Press Release: Totem Updated
East NY Mixed-Use Project Plans

Incorporating feedback from nearly 100 community touchpoints in the last year, updates to the Herkimer-Williams project include an increase in affordable housing units and community-led retail space and a reduction in building heights

Underscoring the project’s commitment to fostering jobs and training opportunities, the plan includes up to 85,000-square-feet of community facility space for an institutional educational anchor

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK (May 8, 2025) — Totem, a Brooklyn-based real estate development firm specializing in innovative design and community-driven projects, today released an updated iteration of its plan to transform a privately-owned 2-acre site around Broadway Junction into Herkimer-Williams, a mixed-use hub. The revisions to the proposal are a direct response to a years-long process of gathering community and stakeholder feedback, resulting in an increase in affordable housing, community-led retail and spaces intended for job creation, education and workforce development, and small businesses.

The updated plan, which will continue to evolve as Totem’s community and stakeholder engagement process proceeds, now includes:

• Increased amount of permanently affordable housing units from the original 600 units to up to1000
• Adjusted commercial space (office) from 750,000 square feet to 440,000 square feet
• Preserved 100,000 square feet of light industrial space
• Adjusted layouts on 114,000 square feet of retail space to allow for more neighborhood-scale tenants
• Alignment on up to 85,000 square feet of community facility space to serve as a space for institutions such as a local university or college
• Reduced building heights, including a 60-foot height reduction on the tallest of the proposed buildings
• Preservation and enhancement of Herkimer Street (removing the proposed street de-mapping and adding pedestrian improvements)
• Creation of up to 25,000 square feet of publicly accessible open space
• Coordination with the City on design and delivery of a new public plaza across from Broadway Junction train station

“Our team is deeply encouraged by the feedback we’ve received on the initial Herkimer-Williams proposal over the past few years in our outreach to the community,” said Vivian Liao, Co-Founder and Principal of Totem. “We've maintained an open and ongoing dialogue with the East New York community, allowing this new plan to directly address the key concerns and aspirations shared by residents. We will continue to seek input from local stakeholders and look forward to presenting a final ULURP proposal that genuinely serves the residents of East New York.”

In December 2023, a public hearing at the New York City Department of City Planning formally kicked off the environmental review process to study the project and its impact. In May, Totem submitted its Land Use Application to the Department of City Planning, noting the updated plans. ULURP certification is anticipated later this spring.

The Herkimer-Williams proposal will bring vital resources to East New Yorkers – including affordable housing, job and career opportunities and local business opportunities,” said Bill Wilkins, Executive Director, Local Development Corporation of East New York (LDCENY). “The plan revisions demonstrate Totem’s commitment to building a hub that reflects the needs and recommendations of local residents, and I encourage the broader community to take advantage of this moment by weighing in to further refine the project as the planning process continues.”

“The Herkimer Williams project will help mobilize the local economy in East New York and surrounding neighborhoods,” said La’Shawn Allen-Muhammad, Executive Director of the Central Brooklyn Economic Development Corporation. “As we work to ensure the community can take advantage of new growth opportunities in the green economy and beyond, Herkimer-Williams will help lay the groundwork for a more equitable and prosperous Brooklyn for all.”

“The Herkimer-Williams project is a win-win situation for our community because it not only creates housing, but economic opportunities and an opportunity to be a partner in the process,” said Reginald Bowman, Chairman of the Brooklyn East District Council of NYCHA Tenant Association Presidents. “The developer has been actively reaching out and engaging with our residents, and I am excited at this opportunity to demonstrate what can be accomplished when you work alongside the community to provide services, employment, opportunity, and housing at the same time.”

The latest iteration of the Herkimer-Williams plan follows an intensive proactive community

engagement process led by Totem over the past two and a half years, since the group presented a preliminary proposal at a public town hall hosted by City Council Member Sandy Nurse in early 2022. Totem has since held over 90 meetings with various local stakeholders, and continues to actively seek community input and engagement as the project progresses.

Upon completion, Herkimer-Williams is intended to serve as a mixed-use economic development generator that can create new opportunities to help improve the quality of life for East New Yorkers. Construction would take place over a 10-year, phased approach toward a four-building complex that delivers new fully permanent affordable housing, public open space, retail, commercial and industrial space, and increased opportunities for workforce development.

The plan for Herkimer-Williams progresses at a height of public and private investment in East New York. In May 2023, the NYC Economic Development Corporation and Metropolitan Transit Authority announced a $500 million investment in Broadway Junction, located at the intersection of five subway lines in East New York, to address long standing needs at the station and surrounding neighborhood. Simultaneously, under Mayor Adams’ CARE strategy, the City is building a new local office for 1,100 staffers to seed a new central business district. Governor Hochul is also advancing the Interborough Expressway which will include a stop nearby furthering the transformation of the area as a regional transit center.

To learn more about Herkimer-Williams and stay up to date on project happenings, visit https://www.herkimerwilliams.com/.

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About Totem

Totem is a real estate development firm that specializes in community-driven projects and innovative design. Founded in 2017, the Brooklyn-based firm builds intentional, inclusive developments focused on four key pillars: affordability, economic mobility, innovative partnerships, and regenerative design. Totem’s current development pipeline totals more than 2 million square feet and 1,500 units of housing.

For more information, visit totembrooklyn.com.