B
rooklyn is undergoing a wave of infrastructure upgrades and real‑estate projects. The Brooklyn Marine Terminal (BMT) is moving forward after a 28‑member task force approved its $3.5 billion redevelopment plan. The 122‑acre waterfront, from Pier 7 on Atlantic Avenue to Pier 12 in Red Hook, will become a modern port with an all‑electric terminal, a 60‑acre greenway, 6,000 apartments (40 % permanently affordable), 28 + acres of parks, a cruise terminal, a 400‑room hotel, and more. Construction is slated to begin in several years after a General Project Plan and environmental review.

    A 1.6‑million‑square‑foot casino, hotel, convention center, and retail complex in Coney Island—known as The Coney—has been effectively killed. Brooklyn Council Member Justin Brannan, Borough President Antonio Reynoso, and local residents opposed the Surf Avenue project, citing loss of neighborhood character, harm to small businesses, and rising rents. The Community Advisory Committee’s vote is set for September 30, but four of six members already declared opposition, ending the bid.

    The Red Hook Coastal Resiliency project has broken ground. The initiative will strengthen the area’s shoreline and infrastructure against flooding and sea‑level rise. Meanwhile, the Department of Transportation (DOT) is adding a dedicated bus lane on Flatbush Avenue from Livingston Street to Grand Army Plaza this fall. The center‑running lane, with new pedestrian boarding areas, aims to cut travel time for 132,000 daily riders and improve safety on one of Brooklyn’s deadliest streets, where 140 people have been killed or seriously injured in the last five years. Work will finish in spring 2026.

    DOT has also begun safety improvements on Court Street, from Schermerhorn to Hamilton Avenue. The project removes one travel lane, adds a protected bike lane, and installs pedestrian islands and curb extensions to ease congestion and protect cyclists and walkers in Downtown Brooklyn, Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, and Red Hook. Construction is underway.

    Atlantic Avenue near the Brooklyn Bridge Park Pier 6 has received pedestrian safety upgrades. A new pedestrian island at Furman and Atlantic, an expanded island at Columbia and Atlantic, and updated signals with audible cues and longer crossing times have been installed. Future plans could decommission the BQE on‑ramp and widen sidewalks.

    BQE repairs are underway at the Joralemon Street bridge in Brooklyn Heights. The 1954 bridge will receive critical repairs over six months, starting September 15, with single‑lane closures on the Queens‑bound BQE at night and on‑street closures during work hours. The full repair scope is available online.

    Montague Street in Brooklyn Heights is seeing streetscape changes, and construction continues on the new Brooklyn jail complex at 275 Atlantic Avenue. The 18‑story, 1,040‑bed facility will replace the former Brooklyn Detention Center. It will include 30,000 sq ft of community space, two cellar levels, and an underground tunnel to the adjacent courthouse. The project, part of the city’s plan to close Rikers Island, was originally slated for 2027 but is now delayed to 2029. Residents have raised concerns about construction noise; a bill was introduced to provide relief.

    A luxury apartment building is rising at 110 Boerum Place in Cobble Hill. The six‑story, 65,000‑sq‑ft red‑brick structure will house 21 units ranging from 2‑ to 5‑bedrooms, each with private outdoor space, Thermador kitchens, marble bathrooms, radiant‑heated floors, soaking tubs, and walk‑in showers. Amenities include a central courtyard, on‑site parking, private storage, and bike storage. Sales began at $2.975 million, with completion expected in spring 2027.

    Williamsburg Wharf’s first phase is nearing completion. The 3.75‑acre mixed‑use development on South Williamsburg’s waterfront will feature five 22‑story towers with nearly 1 million sq ft of residential, commercial, and retail space, including 950 rental and condo units and an East River esplanade. Phase 1 includes three buildings—11, 12, and 13 Wharf Way—housing over 600 units and 17,500 sq ft of commercial space. Breads Bakery and a new restaurant by chef Eyal Shani are announced tenants. The waterfront esplanade is already open to the public. Phase 2, with two additional towers, remains in planning.

    Downtown Brooklyn is on track to set a 2025 housing record, with 3,700 apartments completed this year and another 1,183 expected by January. A New York Magazine article, “The Disappointment of Downtown Brooklyn,” critiques two decades of development, highlighting projects such as The Rocklyn at 20 Rockwell Place, 589 Fulton Street, 11 Hoyt, and Hanover House at 17 Hanover Place. The piece acknowledges recent improvements, including the Fulton Mall redesign, new Flatbush bus lanes, and the opening of Abolitionist Place park.

    Brooklyn’s infrastructure and development landscape is rapidly evolving, with major projects reshaping the waterfront, transportation, and housing sectors while community voices influence the direction of new ventures.