Totem Doubles Down on Affordability: Herkimer-Williams Project Revamped

Community-led changes expand affordable housing, reduce building heights, and prioritize local needs

Community Feedback Shapes Project Vision

Incorporating feedback from nearly 100 community touchpoints, Totem, a Brooklyn-based real estate development firm, has released an updated version of its Herkimer-Williams proposal — a major mixed-use project near Broadway Junction. The changes include increasing the number of affordable housing units, reducing building heights, and enhancing space for community use, small businesses, and educational institutions.

“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.”

Key Updates to the Herkimer-Williams Plan

Totem’s revised plan includes several major changes designed to align more closely with community priorities:

• Increase in permanently affordable housing from 600 to up to 1,000 units

• Commercial space reduced from 750,000 to 440,000 square feet

• Retention of 100,000 square feet of light industrial space

• 114,000 square feet of retail space redesigned to accommodate neighborhood-scale businesses

• Addition of up to 85,000 square feet of community facility space for institutional use

• Height reductions across buildings, including a 60-foot reduction for the tallest structure

• Preservation and pedestrian-focused enhancement of Herkimer Street

• Creation of up to 25,000 square feet of public open space

• Coordination with the City for a new public plaza opposite the Broadway Junction station

Support from Local Leaders

Community leaders have voiced strong support for the updated plan, emphasizing its alignment with local needs.

“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.”

Path Forward and Broader Context

In December 2023, Totem’s public hearing at the NYC Department of City Planning launched the environmental review process. In May 2025, Totem submitted its updated Land Use Application. ULURP certification is expected later this spring.

This development follows more than two years of community engagement, beginning with a 2022 town hall hosted by Council Member Sandy Nurse. Totem has since conducted over 90 meetings with stakeholders and continues to collect community input as the plan evolves.

Herkimer-Williams is designed to unfold over a decade as a four-building complex, bringing together housing, commercial and industrial opportunities, educational space, and green areas in a way that is both economically and socially impactful for East New York.

A Neighborhood on the Rise

The proposal coincides with a wave of public and private investment in East New York. In 2023, NYCEDC and the MTA committed $500 million to Broadway Junction. Mayor Eric Adams’ CARE strategy is also bringing a new local office for over 1,000 city staffers to the neighborhood, and Governor Kathy Hochul is moving forward with the Interborough Express, which will further enhance regional connectivity.

To learn more and stay up to date on the project, visit https://www.herkimerwilliams.com.

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