A New Cultural Era for Brooklyn: Sunset Park to Host a 1,000-Seat Arts & Music Center

A significant new cultural landmark is on the horizon for Brooklyn’s Sunset Park neighborhood, where preparations are underway for the opening of a large-scale arts and music center with a 1,000-person capacity.

This ambitious development is led by the acclaimed team behind a well-known Gowanus venue famous for its experimental and pioneering artistic programming. Scheduled to open in late 2026, the new center will be a cornerstone of the MADE Bush Terminal complex—an extensive waterfront redevelopment initiative by the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC).

This ambitious project aims to transform a historic industrial site into a vibrant hub of creativity and community engagement. The new arts center—still unnamed—promises a unique brand of live music and arts events, building on the spirit of the operators’ previous successful project but on a much larger scale.

With a generous capacity of 1,000 attendees, the venue will offer expanded opportunities to host a wide range of performances, including more live music–focused events and all-ages programming that had been challenging to accommodate in their previous, smaller facility.

Strategically located on the ground floor of Building A within the sprawling 36-acre MADE Bush Terminal campus, the site carries a rich historical legacy. Formerly known simply as Bush Terminal, the area has evolved from an oil refinery to a bustling shipping terminal, and later to a powerful industrial center housing diverse industries—from printing and bookbinding to coffee roasting and candy manufacturing. It even served briefly as a military base during and after World War II. Today, it has been thoughtfully renamed MADE—an acronym for Makers, Artisans, Designers, and Entrepreneurs—reflecting its renewed purpose as a thriving center for innovation and culture.

Beyond its role as a major entertainment destination, the new arts center is designed to be deeply integrated with the local community. Programming will extend far beyond ticketed concerts and large-scale performances to include a variety of community-oriented uses. Imagine high-school graduation ceremonies inside its walls, major food and toy drives serving families in need, essential health screenings, and valuable English-as-a-Second-Language classes. This multifaceted approach underscores a strong commitment to serving the diverse needs of Sunset Park residents and promoting inclusion, accessibility, and a true sense of belonging.

The MADE campus itself stands as a testament to urban revitalization, featuring over 800,000 square feet dedicated to industrial and cultural uses. Complementing these developments, NYCEDC recently broke ground on a sweeping five-acre waterfront park, with plans for a new ferry landing as well. These enhancements form part of a larger civic strategy to reimagine Brooklyn’s waterfront—transforming it into a vibrant zone for work, creativity, and public life, inspired by the decades-long transformation of the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

The partnership driving this project is built on shared values. The operators expressed alignment with NYCEDC’s mission, describing it as an entity driven by more than commercial interests. As a semi-public nonprofit, NYCEDC manages city-owned land and often provides below-market rents for tenants—visible across the city’s public retail markets. While specific financial details of this deal were not disclosed, the spirit of collaboration and community-focused vision was highlighted as central to the project.

Most importantly, the ongoing redevelopment of the MADE Bush Terminal has been marked by significant community outreach, including active partnerships with local workforce development groups. This inclusive model ensures the new center—and the broader redevelopment—resonates authentically with the Sunset Park community and delivers real benefits. The overarching goal, as outlined by the development team, is to create a space that comprehensively addresses as many community-driven needs and aspirations as possible, solidifying its role as a vital asset for Brooklyn’s future.