Groundbreaking on $373 Million Initial Phase of Redevelopment at Brooklyn Developmental Center Now Underway, Will Create Nearly 600 Affordable Homes
Multi-Phase Community Development Part of the State's Vital Brooklyn Initiative To Address Economic Disparities in East New York
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that construction has begun for the transformative $1.2 billion redevelopment of the former 27-acre Brooklyn Developmental Center property in Brooklyn's East New York neighborhood. The initial $373 million phase will create 576 affordable homes, a new 15,000-square-foot outpatient medical clinic, and 7,000 square feet of ground floor retail space. Once completed, the entire development, known as Alafia, will ultimately create more than 2,400 affordable homes in a walkable neighborhood with recreational spaces and access to community resources that promote health and wellness. Alafia is part of the State's Vital Brooklyn Initiative that is addressing chronic social, economic, and health disparities in Brooklyn's high-need communities.
"We are not just building housing for the people of East New York, we're investing in a community so that generations of New Yorkers can flourish and thrive," Governor Hochul said. "By creating 2,400 new quality homes and expanding access to social services and health care, Alafia will make this neighborhood a more affordable, more inclusive and healthier place to live. This truly transformative investment will put us on the path toward mending the societal cracks in the system to ensure all New Yorkers have a chance to prosper."
In 2018, Empire State Development, in collaboration with New York State Homes and Community Renewal, requested proposals to bring a modern, mixed-use wellness-oriented development to the campus of the Brooklyn Developmental Center in the Spring Creek area of East New York. The winning development team consists of Apex Building Company, L+M Development Partners, Services for the UnderServed and RiseBoroCommunity Partnership. The masterplan for the site was developed by Dattner Architects.
Ultimately, the overall BDC redevelopment, known as Alafia, will be constructed in separate phases and will create approximately 2,400 affordable apartments and other mixed uses on a walkable campus with open space designed by SCAPE Landscape Architecture.
The first phase of redevelopment will include the new construction of a 15-story building with 452 apartments and a six-story building with 124 apartments. The 15-story building includes two towers connected by a common lobby with a 15,000-square-foot medical clinic in the first tower and 7,800 square feet of retail space in the second tower.
One Brooklyn Health will operate an outpatient medical facility which will include primary care and an array of specialty services to address the needs of the residents in Alafia and the surrounding community. The retail space is expected to house five commercial tenants with the goal of attracting neighborhood-serving local small businesses.
There are 48 apartments reserved for individuals with mental health challenges who will have access to rental subsidies and services funded through the Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative and administered by the New York State Office of Mental Health. An additional 88 supportive homes will be reserved for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities who will benefit from rental subsidies and services funded by the New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities. The service provider for the 136 supportive homes is Services for the UnderServed.
Both buildings in the initial phase are designed to meet Passive House design standards and will utilize a closed loop geothermal heat pump system for energy efficient heating and cooling. There will also be a roof-mounted solar array that will convert solar energy into electricity and a SHARC wastewater heat recovery system that uses energy from wastewater for heating, cooling and hot water.
Residents will have access to free high-speed broadband connection and 24/7 security services. Additional residential amenities will include laundry rooms, bike rooms, and recreational spaces.
State financing for the first phase includes $38.1 million in permanent tax-exempt bonds, Federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits that will generate $117.8 million in equity and $174.9 million in subsidy from New York State Homes and Community Renewal. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority will provide approximately $450,000 and the project is also eligible to apply for NYSERDA funding for the solar installation through the NY-Sun Multifamily Affordable Housing Incentive program. In addition, the project is expected to qualify for Solar and Geothermal Tax Credits that will generate $670,000 in equity. OMH is providing $1,200,000 annually to fund operating costs of the 48 ESSHI units, as well as $430,000 in a Program Development Grant to cover start-up costs. Additional financing is being provided through a mix of private sources.
Alafia complements Governor Hochul's sweeping plans to make housing 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 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. Last week, Governor Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams announced the groundbreaking of Logan Fountain, a mixed-use project also in East New York that will include 174 permanently affordable homes, a shelter with homes for 169 New Yorkers experiencing homeless, and more than 7,600 square feet of retail space.
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