Oct 8, 2026
Historic Brooklyn Firehouse Gets $18M Makeover as Permanent Youth Music School
Construction is underway at 299 DeGraw Street in Brooklyn, NY, transforming a historic firehouse into a music school for the Noel Pointer Foundation with a $17.8 million budget, set for completion.
Image via MBB Architects
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- Construction has begun at 299 DeGraw Street, Brooklyn, NY 11231, where a historic former firehouse in Cobble Hill is being converted into a permanent music school for the Noel Pointer Foundation.
- The $17.8 million project will renovate the approximately 6,000-square-foot building and add soundproofed lesson rooms, a recording studio, music library, gallery, ensemble room and courtyard.
- The NYC Department of Design and Construction is overseeing the project for the Department of Cultural Affairs, with MBB Architects leading the design. Construction is expected to finish in fall 2028.
What NYC Is Building In Cobble Hill
The city is transforming the long-vacant former Engine Company 204 firehouse into a permanent home for the Noel Pointer Foundation, a nonprofit focused on music education for young people. The project represents a major adaptive reuse investment in a historic Brooklyn property. The building dates to 1857, when Brooklyn's fire department still relied on horse-drawn apparatus. The city ultimately preserved the property for community facility use after plans to sell it generated significant opposition.
What The $17.8M Renovation Includes
The project will retain the firehouse's historic character while converting the interior into a modern music education facility. The renovated building will feature soundproofed private lesson rooms, recording facilities, a music library, gallery space and an ensemble room. A new elevator will provide access across all three floors, while a courtyard will support multidisciplinary programming. The construction contract awarded for the renovation is approximately $10.3 million, with the broader project budget reported at $17.8 million. The city procurement documents also call for exterior masonry restoration, replacement windows and doors, new MEP systems, fire protection, security, IT and audiovisual infrastructure.
What MBB Architects Is Preserving
The design by MBB Architects calls for restoration of the historic brick and terracotta façade, including the existing “B.F.D.” signage beneath the cornice. Former garage openings will be converted into glazed entrances to bring more daylight into the building. Inside, the main ensemble room will feature a ribbed wood ceiling and acoustic wall treatments designed around its new musical use.
What The Project Means For The Noel Pointer Foundation
The renovation gives the Noel Pointer Foundation its first permanent headquarters, replacing its reliance on rented and temporary spaces. The organization has been preparing for the move to 299 DeGraw Street as it expands its music education programming. For the city, the project also demonstrates how underused public property can be repositioned for community and cultural use while preserving an important piece of Brooklyn's architectural history.
What Comes Next
Construction is now underway, with completion targeted for fall 2028. The finished facility will combine historic preservation with purpose-built educational and performance space, bringing a long-vacant Cobble Hill property back into active community use.