On Tuesday, March 24, 2026, Governor Kathy Hochul put a prime slice of Crown Heights on the market for housing, announcing that the MTA is officially seeking proposals to turn an underused lot at 1119 Pacific Street into roughly 300 apartments, with at least 75 of them permanently affordable. The request for proposals covers both the parcel itself and the air rights above the adjacent Franklin Avenue Shuttle, and state officials say bids are due in May. The property was previously part of the MTA’s Atlantic Avenue cable shop, which the authority is shifting to a modernized facility, and proceeds from the deal are slated to feed the MTA’s capital program.
According to a release from Governor Kathy Hochul’s Office, the state is bundling the lot with the shuttle air rights to encourage a transit‑oriented project that marries new housing with infrastructure upgrades. The MTA is nudging developers to include transit accessibility improvements in exchange for a density bonus and an MTA Arts & Design installation along the Franklin Shuttle wall. The governor’s team is pitching the move as part of a wider strategy to unlock underused state land for housing while routing the sale revenue back into the transit system.
MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said the Pacific Street site “checks all the boxes” for transit‑oriented development, adding that putting underused properties to work can support both housing and job growth. The governor’s release also notes that last year’s Atlantic Avenue Mixed‑Use District rezoning made the offering possible and that the project would deliver at least 75 permanently affordable units under the city’s Mandatory Inclusionary Housing program. Officials say they will score proposals based not only on how many homes they produce but also on how much they improve transit accessibility.
Rezoning Opened the Door
The development window opened with the Atlantic Avenue Mixed‑Use Plan the city advanced in 2025, a rezoning meant to transform a 21‑block stretch of Atlantic Avenue into a mixed‑use corridor with thousands of new homes and significant street upgrades. The mayor’s office described the plan as a way to add housing and jobs while funding safety improvements, streetscape upgrades and new or improved open‑space projects along the corridor. City planning documents and statements from elected officials tied to the rezoning help explain why the MTA parcel can now be offered for housing, with the changes specifically designed to channel growth toward transit‑rich corridors.
Where the Cable Shop Is Going
The MTA is relocating the Atlantic Avenue Cable Shop to a leased warehouse at 2016 Pitkin Avenue in East New York, a move detailed in MTA board materials authorizing the lease. Those documents say bringing the existing Atlantic Avenue facility up to par would have been costly and that the relocation allows cable‑shop operations to continue while freeing the Atlantic parcel for redevelopment. The same board papers spell out the lease terms as well as estimated buildout and operating costs for the new site.
Local Concerns and Community Benefits
Residents and community groups who weighed in during the Atlantic Avenue rezoning process warned that a wave of new development could fuel displacement unless projects come with strong affordability requirements and clear, enforceable community benefits. Gothamist reported those concerns during the rezoning debates and noted that elected officials pushed for tenant protections, workforce resources and public‑realm investments as part of the final package. Advocates are expected to comb through any developer submissions to make sure promised affordable units and neighborhood improvements actually materialize.
Timeline and Next Steps
Local coverage notes that proposals for the Pacific Street site are due in May, after which the MTA and state partners will review submissions and move a selected plan into the approvals process and community review. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported the site as 1119 Pacific Street and highlighted the inclusion of Franklin Avenue Shuttle air rights to expand the buildable square footage. Neighborhood groups, local elected officials and transit advocates will be keeping close tabs on the selection process as the Atlantic Avenue rezoning shifts from policy on paper to bricks, mortar and construction fencing.
Beyond the raw housing numbers, the project is an early test of how effectively the city and state can repurpose public transit parcels to add homes near transit while channeling revenue into system repairs and accessibility upgrades. Developers eyeing the site will have only a few weeks to assemble proposals that juggle density, long‑term affordability and the expectations of a community ready to scrutinize every detail.
