New research center announced for Navy Yard

The Pratt Institute, New York City College of Technology, and the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation are joining forces to create a new research and applied learning facility at the Navy Yard.
Named the Research Yard, the new facility is aimed at creating a shared work space for students and faculty at Pratt and City College of Technology, as well as members of the private business community.
Expected to open in early 2022, the Yard hopes to promote collaboration on industry-relevant research and new product development.
“In bringing two renowned academic institutions to a major job hub, the Research Yard will open doors for students by offering a hands-on learning environment,” said NavyYard president and CEO David Ehrenberg. “This unique partnership is an extension of the Yard’s mission to create a pipeline of quality jobs, while also providing the experiential learning and skill building that make these jobs accessible to the local community.”
A total of $6 million has been earmarked for the Research Yard, including $4.2 million from the City Council, with an additional $1.8 million coming from Pratt, tBrooklyn Navy Yard, Brooklyn Borough President’s Office, and Dormitory Authority of the State of New York
“The new Research Yard facility will give students and faculty at both Pratt and City Tech the unique opportunity to participate in an exciting, dynamic environment, collaborating with and learning from leading industry professionals,” said Borough President Eric Adams. “It will also create pipelines from these institutions to jobs in emerging fields, connecting Brooklynites to high-quality employment opportunities and cementing our borough as our city’s tech capital after a decade of astronomical growth in the sector.”
By combining learning and working spaces under one roof, the Research Yard is designed to facilitate networking and increase job recruitment for students. The space will also include people working in many different disciplines, which has the potential to breed new innovations that will open even more opportunities.
“Nearly half of our students live and work in Brooklyn and over 90 percent of our students reside in New York City,” said Dr. Gerarda Shields, dean of the School of Technology & Design at City Tech. “The Research Yard will provide a seamless and braided experience for our students and faculty to work alongside local workforce talent and tech industries.”
The Research Yard will be located in a 27,000-square-foot space in the Navy Yard’s eleven-story Building 3, which was originally built in 1918 at the end of World War I.
Once open, the Research Yard is also committed to supporting the Brooklyn community with special workshops for high school students and young professionals. The new institution has also expressed its commitment to working alongside other educational, technological, and research institutions throughout the borough and the city.