Overview
- Officials scheduled deconstruction of the existing Brookdale site for February 2026, with construction of the new SPARC campus set to begin in 2027.
- The Office of Chief Medical Examiner will relocate its autopsy facilities and mortuary to the new complex once it opens.
- The development will exceed 2 million square feet, add modern wet labs and classrooms, and serve about 4,500 CUNY students through facilities such as an ambulatory care center, a Health + Hospitals training site, and a health sciences high school.
- Economic projections vary, with Mayor Eric Adams citing 15,000 jobs and $42 billion in impact over 30 years, while project materials estimate roughly 10,000 jobs and nearly $25 billion over the same period.
- Procurement steps remain unresolved after a delayed developer RFP tied to market conditions, and related moves include the Public Health Lab’s shift to a new Harlem facility in 2026 and new lab space at Innovation East at 455 First Avenue.