Runway Green Secures 60-Year Lease for $60M Education Campus at Brooklyn’s Floyd Bennett Field

The National Park Service has entered into a 60-year lease agreement with local education nonprofit Runway Green for 7 acres at Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn. This federal land, part of the Gateway National Recreational Area and formerly New York City’s first municipal airport, is slated for a $60M education ecosystem.

Runway Green plans to break ground next year on the initial phase, a 3-acre urban farm developed in partnership with The Campaign Against Hunger. Future plans for the campus include a public high school, a ropes course, campgrounds, and career-focused opportunities in fields such as clean energy and building decarbonization. The project has already secured $9.3M in public investment commitments, including $1M from Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, $3.3M from the New York City Council, and $2M in federal funding. The campus aims to provide real-world learning experiences in agriculture and environmental stewardship to as many as 50,000 New York City public school students. This long-term lease and significant public investment highlight a notable land-use conversion for educational and community benefit.