Construction has begun on the $14 million adaptive re-use of the Bryant School in the city of Hornell in Steuben County, New York.
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When complete, the former elementary school will feature 39 affordable apartments in an energy-efficient building.
The redevelopment of the Bryant School complements Governor Hochul's plan to make housing across New York State more affordable, equitable, and stable.
In the FY 2023 State Budget, the Governor introduced and successfully secured a new $25 billion, five-year, comprehensive housing plan that will increase housing supply by creating or preserving 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 Bryant School opened in the mid-20th century and was operating as an elementary school for 2nd and 3rd graders until it closed at the conclusion of the 2020-21 school year when the Hornell City School District streamlined elementary education to reduce the number of school transitions.
The gut rehabilitation will utilize the Bryant School's existing two-story, 50,000 square foot masonry building, and will also include an 8,500 square-foot addition at the south end of the site with eight apartments.
Located at 173 Terry Street, the Bryant School Apartments will consist of two studio, 23 one-bedroom, and 14 two-bedroom apartments. Twenty of the apartments will be affordable to households earning at or below 50 percent of the Area Median Income, with the remaining 19 apartments affordable to those at or below 60 percent of the AMI. Residents will be provided with free high-speed broadband internet.
The development will retain the Bryant School's existing playground and fenced-in greenspace with matured trees, which have been enjoyed by generations of Hornell's children, while adding modern amenities including a fitness center and laundry rooms on each floor.
The project will increase energy efficiency and the completed development will meet the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority's New Construction Housing Program and 2020 Enterprise Green Communities requirements.
The development will complement $10 million in investment in the city's nearby downtown by the State's Downtown Revitalization Initiative. The Bryant School's re-use will help Hornell meet a significant need for workforce housing, following a 2016 study which indicated that the city would need hundreds of affordable homes to meet increased demand as the result of extensive public and corporate investment in the city.
The Bryant School is in a walkable neighborhood with sidewalks and is adjacent to a Hornell Area Transit bus stop, providing residents access to the area community.
The project was developed by Providence Housing Development Corporation and Park Grove Development, LLC.
State investment in the Bryant School includes Federal and State Low-Income Housing Tax Credits that generated $9.7 million in equity, a $3.5 million in subsidy from the New York State Homes and Community Renewal. NYSERDA will provide $39,000 in support. ■