Mayor Announces Plans For “Made In NY” Campus In Sunset Park
Mayor Bill de Blasio announced yesterday the city’s $136 million plan for a 300,000-square-foot “Made in New York” Campus at Sunset Park’s Bush Terminal.
Joined by leaders from New York City’s fashion, film and television industries the Mayor announced that the City will transform underused buildings along Sunset Park’s waterfront into a hub for garment manufacturing and film and television production—creating more than 1,500 permanent jobs and more than 800 construction jobs.
The “Made in NY” Campus will serve as a center for creative manufacturing and provide affordable, industrial facilities for garment manufacturing, film and media production, and related services and industries. By investing in Bush Terminal, the City will help increase local manufacturing for fashion brands and attract new film and television productions to the city.
While fashion represents 5 percent of the city’s job force with 182,000 jobs, and film generates 130,000 jobs, both industries suffer from a shortage of affordable work and production space in New York.
With an anticipated launch in 2020, the “Made in NY” campus plans include major renovations to two existing buildings creating nearly 200,000 square feet of garment manufacturing space (to accommodate 25 to 35 fashion industry tenants) and the construction of a 100,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art, film and television production facility. The proposal also includes pedestrian-friendly streets, a public plaza, improvements to the 43rd Street corridor running through the campus, and utility upgrades.
A 7,500-square-foot Café Building will anchor the campus, providing affordable dining options to “Made in NY” businesses, Bush Terminal Piers Park visitors, as well as the Sunset Park community.
While garment production manufacturing makes up 30 percent of the city’s manufacturing jobs, many companies have turned to overseas production over the years. The “Made in NY” garment manufacturing hub will provide facilities, ranging from 2,000 to 20,000 square feet, to businesses working in patternmaking, cutting and sewing, and sample making, allowing them to produce locally.
New York City was home to more than 300 movie shoots last year while television production in the city increased by 13 percent. The “Made in NY” campus will provide sound stages and support spaces for film and television production as well as facilities for emerging media companies.