• 600 permanently affordable housing units 
• 120,000 square feet of community facility space 
• 24,000 square feet of new public space that would serve as a new home for community events and programming 
• 1 million square feet of retail, commercial, and industrial space that will produce hundreds of new jobs for East New Yorkers 

The plan for Herkimer-Williams draws upon numerous community planning studies and surveys over the years that highlighted the type of improvements desired at Broadway Junction. Among these, the ENY Neighborhood Plan and 2016 rezoning was expected to yield 6,500 homes by 2030. As of March 2023, only 596 units, of which just 157 are affordable, had been completed in the rezoned area. No new housing has materialized in Broadway Junction. 

“Years of community visioning have made clear there is a need to increase affordable housing, economic opportunity, and public space in East New York,” said Tucker Reed, Co-Founder and Principal of Totem. “Herkimer-Williams is a plan grounded in addressing these challenges at Broadway Junction — one of the city’s busiest transit hubs where there is great potential for community-driven development, building on public investments in the area.”

Reed added, “We look forward to continuing to work with the community in the coming months and advancing the proposal through the City land use process.” 

Plans for Herkimer-Williams arrive at a height of public and private investment in East New York. In May 2023, the NYC Economic Development Corporation and Metropolitan Transit Authority announced a $500 million investment in Broadway Junction, located at the intersection of five subway lines in East New York, to address long-standing needs at the station and surrounding neighborhood. Simultaneously, under Mayor Adams’ CARE strategy, the City is building a new local office for 1,100 staffers to seed a new central business district. Governor Hochul is also advancing the Interborough Expressway which will include a stop nearby furthering the transformation of the area as a regional transit center. 

Bill Wilkins, Executive Director, Local Development Corporation of East New York (LDCENY) also endorses the project. “Herkimer-Williams is a model of community-driven development,” Wilkins said. “It stands to deliver crucial resources around Broadway Junction including housing, new places to shop, and commercial space for companies to bring jobs to the area.”

Other community development leaders chimed in with support.

“Over 1 million workers live within a 45-minute transit commute of Broadway Junction — yet, we’ve fallen short in harnessing the immense potential of this area to uplift the people of East New York and Brooklyn as a whole. Herkimer-Williams corrects this lapse by empowering entrepreneurs, bolstering workforce development opportunities, and actualizing the long-awaited vision of activating a strong local economy. This project is not just about development; it’s about driving equitable growth that propels us toward a future where the economic success in East Brooklyn mirrors that of wealthier neighborhoods in Brooklyn,” said La’Shawn Allen-Muhammad, Executive Director, Central Brooklyn Economic Development Corporation. 

“The Business Outreach Center (BOC) Network welcomes the opportunity to support the growth of local industrial small businesses and entrepreneurs with the development of an industrial incubator at Herkimer-Williams. There is a rich history of industrial businesses and entrepreneurship in East New York, but too many lack the resources they need to excel. An industrial incubator at Herkimer-Williams will support the next generation of Brooklyn entrepreneurs by creating access to technical assistance, resources, programming, and providing much-needed modern, flexible space that’ll ensure Broadway Junction’s rich history as a manufacturing hub continues for generations to come,” said Nancy Carin, Executive Director, Business Outreach Center Network.

“The Herkimer-Williams plan will bring new open, pedestrian-and-bike friendly public space to the acres of currently underutilized lots around Broadway Junction. New retail and commercial space will also reduce car dependency while creating a cleaner, healthier environment for all. Herkimer-Williams is a reflection of the transit-oriented development we should be building across the state as we create cities for people and not cars,” said Shabazz Stuart, CEO and Founder of OONEE.

The unveiling of Herkimer-Williams follows an extensive and proactive community engagement process led by Totem over the past two years. In March 2022, Totem presented a preliminary proposal for Herkimer-Williams at a public town hall hosted by City Council Member Sandy Nurse. Since then, the firm has fine-tuned its proposal, ensuring it accurately reflects real community needs, following dozens of meetings with local stakeholders.

“Small businesses are critical to the strength and vitality of our community. When we nurture and uplift local entrepreneurs, economic benefits are felt across the board,” said Camille Newman, Director of the Brooklyn Women’s Business Center @ LDCENY. “Aspiring entrepreneurs in East New York shouldn’t have to look elsewhere to open up shop — they should have the ability to do so in the community they call home. Herkimer-Williams will deliver essential retail and commercial space where there currently is none, helping bring new life to Broadway Junction and the surrounding neighborhoods.”

“East New Yorkers deserve access to pathways for upward mobility. Our community has experienced decades of divestment and displacement, which has locked out generations of families from economic prosperity. Herkimer-Williams will be critical toward delivering workforce development opportunities, driving community investment and engagement, and making housing more affordable in East New York—helping ensure families have the tools they need for long-term success and brighter futures,” said Kelvin Taitt, co-founder and Executive Director of East Brooklyn Mutual Aid. 

To learn more about Herkimer-Williams and stay up to date on project happenings, visit herkimerwilliams.com.

About Totem 

Totem is a real estate development firm that specializes in community-driven projects and innovative design. Founded in 2017, the Brooklyn-based firm builds intentional, inclusive developments focused on four key pillars: affordability, economic mobility, innovative partnerships, and regenerative design. Totem’s current development pipeline totals more than 2 million square feet and 1,300 units of housing. For more information, visit totembrooklyn.com.