Groundbreaking for SPARC Kips Bay

Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine said, “SPARC will be a game-changer for Manhattan’s East Side, connecting innovative research facilities with job opportunities for the next generation of New York scientists and healthcare workers. This project will create thousands of jobs and establish our borough as a leader in life sciences for years to come.“

New York City Councilmember Keith Powers said, “Today’s milestone is another step forward for a transformational project to make New York City a destination for the life sciences industry. On top of the thousands of jobs and billions in economic impact this project brings, it bolsters our local community by adding new science and technology opportunities for our next generation of leaders. SPARC Kips Bay will leave a lasting impact on our community with crucial infrastructure and public realm improvements, as well as additional 3-K public school seats for our students.”

New York City Councilmember-Elect Virginia Maloney said, “SPARC Kips Bay is exactly the kind of coordinated, future-focused economic development New York City needs. By bringing together public education, research, and private-sector job creation, the project builds on Kips Bay’s healthcare legacy while creating real pathways to opportunity for New Yorkers. I'm thrilled to see this project moving forward, bringing cutting-edge life sciences and healthcare opportunities to our community.”

CUNY Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy Dean Dr. Ayman El-Mohandes said, “This is a significant moment for our school. We've experienced tremendous growth in the ten years that we’ve been an independent school, and we’ve now outgrown our current space. The new SPARC Kips Bay campus will give us the room we need with modern classrooms where our students can learn, proper lab facilities where they can get hands-on experience, and for the first time, wet lab space where our faculty can conduct the kind of research that's essential to a public health institution. This move isn't just about more square footage. It's about finally having the infrastructure to match our ambitions for training future public health professionals and advancing research that matters to communities across New York.”

Next Steps for SPARC
The transformation of SPARC will bring over two million square feet of academic, public health, and life sciences space to the community. First announced by Governor Hochul, Mayor Adams, NYCEDC, and CUNY in October 2022, the historic project is expected to create more than 15,000 total jobs, generate $42 billion in economic impact over the next 30 years, and establish a pipeline from New York City’s public schools and public universities to future-forward and family-supporting careers in the life sciences and health care sectors.

The Innovation East development, located at 455 First Ave, will replace the former and obsolete Public Health Lab with a new state-of-the-art life sciences hub. The Public Health Lab will relocate to a new, modern facility in Harlem to continue its critical work, which is expected to be complete by the end of 2025. Demolition of the existing 455 First Avenue building is anticipated to occur in 2026, with construction beginning in 2027. SPARC Kips Bay passed the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) and received City Council approval in February 2025.

The SPARC Kips Bay and Innovation East projects are key initiatives to advance the LifeSci NYC goal of creating 10 million square feet of life sciences space, creating and attracting accessible jobs in life sciences, health care, and public health, and cementing New York City as a global leader in the sector.