New Heritage Walk at Kingsborough Houses
On December 5, a permanent public art installation and heritage walk, Migration, was unveiled at Kingsborough Houses which combines historic preservation, storytelling, and community voices. Installed across the development’s 16-acre campus, the 35 illuminated steel artworks draw inspiration from Egyptian and African diasporic motifs, Harlem Renaissance sculptor Richmond Barthé’s restored Exodus and Dance frieze, and the memories and experiences of Kingsborough residents themselves.
The project is supported by the Public Housing Community Fund, the Mellon Foundation, NYCHA, and other partners, and is part of NYCHA’s Connected Communities program, which focuses on reimagining public housing open spaces through participatory design.
Created by Jerome Haferd and Ifeoma Ebo in collaboration with Kingsborough Houses residents, local artists, and cultural historians, the installation transforms daily pathways into places of reflection and gathering. Workshops with residents shaped the inscriptions and designs, ensuring the walk reflects the stories, aspirations, and resilience of the Kingsborough community. The surrounding open space has been revitalized with improved lighting, seating, and new murals, helping restore the area as a vibrant, welcoming hub.
“The restoration of the Exodus and Dance frieze was a meticulous effort to preserve an invaluable piece of Kingsborough Houses’ cultural identity,” said NYCHA Chief Executive Officer Lisa Bova-Hiatt. “The Migration heritage walk takes inspiration and builds on the momentum of the frieze restoration, providing residents and community members with an incredibly unique and culturally significant art walk experience, right on the Kingsborough campus. We are deeply appreciative of the Public Housing Community Fund, the Mellon Foundation, artists Jerome Haferd and Ifeoma Ebo, and all the partners involved in this project, which pays homage not only to the original frieze installation but also to the generations of residents who have called Kingsborough Houses home.”
Migration was the second phase of a larger cultural initiative that began with the completed restoration this summer of Exodus and Dance, Mr. Barthé’s 80-foot frieze from 1939.
In 2019, NYCHA received $1.8 million in funding for both phases of the project from former City Council Speaker Corey Johnson and former City Council Member Alicka Ampry-Samuel, which contributed to an additional $2 million grant from the Mellon Foundation to the Public Housing Community Fund in 2023. This funding supported the frieze restoration, an artist-in-residency program, an oral history project, and the installation of the heritage walk.
“The new installation is more than a new artwork, it’s a celebration of Kingsborough’s legacy and the spirit that makes this neighborhood so meaningful to its residents”, said Alex Zablocki, Executive Director of the Public Housing Community Fund. “As residents walk the campus, they’ll now be able to find joy, engage with Kingsborough’s rich history, and feel a deeper connection to their community. We’re grateful to the residents for sharing their stories, and to our partners and artists, Jerome Haferd and Ifeoma Ebo, for bringing this project to life for such a deserving community.”
For more details about the new heritage walk at Kingsborough, visit the Public Housing Community Fund.