Developing Brooklyn: Marlboro
Agricultural Education Center (MAEC)

Brooklyn, NY Located at the NYCHA Marlboro Houses in the Gravesend neighborhood, the new Marlboro Agricultural Education Center (MAEC) will provide The Campaign Against Hunger and local residents with a transformative new greenhouse and educational facility, while delivering critical food security resources and serving as a hub for multigenerational education, job training and community leadership. The rooftop greenhouse, equipped with hydro- and aquaponics, will support raising fish and plants and will enable and empower underserved populations to engage with local, sustainable food production.

The new, accessible facility will also include collaborative learning space to house educational programming, including The Campaign Against Hunger’s “Green Teens” internship and certificate program, as well as a teaching kitchen, indoor market and refrigerated storage area.

Targeting LEED Gold certification, the all-electric project incorporates innovative sustainable approaches in its design, including passive heating and cooling, solar access for growing, rainwater storage and reuse, and durable materials. With an eye toward a more just and equitable food system for New York City residents, the MAEC brings together meaningful strategies to combat food insecurity and establish long-term support systems for families and individuals.  

Significant sitework was required to seamlessly integrate the new building into the NYCHA campus and surrounding community, while providing pedestrian and vehicular access. Construction broke ground in June 2024 and will be accelerated through the NYC Department of Design and Construction’s Design-Build program, which allows public projects to be delivered faster and more efficiently and is expected to complete in less than two years.

Project Team

Architect Studio Gang 

Developer NYC Department of Design & Construction

Mechanical Contractor Shona Mechanical, Inc. 

General Contractor Consigli Construction Co. 

Structural Engineer Thornton Tomasetti

Civil Engineer Philip Habib & Associates

Geotechnical Engineer Langan

Financing NYC Depart. of Design & Construction 

Plumbing Plumbing Parkview

Foundations Urban Foundation Engineering

Project Info

Project Title Marlboro Agricultural Ed. Ctr.

Project Location 2800 86^th St.

Property Type Civic

Project Type New

Total Square Footage 9,900 s/f

Year Started 2024

Estimated Completion Date Q3 2025

Photo credit: Studio Gang