Governor Hochul Announces Request for Proposals to Transform Manhattan’s Former Bayview Correctional Facility Into Affordable and Supportive Housing

Site RFP Requires Significant Commitments for Permanently Affordable and Supportive Housing and Prioritizes Services and Amenities for the Local Community

Project Aligns with Governor Hochul’s Executive Actions to Redevelop State-Owned Sites That Can Increase New York’s Housing Supply

View Request for Proposals Here, Due December 13 by 5 p.m. ET

 Governor Kathy Hochul today announced a request for proposals to redevelop the former Bayview Correctional Facility, located at 550 West 20th Street in West Chelsea, Manhattan into a primarily residential development providing supportive housing, affordable housing, and onsite community uses that will benefit area residents and reintegrate the structure into the surrounding neighborhood. Applicants can view the Request for Proposals document here and submit a proposal to Empire State Development by December 13, 2023 at 5:00 p.m. ET.

"By reimagining the Bayview facility as affordable housing, we are not only creating more housing options for New Yorkers – we are expanding the possibilities of what former prisons and other unused state properties can become,” Governor Hochul said. "New York’s future depends on increasing the state’s housing supply, and between the recommendations of the Prison Redevelopment Commission and executive actions I announced earlier this year, our state is taking leaps forward to repurpose these vacant facilities and leverage them as critical tools to address the housing crisis.”

The state-owned 100,000 square-foot site is an opportunity to aggressively advance Governor Hochul’s unprecedented efforts to increase the state’s housing supply, particularly in New York City. Built in 1931, the art deco brick masonry building became a state-run medium-security women’s correctional facility in 1974, that was eventually closed due to flooding sustained during Superstorm Sandy in 2012. Recognizing that the West Chelsea neighborhood has a critical shortage of affordable housing options, the redevelopment of Bayview will be a key catalyst for inclusive and sustainable urban development, provide much needed housing for New Yorkers who require services within a supportive living environment, and enhance neighborhood vibrancy and quality of life for residents in the surrounding area.

Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, "The Bayview Correctional Center's redevelopment offers a unique, forward-thinking opportunity to address New York’s long-term economic and housing priorities. Inspired by Governor Hochul’s unwavering commitment to enhance affordability in New York, this RFP aims to maximize the creation of both affordable and supportive housing, and address real needs expressed by the community.”

The primary development objectives for the Project are to provide affordable and supportive housing in partnership with New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR), to provide Short Term Transitional Housing in partnership with the New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH), and to improve the wellness and economic opportunities in the neighborhood. The RFP requires respondents to consider the site’s historic art-deco design and the neighborhood’s character and include an onsite community use facility that supports the needs of the surrounding neighborhood, both of which are consistent with Manhattan Community Board 4’s Bayview redevelopment plan.

Specifically, proposals should meet the following objectives:

• Benefit the West Chelsea neighborhood and surrounding communities including benefit to low- and moderate-income individuals and families and chronically homeless populations.
• Provide permanent low-income affordable housing and at least 60 units of supportive housing targeting families and individuals who are both homeless and who are identified as having unmet housing needs, as specified in the RFP.
• Provide community facility use.
• Provide for adaptive reuse of the historic building and features to the extent feasible.
• Provide in-kind replacement of the historic façade to the extent feasible; if determined not feasible, provide replacement with compatible substitute material, as determined in consultation with New York State Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation.
• Comply with all OPRHP requirements.
• Incorporate sustainable and resilient building practices in accordance with the goals of the New York State Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.
• Ensure meaningful participation by Minority Owned Business Enterprises, Women Owned Business Enterprises and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned-Business.
• Ensure at least 51 percent Nonprofit Ownership, as compliant with HCR’s SHOP Term Sheet.
• Ensure greater Nonprofit Ownership by incentivizing greater ownership percentages.

The redevelopment of Bayview Correctional Facility complements Governor Hochul’s comprehensive agenda to address New York’s housing crisis. In July 2023, Governor Hochul announced a package of executive actions to promote housing growth across the state, including a directive calling on New York State agencies to review state-owned properties for potential housing opportunities. As part of the FY 2024 Budget, the Governor secured a $391 million investment in rental assistance to expand New York’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program, a $50 million investment for tenant legal services, and additional funding to expand the Tenant Protection Unit. Governor Hochul also secured a 5-year, $25 billion Housing Plan to build 100,000 affordable homes as part of the FY 2023 Budget.

This project also continues Governor Hochul's efforts to reimagine closed prisons for innovative redevelopment opportunities across New York State. In recent months, Governor has announced requests for proposals to redevelop two former correctional facilities: Lincoln Correctional Facility in Harlem and Downstate Correctional Facility in Fishkill. In December 2022, Governor Hochul released the New York Prison Redevelopment Commission recommendations that details analyses of 12 closed prisons and considers redevelopment opportunities for each site to help them better serve the State's economic needs.