About BAT

BAT is a modern manufacturing hub. A unique event space. A piece of our country's history. A part of the Sunset Park community and economy.

Mission & History

Brooklyn Army Terminal is the premier affordable hub for modern industrial businesses, entrepreneurs, and working families in NYC. We provide manufacturers with the tools and space they need to grow and succeed.

BAT is managed by New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), which has over 50 years of experience managing industrial facilities. NYCEDC has operated BAT on behalf of the City since 1986 and ensures that tenants receive the highest levels of service and satisfaction.

Built for Battle

Formerly known as the “US Army Military Ocean Terminal” or the “Brooklyn Army Base,” BAT was built from 1918 to 1919 and served as the largest military supply base in the US through WWII.

BAT was most-heavily trafficked during WWII, during which more than 20,000 military and civilian personnel were employed there. The base served as the headquarters for the New York Port of Embarkation, a region-wide operation covering more than a dozen facilities that moved troops and supplies across the globe. Arguably the most famous soldier to deploy from BAT was Elvis Presley, who shipped off from Brooklyn to Germany in 1958.

An Architectural Feat

BAT was designed by Cass Gilbert, an architect known for his Beaux Arts and Gothic buildings, most notably including the Woolworth Building in downtown Manhattan. BAT's design has been recognized as highly innovative for its time: constructed without girders, instead using steel-reinforced concrete slabs, and included the largest elevator installation at that time. The atrium was designed with staggered balconies from which cargo could be loaded and unloaded by movable cranes. And the entire complex was interconnected, with bridges on the third floor linking the two main buildings.

A Modern Manufacturing Hub

BAT remained active through the early 1970s with both military and civilian tenants. In 1981, the City purchased it from the federal government to repurpose the campus for manufacturing and industrial use. Today, over three million square feet have been renovated and BAT is a fully functioning industrial complex that houses over 100 businesses and 4,000+ good manufacturing jobs. The campus is part of the city's thriving manufacturing and business ecosystem, with all the ingredients for success across every sector.

In addition to offering space for traditional and advanced manufacturing, BAT features a recently renovated Food Manufacturing Hub for small food manufacturing firms and space for fashion companies and garment manufacturers.

And a portion of the campus is dedicated to a Micromanufacturing Hub, which allows small industrial businesses to grow within the campus. One of BAT's unique features is a flexibility that allows tenants to grow into new spaces as their company grows—keeping thriving small businesses in New York City.

BAT in Sunset Park

BAT is fully integrated into the Sunset Park neighborhood, a vibrant community home to NYC’s second largest Chinatown, restaurants and shops featuring cuisines and goods from Latin America, and historic green spaces offering sweeping city views and a respite from city life. BAT is located on the Sunset Park waterfront, accessible by train, car, and NYC Ferry—just 12 minutes from Wall Street in Manhattan. 

For the Local Economy

The campus and its tenants both draw upon and contribute to Sunset Park's local richness and economy, partnering with community groups and organizations to train and hire local workers and spearheading programs in sustainability and other areas to help local residents and businesses thrive.