Governor Kathy Hochul announced that construction has begun on Park Place, a $34 million affordable and supportive housing development in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn.
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The development will include 43 mixed-income apartments, including eight supportive homes for families experiencing homelessness, and a primary care facility open to the larger community.
Park Place is part of the State's Vital Brooklyn Initiative which is addressing chronic social, economic, and health disparities in Brooklyn’s high-need communities.
“Park Place is the latest development in our comprehensive plan to expand access to essential services and quality, affordable housing in Central Brooklyn’s underserved neighborhoods,†Governor Hochul said.
“As my announcement in Brooklyn earlier this week made clear, my administration is doing everything it can to address the housing needs of our neighborhoods like Crown Heights to make New York more livable and more affordable for generations to come.â€
Park Place is also part of Governor Hochul’s $25 billion comprehensive Housing Plan that will create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes across New York, including 10,000 with support services for vulnerable populations, plus the electrification of an additional 50,000 homes.
The development will consist of a single five-story building to be constructed on a parking lot currently owned by One Brooklyn Health. When complete, the development will include 38 parking spaces reserved for One Brooklyn Health employees.
One Brooklyn Health will also operate an 8,000-square-foot health care facility on the building’s ground floor that will provide primary care for adults and children, including comprehensive dental care.
All 43 apartments on the upper floors will be affordable to households earning between 30 percent and 80 percent of the Area Median Income or less. Eight apartments will be reserved for households experiencing homelessness who will have access to rental assistance and on-site supportive services.
The building’s design will comply with Enterprise Green Communities and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority’s (NYSERDA) New Construction - Housing Program.
Energy efficient features will include a low flow plumbing system with leak monitors, Energy Star appliances, increased insulation throughout the building, and rooftop solar to generate electricity onsite.
Residential amenities will include bike storage, laundry and community rooms, and a landscaped terrace with play islands to encourage tenants to enjoy the outdoors.
There is free building-wide wireless internet access, in keeping with the Governor's ConnectALL initiative, which has made historic investments to deliver highspeed internet in underserved communities and close the digital divide for lower-income New Yorkers.
The developer for Park Place is HELPDevCo, which is affiliated with HELP USA, the nationally renowned affordable housing and homeless services nonprofit.
State financing for the development includes $15.9 million in federal and state Low Income Housing Tax Credits and an additional $10.6 million in subsidy from New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR). HCR also awarded eight project-based Housing Choice Vouchers.
The New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance is providing $3.1 million through the Homeless Housing and Assistance Program.
NYSERDA will provide $176,000 in support. The Community Preservation Corporation is providing a $2.5 million SONYMA insured permanent loan through its partnership with NYCRS. ■