SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND, VELAZQUEZ, DE BLASIO ANNOUNCE MORE THAN $4.8 MILLION TO COMPLETE SANDY-RELATED REPAIRS AT BROOKLYN NAVY YARD
FEMA Funds to Cover Electrical Repairs and Dock Renovations at the Brooklyn Navy Yard
After Meeting With Navy Yard Leadership and Touring New Building Projects, Gillibrand Announces FEMA Funds for Additional Upgrades
U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez and Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced over $4.8 million in federal FEMA funding for the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation (BNYDC) for repairs to electrical substation G in Building #386 and Dry Dock No. 1/Caisson Gate and Pump Well No. 124 at the Brooklyn Navy Industrial Park damaged as a direct result Superstorm Sandy. The funding was allocated by the Department of Homeland Security Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) through two grants, $3,122,543.70 for the electrical substation repairs and $1,764,921.60 for dock renovations.
“The Brooklyn Navy Yard is the lynchpin of economic renaissance along the Brooklyn waterfront and that’s why we have to make sure its infrastructure is better protected in the event of a future storm,” said Senator Schumer. “I am pleased to announce more than $4.8 million in federal Sandy-relief funds for repairs and upgrades to the Navy Yard, which will help retain and attract jobs in the future.”
“The current expansion projects at the Navy Yard will help serve as a catalyst for job creation and more economic opportunities,” said Senator Gillibrand. “Superstorm Sandy devastated our communities; these funds are an essential investment towards keeping this important economic center thriving by helping solidify the strength of the Navy Yard’s infrastructure. This additional FEMA funding will help provide much needed resources on the ground during ongoing renovations at the Brooklyn Navy Yard.”
“Brooklyn Navy Yard has evolved into a hub of commerce and economic activity. These additional FEMA funds will help repair damage from Sandy, while ensuring the Yard remains a source of well-paying jobs in our community,” said Congresswoman Velázquez.
“The Navy Yard is home to a new wave of manufacturing and economic opportunity – and we’re investing to bring thousands more good jobs. This FEMA funding will complement that investment, ensuring that our businesses are better protected next time extreme weather hits,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “We look forward to continuing to partner with Senators Schumer and Gillibrand and our entire federal delegation as we rebuild a stronger and more resilient New York.”
“While the Yard and its tenants were able to quickly recover from Superstorm Sandy and resume operations at a level close to where they were before the storm, one of the ongoing challenges has been to ensure that our basic infrastructure can withstand the impact of another natural disaster,” said David Ehrenberg, President and CEO of the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation. “We are grateful for the leadership provided by Senator Schumer and Senator Gillibrand and their efforts to secure these funds that will allow us to rebuild basic systems that serve a critical, but particularly vulnerable, component aspect of the Yard -- our ship repair facilities.”
The repairs at substation G includes demolition of the existing, at-grade structure damaged during Sandy and replacement with a structure elevated above the flood plain and weatherized for outdoor conditions. Substation G supplies power to the working waterfront and dry docks of the Brooklyn Navy Yard. The renovations to Dry Dock 1/Caisson Gate and Pump Well No. 124 restores functionality of the pumps at Dry Dock 1 and includes improvements that will minimize damages in the event of future storms.
Earlier today, Gillibrand met with Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation’s Chairman of the Board, Henry Gutman and President & CEO, David Ehrenberg. The meeting followed a tour of Steiner Studios, the largest U.S. film and television production studio complex outside of Hollywood. Steiner Studios is home to ten soundstages and currently have plans to expand and create an additional 6 soundstages as well as an underwater soundstage. The Senator also visited Building 77 “Food Hall” currently undergoing structural renovations to reuse the 17 story building and one million square foot warehouse.
The Brooklyn Navy Yard is one of the nation’s oldest naval installations, the industrial park on the Brooklyn waterfront is home to 330 businesses, employing over 7,000 people across several diverse industries including art restoration, maritime ship repair, and design and manufacturing of high-end home goods.
###
