the future of 240 Nassau are asked to email Graham at [email protected].
