Science Park and Research Campus (SPARC)

Looking Ahead in Kips Bay

SPARC: A new vision for Hunter’s Brookdale Campus

The Science Park and Research Campus (SPARC) Kips Bay will be a first-of-its-kind job and education center in the heart of New York City, transforming the Hunter College Brookdale campus into a state-of-the-art life sciences, healthcare, and public health hub, and bringing public realm improvements to the broader Kips Bay neighborhood.

What is SPARC

Important new venture between CUNY, New York State and New York City

New York State and New York City leaders have teamed up with the City University of New York (CUNY) to establish the Science Park and Research Campus (SPARC) Kips Bay.

The project will transform the Brookdale Campus on East 25th Street into modern teaching and commercial facilities.
$950 million is committed to address phase 1 requirements.
Total estimated investment of $1.6 billion.

“Together, we will help to realize this important public health and economic development project for the City of New York and New York State that will ultimately create over $25 billion dollars in economic impact to the City, 2,000 permanent jobs in the life sciences industry, and 8,000 good paying construction jobs.”
NYC EDC

Life Sciences Investment

As New York City becomes a national leader in the life sciences industry, Kips Bay is at the center of this growth. With up to one million square feet of life sciences space planned, SPARC Kips Bay will help the City achieve the goals set out in LifeSci NYC of creating 10 million square feet of new life sciences space in New York City by 2030. The project is supported by strong State and City collaboration, with $1.6 billion in State and City funding committed to support the education, public health, and healthcare components of the project, alongside critical community infrastructure. This initial investment will leverage an additional $2 billion in private funding to help realize the project and continue growing the life sciences industry in Kips Bay.

Opportunities

The CUNY deal with the State and the City presents numerous opportunities for Hunter College to expand its academic offerings, improve its facilities, and further its mission of excellence in education and research.

State-of-the-art facilities that capture our aspirations in the health sciences.
Integration with partners for collaboration and better student experiences and outcomes.
Advancing job training and workforce development in the healthcare and science sectors.

When Completed

New Complex of Buildings on Brookdale Site

The new development on the Hunter College Brookdale Site promises to be a dynamic addition to Hunter College, combining cutting-edge academic facilities with innovative communal spaces. The design features modern, eco-friendly buildings that include state-of-the-art classrooms, collaborative workspaces, and a contemporary library, all integrated seamlessly with vibrant community areas. This new complex is poised to enhance the academic environment while fostering a strong sense of community and engagement on campus.

Partners in addition to Hunter will include:

The Borough of Manhattan Community College Health Care programs, research labs, and the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy.
NYC Health and Hospitals: An ambulatory wellness center focused on screening, same- day procedures and preventative care, and a Nursing Excellence and Simulation Center to provide hands on training to staff.
Department of Education: A high school facility that is focused on healthcare, public health, and life sciences, and an additional opportunity for a hybrid STEAM program to provide career and technical training.
Office of Chief Medical Examiner: A modern medical examiner facility and Manhattan Forensic Pathology Center.
Economic Development Corporation: A new life sciences commercial development, comprised of wet labs and research facilities, to help support NYC’s growing life science ecosystem in Kips Bay.