Media Center Project to Be Built In Dumbo

Made in NY Media Center, a project for the city's media industries, will soon be built in Brooklyn's DUMBO Historic District. The center will open next year at 20 Jay Street, a landmark building that used to house Arbuckle Brothers, once the nation's largest coffee roasting company. The media incubator will bring together professionals across the film, gaming, marketing, and branding industries. The city has selected Two Trees Management to develop the site.

The Made in NY Media Center, a project touted by Mayor Michael Bloomberg, will be run by the Independent Filmmaker Project, a nonprofit film organization, and will bring together professionals across the film, gaming, marketing, and branding industries. The mayor announced the news at a press event Thursday.

"New York City's technology and entertainment industries have never been more exciting than they are today, and our new Made in NY Media Center will help bring developers, entrepreneurs and artists together to continue their growth," Mr. Bloomberg said.

About 1,000 tech startups are based in the city, according to city officials. In addition, 200 films are shot annually throughout the five boroughs, as are more than 150 television and online series.

The city's Economic Development Corp. and mayor's office called for proposals earlier this year to develop, market and manage the new center. The 80,000-square-foot facility will provide media entrepreneurs with affordable workspace and serve as a meeting place for classes and collaborations across industries.

The Independent Filmmaker Project will work with Dumbo's dominant development firm, Two Trees Management Co., to develop the media incubator, according to the city. Brooklyn-based MESH Architects will design the space.

General Assembly, a Manhattan-based education company, will collaborate with IFP to provide classes and workshops in technology, entrepreneurship and design. The space will feature short-term rental work areas, production suites, classrooms, a public café, media arts gallery, conference rooms and a 98-seat multimedia screening room.

Media professionals can gain access to the center's facilities via various membership levels, which include desk space, use of the screening room, access to monthly classes and invitations to cross-industry networking events.