MAYOR ADAMS, NYCEDC ANNOUNCE HISTORIC AGREEMENT TO ADVANCE REDEVELOPMENT OF HUNTS POINT PRODUCE MARKET

 

Transformation Will Create New, First-of-its-Kind, All-Electric  

Intermodal Food Distribution Center, Deliver Thousands of Jobs and Cleaner Air 

  

New Hunts Point Produce Market Delivers on Key Commitments in Mayor Adams’ ‘Hunts Point Forward Plan,’ PlaNYC: Getting Sustainability Done,’ and ‘Green Economy Action Plan’ 

New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) President and CEO Andrew Kimball, and the Hunts Point Terminal Produce Cooperative Association (Hunts Point Produce Cooperative) today announced a historic agreement to advance the redevelopment of the Hunts Point Produce Market in the Bronx. Backed by $405 million in city, state, federal funding, and an anticipated federal loan, the project will create a new state-of-the-art, intermodal food distribution facility, improve air quality for nearly 13,000 Bronx residents who live on the Hunts Point Peninsula, and generate more than 2,000 new construction jobs, as well as preserve the good-paying jobs already at the current market. Following a competitive procurement process announced in March, NYCEDC has conditionally selected Aurora-Primus — a joint venture design-build firm with Aurora Contractors, LLC and Primus Builders, Inc. as principal entities — to execute the project. Over the next six months, the parties will work together to advance the project design and make sure the operational needs of the Hunts Point Produce Cooperative can be met at a financially sustainable cost. Construction is expected to begin in late 2026. Once constructed by NYCEDC, the new facility will be leased by the Hunts Point Produce Cooperative. The creation of a brand new Hunts Point Produce Market fulfills key commitments outlined in Mayor Adams’s “Hunts Point Forward Plan,” “PlaNYC: Getting Sustainability Done,” and the “Green Economy Action Plan.” 

  

“If you want to see the future of New York City, look to Hunts Point. With cleaner air, cutting-edge technology, and good-paying jobs for working-class New Yorkers, the new Hunts Point Produce Market represents the smart, forward-looking investments our administration has made every day in office,” said Mayor Adams. “This new facility will help transport food from farms upstate to tables all across our city — reducing emissions, creating jobs, and bolstering our supply chain. When we came into office, we promised to build the cleaner, more affordable future Hunts Point deserved, and, with today’s announcement, we are delivering on that promise once again.” 

  

“New York state is proud to invest $130 million in the complete transformation of the Hunts Point Produce Market — a facility that feeds millions of New Yorkers every day,” said New York Governor Kathy Hochul. “This redevelopment will deliver cleaner air and better health outcomes for Bronx families, create thousands of good-paying construction jobs, and build a first-of-its-kind all-electric food distribution hub that sets the standard for sustainable infrastructure nationwide.” 

 

“This transformation of Hunts Point will bring thousands of jobs, over $400 million in government investments, and massive economic opportunities to the Bronx. Hunts Point’s Food Distribution Center is responsible for 12 percent of NYC’s food, and today’s announcement is a commitment to the wellbeing of all New Yorkers,” said Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce Adolfo Carrión, Jr. “As a proud son of the Bronx, this announcement is personal to me. For decades, the Bronx has seen devastating disinvestment. Today we take a critical step in securing the market’s future and ensuring the Bronx fulfills its promise as a place of opportunity and prosperity.” 

  

“Today is a historic day for Hunts Point, the Bronx, and all of New York City. Through a new agreement with the Hunts Point Terminal Produce Market Cooperative Association, NYCEDC is proud to advance a complete redevelopment of the Produce Market that will fully modernize the aging facility, preserve thousands of good-paying jobs for New Yorkers, and dramatically improve the quality of life for Hunts Point residents by reducing truck traffic and improving air quality,” said NYCEDC President and CEO Kimball. “With $405 million committed in city, state, and federal grants as well as an anticipated federal loan, a redeveloped Produce Market will bring huge benefits to New York City. NYCEDC looks forward to working with all of the elected officials who made this possible, alongside the Hunts Point Terminal Produce Cooperative Association and its businesses in transforming a vital link in New York City’s food supply chain.” 

The Hunts Point Produce Market will create a first-of-its-kind all-electric intermodal facility to help move food across the city. All designs are conceptual. Credit: Aurora Contractors, LLC. 

The Hunts Point Produce Cooperative — which consists of approximately 26 businesses — sources more than 2.5 billion pounds of produce each year; the cooperative then distributes that produce across New York City and beyond. The current market employs thousands of New Yorkers, supplies 25 percent of the city’s fresh produce, and occupies more than 100 acres in Hunts Point. It consists of four primary warehouse structures, two adjunct warehouses, and various administrative and maintenance structures all housing approximately 26 merchants. The businesses range from small firms with three employees to large firms with approximately 400 employees. 

  

The new food distribution facility will improve daily market operations while enhancing the long-term viability of the city’s produce businesses by meeting market needs. The redevelopment will also eliminate the stationary diesel-fueled Transport Refrigeration Units (TRU), delivering cleaner air for the nearly 13,000 New Yorkers that reside in the Hunts Point peninsula. 

  

 The goals and objectives for the project are as follows: 

  

•   Deliver a state-of-the-art, intermodal food distribution facility that supports daily market operations for the city’s produce needs. 

•   Enhance the long‐term viability of the produce businesses by meeting market needs. 

•   Expand refrigerated warehouse space. 

•   Improve air quality and quality of life for Bronx residents. 

•   Eliminate stationary diesel TRUs, which currently serve as additional cold storage. 

•   Optimize site-wide access and traffic circulation to alleviate congestion and reduce truck idling.  

•   Minimize multi-modal conflicts between vehicular, truck, rail, and pedestrian traffic. 

•   Increase rail efficiency and encourage rail usage.  

•   Maximize energy efficiency and reduce operating costs. 

•   Reduce waste and waste management expenses.  

•   Prioritize safety and security of the facility. 

•   Support quality jobs in the Bronx. 

The complete redevelopment of the market is expected to generate 2,000 construction jobs as well as preserve the good-paying jobs already on the location. All designs are conceptual. Credit: Aurora Contractors, LLC. 

In March, NYCEDC issued a request for qualifications (RFQ) seeking statements of qualifications from qualified firms interested in performing the design, construction, and other identified activities for the Hunts Point Produce Market Redevelopment; a request for proposals was issued to a shortlist of firms that responded to the RFQ and the city. NYCEDC has conditionally selected a design build firm to execute the project. 

  

The project is backed by $130 million in city funding, $130 million in state funding through Empire State Development, $145 million in funding through federal grants (including the Federal Highway Administration), and financing anticipated to be raised by NYCEDC through a railroad rehabilitation and an improvement financing loan from the U.S. Department of Transportation. 

  

Today’s announcement fulfills several key commitments in Mayor Adams’ PlaNYC: Getting Sustainability Done, Green Economy Action Plan and Hunts Point Forward plan. Announced in 2022 by Mayor Adams and Hunts Point community leaders, Hunts Point Forward is a comprehensive plan to create economic opportunity and improve quality of life for New Yorkers in the Hunts Point neighborhood of the South Bronx. The plan is backed by a $40 million commitment from Mayor Adams and outlines a 15-year vision shared by the city and the community with more than 70 short- and long-term recommendations for creating family-sustaining jobs, improving public safety, enhancing community health and access to healthy food, promoting environmental justice, and delivering upgrades to open space, transportation, and other key community infrastructure. 

  

Hunts Point is also a critical node in the Adams administration’s “Blue Highways ” initiative to move more freight off city streets and onto waterways. A new Blue Highway facility, announced in partnership with Con Agg Global, will be located adjacent to the Fulton Fish Market in the Hunts Point Food Distribution Center and will greatly reduce the need for trucks for material and food and beverage transportation to and from the Bronx. A second Blue Highway facility, known as the Hunts Point Marine Terminal, was unveiled by the Adams administration earlier this year at the site of the decommissioned and now-removed Vernon C. Bain Correctional Center. This second facility will move cargo from shipping containers onto additional barges and ferries for last-mile deliveries throughout New York City.