Newtown Creek Alliance | Revitalizing Brooklyn’s Waterfront

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Powerful Partnership: NCA and Broadway Stages Revitalize Newtown Creek

Broadway Stages isn't just a premier production studio company in New York City. We are also committed to be socially responsible. As early adopters of green infrastructure and renewable energy projects including Kingsland Wildflowers Green Roof and Community Engagement Center, Eagle Street Rooftop Farm, and our solar panel rooftops that offset about one third of our annual electricity consumption, we are able to leverage our facilities in a way that not only benefits our operations, but also brings value to our community. This Green Corridor helps to enhance urban biodiversity, improve stormwater management, improve air quality, increase reliability of the power grid during peak demand, and provide community educational opportunities.

But we don’t do this alone. Indeed, we are part of an eco-focused cohort that offer expertise, passion, and skills that help us achieve our environmentally focused goals. 

Newtown Creek Alliance (NCA) is a valuable partner in our ongoing commitment to social responsibility and efforts to revitalize industrial land near Newtown Creek. Together, we are committed to sustainability, environmental health, and community enrichment. We have provided financial, in-kind, and logistical support to NCA in their efforts to restore ecological health throughout the Newtown Creek watershed. Their restoration projects include maintenance of street-end and open space sites, the planting and maintenance of intertidal projects including native salt marshes, and development and growth of the Newtown Native Nursery.

A shining example of our mutual commitment to sustainability is Kingsland Wildflowers at Broadway Stages. This initiative transformed a rooftop above our soundstage at 520 Kingsland Avenue into a 24,000-square-foot wildflower garden. NCA leads educational programming that includes field trips, tours, workshops, and events that connect the community to Newtown Creek's ecosystem. They also organize the annual Kingsland Wildflowers Festival and enhance the site's environmental impact by promoting sustainability and wildlife conservation. Be sure to stay tuned to learn about this year’s Kingsland Wildflowers Festival! And in the meantime, be sure to sign up for Open Hours at @kingslandwildflowers every Friday from April 18  – June 27, 2025. Wander through native wildflower meadows, take in golden hour views over Newtown Creek, and chat with NCA staff about green roofs and local ecology.

Newtown Creek Alliance: Restoring Newtown Creek Through Community Action

NCA is a community-based nonprofit organization founded in 2002, dedicated to the restoration, education, and revitalization of Newtown Creek — a 3.8-mile waterway forming the boundary between Brooklyn and Queens in New York City. ​Their mission and activities include:

●        Restoration: NCA works to remediate environmental hazards and advocates for ecological restoration projects, including green infrastructure and habitat rehabilitation.

●        Education: The organization offers educational programs such as field trips, workshops, and online resources to raise public awareness about the creek's history, ecology, and environmental challenges.

●        Community Engagement: NCA collaborates with local residents, businesses, and governmental agencies to promote public access, stewardship, and sustainable development along Newtown Creek. ​

Through these efforts, NCA aims to transform Newtown Creek into a healthier and more accessible waterway that benefits both the environment and surrounding communities.

Newtown Creek Alliance Earth Cam: Watch Positive Change Unfold

One of NCA's most recent efforts to engage the community in the resurrection of Newtown Creek is the Newtown Creek Alliance EarthCam, better known as the Creek Cam. A collaboration between NCA and EarthCam, the Creek Cam is a live-streaming webcam that provides real-time views of Newtown Creek.

Hosted creek-side at the Kingsland Wildflowers site, it offers educational value and allows viewers to observe waterway activity, wildlife, and the surrounding industrial landscape. It highlights activities such as marine traffic, industrial operations, waterfowl sightings, and recreational boating. We encourage you to engage with the creek and learn about its ecosystem with this new tool. Check it out today!

Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Storage Tunnel: A Key Step Toward Cleaner Water

NCA has been a longtime advocate for sewage reduction projects. These projects improve water quality, prevent the spread of waterborne illnesses, reduce the risks of flooding, and, most of all, ensure the long-term health of water ecosystems.

With this in mind, NCA was thrilled to learn that the NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is constructing a CSO Storage Tunnel. This massive, multi-billion-dollar infrastructure project will bring much-needed relief and reduction to the repeated discharging of untreated sewage entering Newtown Creek during rain events.

To learn more about this project, read this article in Gothamist.

Additionally, NCA looks forward to ongoing conversations with NYCDEP about opportunities to enhance the project through public access and ecological restoration.

Join the Movement for a Better Environment

NCA regularly organizes cleanups, workshops, tours, and educational events. For updates, visit their events page and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

Also, NCA relies upon donations from local residents, businesses, and visitors to help support the organization and expand their abilities to restore, reveal, and revitalize Newtown Creek. Your financial support is crucial in enabling NCA to continue its mission and make a real difference in our community. Please consider giving your financial support. You can start by clicking here.

At Broadway Stages, we're proud to partner with the Newtown Creek Alliance to make a real difference in Brooklyn's environmental future. Together, we're transforming rooftops into thriving green spaces, reducing stormwater runoff, and fostering community engagement. Join us in supporting sustainability, wildlife restoration, and local education efforts. Let's create a cleaner, greener Newtown Creek — because the future is now!

One of New York’s largest and most trusted full-service production studio companies, offering comprehensive services for film, television, live streaming, commercials, live performances, music videos, and more. With over 40 years of experience, we’ve become a cornerstone of New York’s thriving creative industry.

With more than 60 soundstages spanning across Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island, Broadway Stages offers over 4 million square feet of state-of-the-art production space, including soundstages, support space, distinctive filming locations, parking, and in-house services for lighting, power, and grip rentals. We provide tailored solutions for productions of all sizes, delivering the resources and expertise needed to meet your creative and technical needs.

Learn about film and TV industry jobs, training, and more in the Broadway Stages’ Industry Resource Guide. Our guide provides information and links to put you in touch with industry-focused job posting sites; general recruiting sites; education and training programs; and state, city, and borough industry information.