Permits & development · Deals & development · 11/05/2026
Rare Brooklyn office-to-residential conversion takes shape in Dumbo
A former office building in Dumbo where lawyers once worked is being converted to housing. The project will add 184 residential units. Office-to-residential conversions are rare outside Manhattan, where most of the dozens of current New York projects are located.
Reported by Crain's New YorkRead the original ↗
What happened
Crain's New York reported on 11/05/2026 that an office building in Dumbo, Brooklyn, is being converted to housing. The redevelopment will add 184 residential units to a building where lawyers once worked.
The project is notable for its location. Crain's notes that the dozens of office-to-residential conversion projects underway in New York are overwhelmingly in Manhattan, which has the city's largest concentration of business districts. A conversion in Brooklyn is rare by comparison.
The material does not name the building, its address, the developer, or when the units will be ready. It also does not say whether any of the units will be affordable or how rents will be set.
Key facts
- Neighborhood
- Dumbo, Brooklyn
- Units
- 184 residential units
- Project type
- Office-to-residential conversion
- Former use
- Office building where lawyers once worked
- Context
- Most office-to-residential conversions underway in New York are in Manhattan
- Reported by
- Crain's New York, 11/05/2026
What it means
Tenants and voucher holders
This adds 184 apartments in Dumbo, but the report does not say whether any will be affordable or open to vouchers. Watch for an official listing or lottery before planning around it.
Landlords
A conversion of this size brings new rental supply to a Brooklyn neighborhood where most new housing comes from ground-up construction. Owners of nearby units may want to watch how the new apartments are priced once they reach the market.
Caseworkers
There is no information yet on affordable units, income limits or an application process. Do not refer clients to this building until those details are published.
The highlights
- The redevelopment will add 184 residential units.
- The building previously housed offices where lawyers worked.
- Most of the city's dozens of office conversions are in Manhattan.
Why it matters Landlords
Conversions outside Manhattan add new rental supply in Brooklyn and could shape local rents and competition for tenants.
Not known yet
- The building's address and the developer behind the project
- Whether any units will be income-restricted or offered through a housing lottery
- Expected completion or move-in date
- Planned rents and unit sizes
Background
Office-to-residential conversions turn commercial buildings into apartments. In New York City they must meet zoning, building code and habitability rules for residential use, which can require major changes to layouts, windows, light and air. The city and state have taken steps in recent years to make conversions easier, including zoning changes and tax incentives tied to setting aside some units as affordable. When a project includes income-restricted units, those apartments are usually rented through HPD's Housing Connect lottery, with income limits based on area median income.
Summary written by Bulwark from Crain's New York’s reporting. The original story is at crainsnewyork.com. This is general information, not legal advice.
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