Developers, City Officials Celebrate Opening of Caton Flats at 800 Flatbush Avenue in Flatbush, Brooklyn

New York City mayor Eric Adams kicked off a weekend-long grand opening celebration for Caton Flats, a new mixed-use development with 255 affordable homes, a revitalized and expanded Flatbush Central Caribbean Marketplace, and 20,000 square feet of community space. Located at 800 Flatbush Avenue in Flatbush, Brooklyn, the development team includes BRP Companies, Urbane, the New York City Economic Development Corporation, the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), and the Housing Development Corporation (HDC).

Total development costs are estimated at $136 million.

“This project in its entirety exemplified a true partnership and alignment between real estate, community groups, local leaders, and construction entities, all equally dedicated in their commitment to serving the Flatbush community,” said Meredith Marshall, co-founder and managing partner, BRP Companies. “In addition to the 255 units of new affordable housing developed at Caton Flats, Flatbush Central serves as a vital staple within the Flatbush community that supports small businesses and community entrepreneurs, while celebrating and preserving Caribbean culture in New York City, and we’re thrilled to be celebrating its grand opening.”

Caton Flats comprises more than 220,000 square feet of residential area. The entire residential collection is designated for households between 40 and 130 percent area median income (AMI), or those with annual incomes that qualify as very low to moderate. Available apartments range from studios up to three-bedroom floor plans.

Amenities include an on-site doorman and resident manager, a laundry room, electric vehicle charging stations, a gym with a yoga studio, bike storage, package lockers, and open air terraces.

“We are thrilled to share the new and improved Flatbush Central with the public and to continue the legacy of the market as a vital hub for Caribbean commerce as well as a unique and inviting gathering space for the community,” said James Johnson-Piett, CEO and principal, Urbane. “Urbane is proud to usher in a new era of the market with upgraded and enhanced facilities serving the community at large. We’re looking forward to watching the market grow and evolve as a first-rate retail and cultural destination in this new space.”

The marketplace, alternatively addressed 2123 Caton Avenue, formerly existed as Flatbush Caton Market and was a neighborhood staple for more than 20 years. Flatbush Central’s rebrand was driven by The Honorable Dr. Una S.T. Clarke, a former New York City council member who sought to build an institution for Caribbean people in Flatbush through the incubation of Caribbean businesses. Today, the marketplace offers a Caribbean food hall, a shared commercial kitchen, a bar and lounge, and affordable opportunities for small, independent business owners.

The market will also host a “Mangrove business accelerator,” which is described as an economic mobility platform and incubator program that will focus on offering black, indigenous, and people of color entrepreneurs state-of-the-art facilities for food and culinary needs, as well as facilities to produce natural body care and cosmetics, new media, and textiles.

Additional components include a 5,000-square-foot community facility that serves as the Caribbean Trade Center, owned and operated by Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

“This project is such a fitting celebration of our city’s vibrant Caribbean community and our strong, inclusive economic recovery,” said mayor Adams. “This project is a model for community-based development across the city, which is why I was proud to fight for it as borough president and even prouder to see it completed today as the mayor.”

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