Governor Kathy Hochul, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) President and CEO Andrew Kimball, and The City University of New York (CUNY) Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez today celebrated progress on the Science Park and Research Campus (SPARC) Kips Bay project, a first-of-its-kind life sciences innovation, career, and education hub. Deconstruction of the current campus on the site is expected to begin in February 2026, with construction of the new SPARC campus expected to begin in 2027. Today's announcement is yet another example of the successful city-state partnership Mayor Adams and Governor Hochul have achieved for the last four years working together to address the affordability crisis, create new housing, lower taxes, and advance bold infrastructure projects.

"The new SPARC campus will drive innovation and research for New York's nation-leading life sciences ecosystem, ensuring that groundbreaking medical advances are done right here in this city," Governor Hochul said. "Over the past four years, Mayor Adams and I have made bold strides to uplift New York City's economy, create good-paying jobs for New Yorkers, address the affordable housing crisis head-on, and forge ahead with critical infrastructure projects - showcasing what can be accomplished through state and city partnership."

New York City Mayor Eric Adams said, "SPARC Kips Bay will transform an entire New York City block into a state-of-the-art destination for the life sciences and healthy industry. It will create more than 15,000 good-paying jobs and generate more than $42 billion in economic impact for our city. We thank our partners, NYCEDC, CUNY, and, especially, Governor Hochul for her steadfast support and leadership. From day one, Governor Hochul has been a real partner in 'Getting Stuff Done' for our city and working people. Over the past four years, we have worked together to make our city more affordable, delivered the 'City of Yes for Housing Opportunity,' expanded the New York City Earned Income Tax Credit for the first time in nearly two decades, and eliminated the personal income tax for more than 500,000 New Yorkers through our 'Axe the Tax for Working-Class' plan. We have worked in partnership to get big, visionary projects planned, approved, and built, including the reimagining of the Kingsbridge Armory and our historic plan to turn the Brooklyn Marine Terminal into a modern maritime port. Together, we have invested in a bold vision for the five boroughs that has made New York City safer, more affordable, and the best place to live and raise a family."

Addressing New York City's Affordability Crisis
Last year, Governor Hochul and Mayor Adams worked together to pass "City of Yes for Housing Opportunity," the most pro-housing zoning proposal in New York City history. The citywide rezoning plan will enable the creation of 80,000 new homes over the next 15 years and invest $5 billion - including $1 billion from the State - towards critical infrastructure updates and housing. Additionally, in 2024, Governor Hochul and Mayor Adams worked with the New York State Legislature to pass a comprehensive housing agreement as part of the FY25 Budget. That agreement - which included new tools to encourage more affordable housing, convert offices into homes, allow more density in housing, and create safe basement apartments - is already delivering more housing for New Yorkers across the city.

Additionally, Governor Hochul and Mayor Adams worked together to establish the New York City Public Housing Preservation Trust, paving the way for the overdue repair, rehabilitation, and modernization of 25,000 apartments under control of the New York City Housing Authority.

Under Governor Hochul and Mayor Adams, the city and state worked together to deliver hundreds of millions of dollars in tax relief for working-class New Yorkers, including the first expansion of the New York City Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) in nearly two decades and Mayor Adams' "Axe the Tax for the Working-Class" proposal to eliminate and lower city income taxes for more than 500,000 New Yorkers. When combined, both Axe the Tax for the Working Class and the new, enhanced NYC EITC would put more than a collective $408 million back into the pockets of 2 million New Yorkers.

Delivering on Big, Bold Infrastructure and Economic Development Projects
Governor Hochul and Mayor Adams worked together to advance bold economic development and infrastructure projects that had languished for decades and bring new housing, jobs, and public space to New York City.

Governor Hochul and Mayor Adams - as well as local elected officials and community leaders - helped pass a historic vision plan to turn the Brooklyn Marine Terminal into a vibrant, mixed-use community. Backed by $418 million in city, state, and federal investments, the ambitious plan will transform the dilapidated marine terminal into a 60-acre, all-electric maritime port as well as create 6,000 new homes, 28 acres of public space, 37,000 construction jobs, and 275,000 square feet of commercial space along the Brooklyn waterfront.

Additionally, Governor Hochul and Mayor Adams helped pass a historic plan to transform the Kingsbridge Armory in the Bronx into a thriving, community-centered hub. With a state-of-the-art venue space for entertainment, new cultural and commercial space, light industrial manufacturing space, over 25,000 square feet of dedicated community space, and approximately 500 permanently-affordable homes, the new Kingsbridge Armory will deliver a more affordable Bronx for working-class New Yorkers.

Along with the "New" New York initiative to ensure an equitable economic recovery after the pandemic; a joint planning effort for the future of Roosevelt Island; an agreement to replace and expand the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan; a $500 million investment from the Battery Park City Authority's Joint Purpose Fund into affordable housing; new incentive programs to encourage businesses to maintain offices in or move to New York City; and more, the Hochul and Adams administrations have consistently delivered a productive partnership and real results year after year after year.

"The new SPARC campus will drive innovation and research for New York's nation-leading life sciences ecosystem, ensuring that groundbreaking medical advances are done right here in this city."

CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez said, "SPARC Kips Bay will expand pathways into public health careers for our students and provide state-of-the-art facilities for our faculty who are conducting research for the public good. I'm pleased to mark this milestone and grateful to Governor Hochul and Mayor Adams for their leadership and support of this transformational project, which will strengthen our city and University."

Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, "SPARC Kips Bay will connect New Yorkers-from public school students to CUNY graduates-with careers in one of the world's fastest-growing industries. Empire State Development is proud to partner with NYCEDC on a project that invests in both cutting-edge research and the New Yorkers who will power our life sciences economy for decades to come."

New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) President & CEO Andrew Kimball said, "SPARC Kips Bay is a transformative project that represents a path-breaking approach to economic development in New York City - transforming an entire city block into a world-class hub that bridges together economic opportunity, cutting-edge innovation and research, while creating strong, accessible career pathways for New Yorkers of all backgrounds into the innovative sectors of today and tomorrow. As we officially mobilize for deconstruction, NYCEDC is thrilled to add SPARC Kips Bay to the list of major milestones accomplished with our city and state partners, and to celebrate advancing a project that will shape the region's innovation ecosystem for generations to come. From unlocking long-stalled projects like Kingsbridge Armory to advancing city-shaping projects such as the Brooklyn Marine Terminal and SPARC Kips Bay, we are laying the foundation for inclusive, long-term growth across all five boroughs."

Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York President Gary LaBarbera said, "The groundbreaking of SPARC Kips Bay marks a major step forward in strengthening our health care and life sciences infrastructure while creating thousands of good-paying jobs and long-term career opportunities for working-class people. By transforming Kips Bay into a state-of-the-art public health and education hub, this project will help solidify New York City as a leader in life sciences and provide accessible middle-class career paths to hard-working New Yorkers. We applaud Mayor Adams and Governor Hochul for their continued commitment to advancing projects that grow our economy, support our workforce, and improve the lives of all New Yorkers."

Representative Jerrold Nadler said, "The SPARC Kips Bay project will provide thousands of jobs and create a state-of-the-art life sciences innovation, career, and education hub right here in Manhattan. This groundbreaking marks the beginning of a major boost to New York's life sciences and health care sectors and a pathway to career opportunities for generations of New Yorkers."

State Senator Kristen Gonzalez said, "SPARC Kips Bay builds on the state of the art public health and education institutions in New York City and State to create an innovation center that will provide thousands of good paying jobs and increased educational opportunities in advanced sciences and technology. I applaud Governor Hochul, and Mayor Adams for their work to bring this important project to Kips Bay and keep New York at the forefront of innovative industries."

Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine said, "SPARC will be a game-changer for Manhattan's East Side, connecting innovative research facilities with job opportunities for the next generation of New York scientists and healthcare workers. This project will create thousands of jobs and establish our borough as a leader in life sciences for years to come."

New York City Councilmember Keith Powers said, "Today's milestone is another step forward for a transformational project to make New York City a destination for the life sciences industry. On top of the thousands of jobs and billions in economic impact this project brings, it bolsters our local community by adding new science and technology opportunities for our next generation of leaders. SPARC Kips Bay will leave a lasting impact on our community with crucial infrastructure and public realm improvements, as well as additional 3-K public school seats for our students."

New York City Councilmember-Elect Virginia Maloney said, "SPARC Kips Bay is exactly the kind of coordinated, future-focused economic development New York City needs. By bringing together public education, research, and private-sector job creation, the project builds on Kips Bay's healthcare legacy while creating real pathways to opportunity for New Yorkers. I'm thrilled to see this project moving forward, bringing cutting-edge life sciences and healthcare opportunities to our community."

CUNY Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy Dean Dr. Ayman El-Mohandes said, "This is a significant moment for our school. We've experienced tremendous growth in the ten years that we've been an independent school, and we've now outgrown our current space. The new SPARC Kips Bay campus will give us the room we need with modern classrooms where our students can learn, proper lab facilities where they can get hands-on experience, and for the first time, wet lab space where our faculty can conduct the kind of research that's essential to a public health institution. This move isn't just about more square footage. It's about finally having the infrastructure to match our ambitions for training future public health professionals and advancing research that matters to communities across New York."

Next Steps for SPARC
The transformation of SPARC will bring over two million square feet of academic, public health, and life sciences space to the community. First announced by Governor Hochul, Mayor Adams, NYCEDC, and CUNY in October 2022, the historic project is expected to create more than 15,000 total jobs, generate $42 billion in economic impact over the next 30 years, and establish a pipeline from New York City's public schools and public universities to future-forward and family-supporting careers in the life sciences and health care sectors.

The Innovation East development, located at 455 First Ave, will replace the former and obsolete Public Health Lab with a new state-of-the-art life sciences hub. The Public Health Lab will relocate to a new, modern facility in Harlem to continue its critical work, which is expected to be complete by the end of 2025. Demolition of the existing 455 First Avenue building is anticipated to occur in 2026, with construction beginning in 2027. SPARC Kips Bay passed the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) and received City Council approval in February 2025.

The SPARC Kips Bay and Innovation East projects are key initiatives to advance the LifeSci NYC goal of creating 10 million square feet of life sciences space, creating and attracting accessible jobs in life sciences, health care, and public health, and cementing New York City as a global leader in the sector.

Contact the Governor's Press Office