NBA Veteran Taj Gibson Launches GFB Development with Project in Hometown Neighborhood of Fort Greene

Pictured left to right are Tameek Floyd, Taj Gibson and Malik Brown.

 

BROOKLYN, NY — Fifteen-year NBA veteran Taj Gibson today announced the launch of community-driven development firm GFB Development (GFB) alongside lifelong friends Tameek Floyd and Malik Brown, with a transformational project in their hometown neighborhood of Fort Greene at the 240 Nassau Street Navy Yard Clubhouse in Brooklyn. Together with Brooklyn-based Alloy Development (Alloy), the firms will continue hosting regular meetings and gathering input from the nearby NYCHA communities of Farragut, Ingersoll, and Walt Whitman, and eventually pursue a rezoning of the site to bring a community center and housing to the neighborhood, including a significant number of affordable apartments.

“Growing up in NYCHA was a blessing and a curse – it made me who I am today, but I’ve also seen how limited resources and poor housing conditions can take a toll on families. We want to do our part in changing that cycle,” said Taj Gibson, Principal, GFB Development. “This project will rethink and reopen a vital neighborhood resource informed directly by the needs of this community. Because when residents are involved in planning for the future of their neighborhood, it makes for better outcomes for everyone. There’s so much work to do, and we’re ready to do our part.”

“We are focused on working in the communities we live in because it’s what we know and it’s where we want to make a difference,” said Tameek Floyd, Principal, GFB Development. “Development should be about meeting the community where they are and upgrading the quality of life for all people.”

“I always wondered why my people who live in Ingersoll aren’t evolving with the surrounding community – it’s because they’ve been left behind,” said Malik Brown, Principal, GFB Development. “I have an opportunity to represent people like me who still live in NYCHA and deserve better. This project is all about investing in the spaces and housing that will strengthen ties between Ingersoll, Farragut, and Walt Whitman for decades to come.”

Gibson, Floyd and Brown’s experiences at Ingersoll inspired them to found their firm with a goal of providing stability and safe spaces – including affordable housing and recreational spaces – to historically underserved communities. With the core mission of improving the quality of life for low-income families, GFB looks to uplift those in need by providing resources and opportunities for those too-often left behind.

GFB and Alloy have committed to providing a permanent community space, continuing the longstanding tradition of neighborhood programming on site. That space will be run by a to-be-determined operator based on local resident feedback and include tailored programming for neighborhood children, seniors and families. The formation of the joint venture follows the November 2023 purchase of the site by Alloy from Madison Square Boys & Girls Club (Madison). Alloy then partnered with Madison to temporarily restore much-needed after-school services for the next two years at the long-time community programming hub, made possible in part through a $2 million donation from Alloy.

Since acquiring the property, Alloy has begun a comprehensive community engagement process, holding more than 50 meetings with community organizations, nearby NYCHA Tenant Associations, elected officials, and other neighbors to discuss the future of the site. Alloy has also provided free space to six local community groups that are conducting free programming at 240 Nassau for local youth and recently hosted an open house at the Navy Yard Clubhouse, where more than 175 local residents and community stakeholders provided feedback about the future of the facility and the site.

Alloy has a strong track record of local hiring and community engagement in Brooklyn, most recently as part of its mixed-use Alloy Block project in Downtown Brooklyn, which is under construction and will include the city’s first two Passive House public schools: a new Khalil Gibran International Academy high school and a new public elementary school.

Prior to its sale, Madison ran after-school programs at 240 Nassau for several decades. In spring 2023, Madison commenced a sale process and ceased operations at the building in connection with a court-ordered financial restructuring.

Local engagement for the project is led by Elizabeth Graham, Alloy’s Community Liaison. Local residents can reach her at egraham@alloyllc.com.

Source and photo credit: GFB Development