A new NYPD community center was unveiled Wednesday afternoon in East New York.

The center is the first of its kind in the city. The police department is calling the center a historic venture that will bring the community together.

It intends to provide educational, recreational and social programming for young people in the community - and give them a safe place to hang out and make friends. It is located at a former courthouse at 127 Pennsylvania Ave.

The NYPD says this has been a project years in the making. The building features classrooms, a computer lab, a fitness center, dance studio, music room, counseling space and more.

The department will be working with the Child Center of New York to provide quality programming to young people aged 12 to 19.

The center will be open seven days a week and will also include after-school programming. Those involved in the project say the community can only stand to benefit from investing in our youth.

The three-story building was built at the beginning of the last century. It will also be the upgraded headquarters for Community Board 5.