Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Deputy Mayor for Economic Development Robert K. Steel and Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation President and CEO Andrew H. Kimball today announced final approval for the redevelopment of the six-acre Admirals Row site at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. The property will be transferred from the federal government to the City of New York, and will then become part of Brooklyn Navy Yard. Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation, which manages the 300-acre industrial park on behalf of the City, will oversee redevelopment of the Admirals Row site, creating a 74,000-square-foot supermarket and 79,000 square-feet of additional neighborhood retail space, as well as 127,000 square-feet of industrial space. The New York City Council voted today in favor of the plan, giving it final approval. The project is expected to create 500 permanent retail and industrial jobs and hundreds of additional construction jobs.

“The transformation at the Brooklyn Navy Yard over the past decade is a prime example of our Administration’s commitment to revitalizing old industrial areas, especially along our waterfront,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “Now, this additional development will bring more new jobs to our City’s premier industrial park and help make it a great place to work.”

“The Brooklyn Navy Yard has been an economic development engine and a model of modern manufacturing, creating thousands of jobs and attracting hundreds of millions of dollars of private investment,” Deputy Mayor Steel said. “With the redevelopment of Admirals Row, the Yard will continue to create jobs and foster innovation in the industrial sector while also bringing a long-desired modern supermarket and fresh food to the Yard’s neighboring community.”

“We are thrilled to take this next toward delivering on our promise to the community to not only bring a major supermarket with fresh produce and groceries to the area but also create 500 industrial and retail jobs at Admirals Row,” said Andrew H. Kimball, president and CEO of the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation. “Thanks to everyone involved in the ULURP process including Community Board 2, Borough President Markowitz, City Planning, the City Council and the Bloomberg Administration, for helping to put this property back to productive use.  We look forward to working with the federal government to complete site acquisition over the coming weeks.”

“I am thrilled that the residents of northern Brooklyn will soon have access to a much needed fresh food super market,” said New York City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn. “Additionally the creation of more industrial space for small businesses through this expansion of the Brooklyn Navy Yard will provide additional economic activity to an area which is sorely in need of jobs.”

“I want to commend the City Council for approving this project and congratulate Mayor Bloomberg, Deputy Mayor Steel, Alan Fishman, Andrew Kimball and the whole BNYDC and all of the community partners who worked hard to shepherd this project through,” said Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz. “My long standing support for the transformation of Admirals Row was based on a desire to maintain the historic character of the area, while also providing opportunities for growth. That’s what we will accomplish – a site that provides industrial and retail employment opportunities, and ensures access to fresh and affordable foods in a neighborhood that is underserved. A win-win that will soon have all of Brooklyn saluting our new Admiral’s Row.”

“The City Council’s approval of the public review process for the redevelopment of Admiral’s Row is great news. The project will incorporate historic preservation into a progressive sustainable site plan, which will in turn become a huge boost for the local economy. I’m excited to know that fresh affordable food, expanded industrial space, retail shops, and hundreds of permanent and construction jobs are soon coming to the Brooklyn Navy Yard, the surrounding community and residents. The development of this six acre site, including the restoration of two houses gets my blessing,” said Council Member Letitia James.

“The approval of the plan for Admiral’s Row is a great step forward for the continued revitalization of the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Thanks to the leadership and vision of Andrew Kimball and his staff, the Navy Yard has once again become an engine for economic development and growth. Admiral’s Row will not only preserve many of the historic structures in the Navy Yard, it will create hundreds of jobs and provide much-needed resources for the community,” said Council Member Stephen Levin.

Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation has concluded its negotiations with the federal National Guard Bureau, and will issue a request for proposals for the site’s redevelopment before the end of the year. The project will break ground in 2012 following the transfer of the property from the federal government to the City, which owns the 300-acre Brooklyn Navy Yard property. The designated developer will enter into a long-term lease for the site that now houses 12 dilapidated and unused structures. The plan includes the restoration of two of the structures – Building B and the Timber Shed – which will be incorporated into the new development.

The development of Admirals Row will continue the expansion underway at the Brooklyn Navy Yard – its largest growth since WWII, adding more than 1.5 million square feet of new space and 2,000 new jobs. Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation’s commitment to sustainable infrastructure investments and new green buildings has made it a national model for industrial parks. The development of Admirals Row will build on this track record of sustainability and success.

The expansion has been driven largely by more than $200 million in basic infrastructure investments from the Bloomberg Administration and increasing levels of investment from the state and federal governments, including a recent $15 million capital commitment from the New York State Senate to build out more space for green manufacturers in the Yard. These public investments have helped leverage over $400 million in private investment for new and renovated buildings in the Navy Yard. The Yard’s existing four million square feet of space – currently consisting of 40 rentable buildings with more than 275 tenants – is 99 percent occupied and 5,800 people come to work at the Navy Yard every day, up from 3,600 in 2001.

The Brooklyn Navy Yard is owned by the City of New York and managed by the not-for-profit Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation. The Corporation leases space in the Yard, promotes local economic development, develops underutilized areas and oversees modernization of the Yard's infrastructure.  The corporation's board of directors is comprised of leaders of Brooklyn's economic development community.  Established in 1801, the Brooklyn Navy Yard served as one of America's preeminent military facilities for more than 150 years.  Closed by the federal government in 1966, the City of New York subsequently assumed ownership and re-opened the Yard as an industrial park. Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation has grown increasingly accessible to the public in recent years and now offers regularly scheduled guided public tours.