Imagine if we could advance bold solutions to the biggest problems—the climate crisis, educational inequality, the green skills gap, economic injustice, and more— through a once-in-generation project, right here in New York City.
Imagine a project that transforms education and workforce development as we know it. A project that provides world-class resources and access to 21st-century careers, empowering the next generation to create a better world.
Well, you don’t have to imagine it.
The opportunity is here, through a pioneering public-private partnership, at Floyd Bennett Field.
A coalition of leading nonprofit and industry partners, with significant support from elected officials and government agencies, is creating a landmark education campus called Runway Green that’s like nothing else in our city or country. Each year, 50,000 public school students will learn skills and mindsets focused on sustainability while earning credentials in the green careers of the future.
And that’s just the beginning. Located on 1,300 acres of National Park Service land, Runway Green will be a catalyst for an even larger reimagining of Floyd Bennett Field as a preeminent hub of K-12 education, sustainability, research, workforce development, and green technology—on an unparalleled scale.
We invite you to join the Runway Green Education Collective of organizations, elected officials, Brooklyn community members, educators, parents, and students. Together, we can create the most impactful education and workforce development project to ever exist in New York City.
With gratitude, Jonathan Harber Chair, Runway Green Jonathan Harber
FLOYD BENNETT FIELD
was New York City’s first municipal airport, the starting point for the world’s first international flights.
1,300 ACRES OF NATIONAL PARK SERVICE LAND
175 ACRES are poised to become home to the largest and most innovative education project in the last century — right here in New York City.
35 ACRES
AN UNPRECEDENTED PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP
At Floyd Bennett Field, exceptional public- and private-sector partners are creating Runway Green, the first education and workforce development campus to be built on National Park Service land.
PHASE 1
Our transformative vision begins with a seven-acre experiential learning campus supporting 50,000 STUDENTS FROM HUNDREDS OF PUBLIC SCHOOL PARTNERS.
Sitting in a classroom is no longer enough to prepare students for the careers of the future.
Open year-round, Runway Green will provide K-12 students opportunities to learn, work, and intern with an ecosystem of exceptional partner organizations, solve real-world problems, and earn credentials for careers in the growing green economy.
3.6 billion people live in areas highly susceptible to climate change.
Half a million New Yorkers will be directly threatened by flooding by 2080, more than doubling the current number.
GLOBAL CHALLENGES ARE MOUNTING
Black individuals are 50% more likely to live in areas with coastal flooding.
At Runway Green, nonprofits already providing environmental education and green career training to 350,000 New York City students each year will expand their reach and deepen their impact.
Runway Green will provide direct pathways to tens of thousands of career opportunities in the green economy.
9 nonprofit and industry partners
73K potential job and career placements 13 training programs offered 36 industryrecognized credentials offered
Certified Training Programs
Aquaculture
Basic Green Construction
Controlled Environment Agriculture
Green Building Operations
Green Team Workforce
Marine Biology Research
Marine Policy Advocacy
Marine Systems Technology
Ocean Engineering
Professional Diving
Solar CTE
Solar PV Installation
Vessel Operations
Badges and Credentials
GPRO Operations and Maintenance
GPRO Electrical
GPRO Mechanical
Building Performance Institute Multifamily Building Operator
Building Performance Institute Multifamily Building Analyst
NABCEP PV Associate
US EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting (Lead)
EPA 608
OSHA 30
NYC Department of Buildings Site Safety Training (SST)
Lab Safety
Safe Boating
Seafood HACCP
ARC GIS Certificate
GEF Institute course: Advanced Concepts in Sustainability
Digital Quest SPACE Geographic Information Systems
SUNY Albany Science Research Project
NOCTI Marine Mechanics
Ocean Engineering 10
Ocean Engineering 11
Ocean Engineering 12
Career and Financial Management
Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) certifications
Divers Alert Network (DAN) first-aid medical training
American Academy of Underwater Sciences (AAUS) Scientific Diver Final Exam
NYS Safe Boating Certificate
US Power Boating Certificate
FCC Marine Operators Permit
Red Cross First Aid/CPR/AED
USCG Limited Masters License
Controlled environment agriculture
PHASE 2
Workers will need new skills throughout their lives to meet the accelerating demand for green goods, services, and technologies.
Our career-connected programming at Floyd Bennett Field will expand to support New Yorkers’ lifelong learning.
912,000 clean-energy jobs
per year are projected to be added to the American economy over the next decade.
Runway Green’s second phase will provide training and career pathways for adults in fast-growing industries, including:
Sustainable Agriculture
Environmental Sciences
Clean Transportation
Green Construction
Renewable Energy
Maritime Systems
Marine Sciences
Together, Phases 1 and 2 will make New York City a national leader in closing the green skills gap and developing a 21st-century workforce.
LOCATED ON SOME OF THE REGION’S MOST ECOLOGICALLY RICH PARKLANDS,
and within the nation’s largest school system, Floyd Bennett Field’s combination of access and opportunity is unparalleled. The site is a jumping off point for shorelines, marshlands, and open water throughout Jamaica Bay.
FLUSHING MEADOWS
Runway Green will connect New York City communities to Floyd Bennett Field.
In partnership with the eco-friendly transit provider Circuit, we are committed to sustainable forms of transportation across South Brooklyn and the Rockaways, ensuring accessibility for all.
CORONA PARK
JAMAICA BAY
FLOYD BENNETT FIELD
“ “
Climate change is getting worse every day. It’s up to our generation to ensure our world is more habitable for all. The opportunities at Runway Green show students that we can be that change.
Climate change disproportionately harms Black and Brown neighborhoods. These communities should be empowered to lead the fight for a cleaner planet, with access to green jobs and schools that equip them with knowledge and skills.
GODSON BLAISE, 17, BROWNSVILLE, BROOKLYN
TAMIYA FOWLER, 22, BED-STUY, BROOKLYN
“ “
Runway Green will offer so many opportunities for students to discover their calling. Working with organizations like The Billion Oyster Project will teach us those skills without having to leave our campus.
It wasn’t until I got to college that I realized where you go to school as a child really matters. It’s an equity issue.
At Runway Green, kids from my community will get a worldclass education that transforms the trajectory of their lives.
SADIQAH WHITTINGTON, 19, BROWNSVILLE, BROOKLYN
SKYLA MCNEIL, 13, CROWN HEIGHTS, BROOKLYN
We have made extensive progress collaborating with our community and coalition of partners to turn our vision into reality.
2024 PREDEVELOPMENT
2025 BREAKING GROUND
2026 BUILDING CONSTRUCTION
• Capital Campaign
• Design
• Partnerships
• Curriculum Development
• Pilot School Kickoff
• Farm Construction
• Partnership Expansion
• Program Development
• Pilot School Expansion
• Adventure Center
• Community Hall
2027 CAMPUS RENOVATION
2028 BUILDING GROWTH
2029 SCALE PROGRAMMING
• Public Amphitheatre
• Hydroponic Greenhouses
• Partner School Expansion
• Ecology Lab
• Solar Workshop
• Industry & Workforce
Partnership Expansion
• Full Campus Serving Over
100 Public Schools Each Year
WORLD-CLASS PROJECT TEAM
A team of renowned designers, architects, real estate developers, and educational program planners were selected based on their track records of creating innovative, impactful projects, as well as their commitment to our community-centered approach.
PROGRAM PLANNING
ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN
DEVELOPMENT
GOAL
with you as a partner.
We’ve gained significant momentum through public, private, & institutional fundraising.
