Mayor Adams Announces Plan to Close DOT Concrete Recycling Facility at Brooklyn Marine Terminal, Boosting Quality of Life

July 11, 2025

Concrete Recycling at Brooklyn Marine Terminal Facility Will End by August, With Full Relocation by End of 2025

NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez today announced a plan to cease operations at the DOT concrete recycling facility at the Columbia Street Waterfront District by this August and close the yard by the end of the year. The end of concrete recycling operations and closure of the temporary facility comes in response to ongoing concerns raised during the public engagement around the redevelopment plans for the Brooklyn Marine Terminal (BMT) and will, according to local residents, improve quality of life in the neighborhood.

“With the closure of the concrete recycling facility at the Columbia Street Waterfront District, we are taking an important step toward realizing a greener, safer, and more vibrant Brooklyn Marine Terminal for the residents of this community,” said Mayor Adams. “This move not only clears the way for much-needed housing, open space, and a school as part of our proposed Brooklyn Marine Terminal project, but also reflects our city’s deep commitment to continuing to improve the quality of life for all New Yorkers. From building safer sidewalks and intersections to reducing noise and pollution in communities, we are investing in the future of this city one improvement at a time as we make New York City the best place to raise a family.”

“While concrete recycling is a critical part of DOT’s work to make our streets safer and more accessible, we’ve heard loud and clear from local residents that this temporary facility has disrupted their quality of life,” said DOT Commissioner Rodriguez. “In response to residents’ concerns and as the BMT redevelopment is discussed, we will cease concrete recycling work and accelerate the timeline for the planned closure of this temporary facility.”

The Columbia Street concrete recycling facility — which currently occupies an area of the BMT site that would be redeveloped with housing, open space, and a school as part of the proposed BMT project — will be relocated to an alternate location. The facility was temporarily relocated to a yard on Columbia Street, near Kane Street, in 2024 to accommodate the city's critical, climate-saving offshore wind hub and the development of renewable energy at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal. This temporary facility has supported the city's Vision Zero goals through the construction of sidewalk extensions, pedestrian and bus boarding islands, and more, as well as the upgrading of corners, sidewalks, mid-block crossings, and medians to be safe, accessible, and compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

DOT will accommodate the yard’s end of concrete recycling operations while continuing its concrete construction efforts to improve safety and accessibility across the city. Additional critical operations that took place in the yard before 2024, including bridge de-icing and traffic operations fiber electricians, will continue to operate at the Columbia Street yard.

“I’m grateful to City Hall for listening to the community and the coalition of elected officials and advocates urging the closure of the disruptive and hazardous concrete facility on the site of the Brooklyn Marine Terminal,” said U.S. Representative Dan Goldman. “I look forward to building on this progress by revitalizing the Marine Terminal to further benefit the neighboring communities.”

“We’ve been working toward this moment for months, and I’m thrilled our community’s voices have been heard," said New York State Senator Andrew Gounardes. “As I've said time and time again, we shouldn't have to choose between sustainable recycling and the health of our communities. We can do right by our environment and by our neighbors, and recycle concrete without forcing Brooklyn residents to breathe in toxic dust. Thank you to Mayor Adams, Commissioner Rodriguez, and NYC DOT for doing the right thing, and to all the neighbors and fellow elected officials who helped us get to this moment.”

“After a year of community advocacy, I’m delighted to see the city is moving forward with the promised relocation of the concrete recycling facility to an alternative site. This will be a meaningful improvement in the lives of neighbors who have endured toxic dust, noise, and truck traffic for too long. This relocation cannot happen soon enough,” said New York State Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon.

“Closing the concrete recycling facility on the Columbia Waterfront is long overdue and will bring real quality of life improvements,” said New York City Councilmember Shahana Hanif. “This is a major step forward for the neighborhood and reflects the shared commitment of residents and the city to protect public health. Since last November, my office has worked closely with the community to ensure this site is moved to a more appropriate, non-residential location. Its closure will help improve air quality, reduce truck traffic, and ease noise pollution in an area that has borne environmental burdens for far too long.”