Hunts Point Produce Market Supplies 25 Percent Of New York City’s Produce; Grant Will Fund Critical Infrastructure Upgrades
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Following her advocacy on behalf of the market, today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand announced $110,000,000 in federal funding for Hunts Point Terminal Produce Market Intermodal Facility. The funding was allocated through the Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight and Highways Projects (INFRA) Grants program administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation and will fund infrastructure upgrades to help Hunts Point to comply with new food safety standards, reduce its carbon emissions, and create an estimated 1,000 new jobs. The redeveloped Hunts Point Terminal Produce Market will feature truck and auto charging stations and approximately 824,600 square feet of refrigerated warehouse space with solar panels or a green roof.
“Hunts Point Produce Market feeds New York City, and as one of the largest food distribution centers in the world, it needs to be as modern and efficient as possible,” said Senator Gillibrand. “This funding will help the market make critical upgrades to its infrastructure, ensuring that fresh, affordable food gets to New Yorkers faster and bringing hundreds of good-paying new jobs to the Bronx. I’m proud to have advocated directly for this funding and I’ll keep fighting to support New York’s farmers, food distributors, and families.”
“Just two months into my administration, I committed to help kickstart the redevelopment of this critical local and national asset, and, with $110 million, I know this funding will help us take a significant step forward,” said Mayor Adams. “I am grateful to USDOT and all our partners, in and out of government, for fighting for this funding, for our city’s economic comeback, and for the Hunts Point community. I look forward to continuing to work with them to deliver the rest of the funding we need to get this critical project done.”
Gillibrand is a longstanding advocate for Hunts Point Market. Earlier this year, Gillibrand wrote a letter to Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Pete Buttigieg urging the DOT to award this grant to Hunts Point Market. The full text of her letter is available here.
The Hunts Point Food Distribution Center is an integral part of New York City’s food supply chain, providing 4.5 billion pounds of food each year to more than 22 million customers. It supplies 25 percent of New York City’s produce, directly employs around 2,000 workers—and 7,000 additional workers indirectly —and cooperates with 30 firms.