Noel Pointer Foundation Brooklyn Music School by MBB Architects - 1
MBB Architects
Rendering of the Noel Pointer Foundation's planned music school inside the historic Cobble Hill firehouse in Brooklyn.
New York City has started a $17.8 million renovation of a historic Cobble Hill firehouse that will become the first permanent home of the Noel Pointer Foundation. The 6,000-square-foot building at 299 DeGraw Street, originally constructed in 1857, will be transformed into a modern music education facility with soundproofed lesson rooms, a recording studio, music library, gallery, ensemble space and courtyard. The foundation provides music education and performance opportunities to young people across the five boroughs and currently serves more than 2,000 children annually. Its new Brooklyn headquarters will support expanded after-school, weekend and summer programs while restoring significant elements of the former Engine Company 204 firehouse. Construction is expected to be completed in fall 2028.
From Sirens to Symphonies: Mayor Mamdani Begins $18 Million Project to Transform Long-Vacant Firehouse into New Music Education Center for Noel Pointer Foundation
Renovation will create a permanent, three-story home for the music nonprofit
Historic firehouse will be transformed with special acoustic design, soundproofed lesson rooms, recording studios, music library and expanded programming space
Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani, Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) Commissioner Diya Vij and Department of Design and Construction (DDC) Commissioner Paul A. Ochoa today announced the start of a $17.8 million renovation to transform the former Engine Company 204 firehouse in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn into a permanent home and music school for the Noel Pointer Foundation (NPF).
Originally built in 1857, the 6,000-square-foot historic firehouse will be renovated by DDC on behalf of DCLA, creating a permanent home for NPF and allowing the cultural nonprofit to expand its music education programs for young people from historically underserved communities.
“Noel Pointer understood the power of music to change young people’s lives, because it changed his. With this $18 million investment, we will continue his legacy — transforming an empty firehouse into a place where New Yorkers can learn and create,” said Mayor Mamdani. “The arts are essential to the life of every child, and this new home will allow the Noel Pointer Foundation to bring that opportunity to thousands more young people across our city.”
“The Noel Pointer Foundation is the living legacy of an artist whose practice and worldview were deeply rooted in the community he came from — a legacy that has reached over 40,000 New York City students with a transformative music education,” said DCLA Commissioner Vij. “With today’s groundbreaking, we’re opening a new chapter for the Noel Pointer Foundation, enabling them to advance their mission of engaging young people with the joy and lifelong curiosity that comes with learning music.”
“When DDC is done renovating this place, the Noel Pointer Foundation will be inspiring musical talents in this firehouse, and instead of the sound of sirens, it will be the sound of music,” said DDC Commissioner Ochoa. “This firehouse was built in 1857, when firefighters used horse-drawn carriages, and has a very special place in the hearts of Cobble Hill residents. With this $17.8 million project, the City will completely transform this historic firehouse into a modern facility that will honor the legacy of Noel Pointer and the brave firefighters who once worked in this building.”
“Over thirty years ago, we founded the Noel Pointer Foundation to continue Noel’s legacy by giving children access to the string music education that transformed his life at a young age. We have operated out of my home, in-schools and in rental facilities throughout Brooklyn, but we never had a dedicated space of our own,” said Chinita Pointer, Executive Director of the NPF. “Now, we will have our first permanent headquarters at the historic DeGraw Firehouse. This building is more than bricks and mortar. It’s a promise to the next generation that music, opportunity and hope will always have a place in our community. Thank you to the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, the Department of Design and Construction, the New York City Council, the Brooklyn Borough President and all who helped make this dream a reality. Welcome to the home that Noel built.”
“What makes this project meaningful is not the scale of the building, but the spirit of the Noel Pointer Foundation and the extraordinary generosity at the heart of its work,” said MBB Architects Partner Sara Grant. “For decades, the Foundation has given so much to young people and communities across New York City. It is incredibly rewarding to help create a permanent home that gives something back to the organization itself, while strengthening the warmth, connection and sense of belonging that have always defined its mission.”
Founded in 1995 in memory of Grammy-nominated violinist and native New Yorker Noel Pointer, NPF has reached more than 39,000 New York City public school students through string music training. The organization works to empower young people ages 3 to 18 from historically underserved communities by providing professional music education and performance opportunities. NPF operates music programs in nearly 50 Title I schools and day care centers across the five boroughs, serving more than 2,000 children each year.
The new facility at 299 DeGraw St. will allow NPF to expand its after-school, Saturday and Summer Strings programs. Programs range from beginner classes through pre-professional instruction and include ensemble work in cello, double bass, violin, viola, guitar, piano, DJ, composition and voice; master classes with elite visiting musicians; one-on-one coaching; and audition prep.
Each year, NPF supports students as they pursue admission to specialized schools, conservatories and colleges around the country. A community orchestra also provides opportunities for multigenerational music exploration and appreciation.
The renovation will restore the firehouse’s historic brick and terra-cotta façade. The existing garage doors will be converted into glass windows, bringing natural light into the building and increasing visibility for passersby and patrons.
The new facility will feature specialized acoustic design and soundproofed lesson rooms, offices, a music library and gallery, workstations, storage rooms and a recording studio. An ensemble room will feature a ribbed wood ceiling and acoustic wall baffles to scatter sound.
The project will also include a courtyard for multidisciplinary programming, a new elevator connecting all three floors and an ADA-accessible reception area with an open staircase. The project will maximize the building’s footprint by excavating and finishing the cellar level to create additional rehearsal and recording space. New mechanical, electrical, plumbing, information technology and security systems will modernize the 169-year-old building. New furniture, modern fixtures and other equipment will also be installed.
DDC is working with MBB Architects and A.P.N. Construction Corp on the project. Construction is expected to be completed in fall 2028. Renderings of the project, courtesy of MBB Architects, are available here.
“For more than three decades, the Noel Pointer Foundation has been a tremendous force for good in ensuring that young people across New York City can access music and arts education. Thanks to this $18 million renovation, NPF will be able to expand the educational opportunities and guidance they provide to the City’s students to learn instruments and pursue placement in the nation’s leading music schools,” said House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries. “I am proud to have secured federal funding to support NPF programming in the past and am thankful to the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs and the NYC Department of Design and Construction for helping bring this renovation to life. I look forward to NPF’s continued work on behalf of our children and families in their new permanent home.”
“Every child deserves the opportunity to discover their talents and see where it takes them,” said State Senator Andrew Gounardes. “It’s always exciting when our city invests in our communities. The Noel Pointer Foundation has spent decades giving kids across New York a chance to find their voice through music. Turning this long-vacant firehouse into a place where kids can learn music means generations of young New Yorkers will now have a dedicated space to discover their passion. Thanks to the Noel Pointer Foundation and our city leaders for this investment in our children.”
“Music is essential to cultural fabric of our borough, and today’s groundbreaking for the Noel Pointer Foundation’s future home will help ensure Brooklynites have access to high-quality music education for generations to come,” said Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso. “The Noel Pointer Foundation provides transformative music programming to students in Brooklyn and across the five boroughs, opening doors for young people in historically underserved communities. I’m proud to help fund the continuation of that work, and to help even more young people discover the power and joy of music.”
“I remember when Noel Pointer passed away 32 years ago,” said Council Member Lincoln Restler. “Remarkably, his wife Chinita transformed that devastating loss into a legacy of educating legions of Brooklyn youth as string instrument musicians. I am thrilled that we are finally breaking ground on a beautiful, state-of-the-art headquarters for the Noel Pointer Foundation. We are proud to bring the Noel Pointer Foundation into so many of our local schools and look forward to young cello, violin and viola players having a stunning new space to practice and perform. Thank you to our partners at the Department of Cultural Affairs and the Department of Design and Construction for making this project a reality.”
Source: NYC Mayor's Office
