Navy Yard Clubhouse met with mixed reaction from residents

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The new owners of the Navy Yard Boys & Girls Clubhouse held an open house for Downtown Brooklyn community residents on June 1. A large placard placed in front of the building at 240 Nassau Street encouraged locals to stop by for food and drinks, entertainment, and to “[l]earn more about us at Alloy.”

Alloy Development, a real estate company and developer, purchased the Clubhouse for $15 million in November of 2023. The Navy Yard Boys & Girl Clubhouse, which primarily serviced families who live directly across the street––at NYCHA’s Farragut Houses––and kids in the Downtown Brooklyn, Navy Yard, and DUMBO neighborhoods, was abruptly shuttered in June 2023.

Alloy’s open house was held in the Clubhouse’s gym and featured food catered by Tarsha Crandell Catering, ice cream, raffles, balloon party figures for children, and a cheer/step performance by the Brooklyn Diamonds.

The gym even had suggestion boards where locals were encouraged to write their ideas about “What should be the future of this space?” and to detail what “I want ____ in my neighborhood.” Some of the responses written on the boards were: “Needs to remain a community that the community can actually use,” “Childcare centers/Youth programs,” “Boxing,” “College classes/high school fair,” “Business and community development, “Stepping music classes,” “College enrichment workshop,” and “Library [or] dance floor.”

But those suggestion boards were mildly resented by locals who spoke to the AmNews after the event. One mother of three children at the event, who did not want to give her name, said there seemed to be little point in leaving her hopes for what the Clubhouse could become since she was sure Alloy already had their own plans for the space.

REACTION: New hope for Navy Yard Clubhouse

Clubhouse was forced into bankruptcy

Though it was one of six Madison Square Boys & Girls Club Foundation clubhouses to offer daily enrichment programming for 6- through 18-year-olds throughout the city, the Clubhouse was forced to file for bankruptcy protection under Chapter 11 because it faced hundreds of child sexual abuse lawsuits filed under the New York State Child Victims Act (CVA) against a former Foundation volunteer. Claims were that the volunteer abused children beginning in the year 1948 and that he continued doing so up until 1984.

The Foundation filed for Chapter 11 restructuring in June 2022 to save itself and said it found it could get the most money to pay the claims against it by selling its Navy Yard Clubhouse.

The shock of the sudden notice of the Clubhouse’s closure still resonates for local residents. Many told the AmNews that while they appreciated this open house effort by Alloy, efforts to re-establish trust with the community will require more than free food and entertainment.

In response to questions sent to Alloy regarding the motive for the open house and what plans there are, if any, for the suggestions offered by community members to be taken seriously, the company said: “Alloy is committed to running a robust community engagement process for this project. Since acquiring the property, we’ve had more than 50 meetings with community organizations, NYCHA Tenant Associations, elected officials, and individual neighbors. We’ve provided free space to six local community groups, which are all doing free programming for youth in the area. 

“Saturday’s event was one of many moments of community engagement and we’re eager to continue to learn and digest all of the great feedback over the next few years.”

Alloy has reportedly donated $2 million for the temporary resumption of Madison Square Boys & Girls Club-directed after-school services for at least the next two years. After those two years, Alloy has plans to construct a new building, which is expected to have a permanent community recreation facility with a still-to-be-determined site operator.