Governor Hochul Announces Construction is Underway on $270 Million 385-Unit Affordable and Supportive Housing Development in Brooklyn

First Project of Multi-Phase Innovative Urban Village Program To Redevelop Christian Cultural Center’s Campus

Development Includes Commercial Space for Grocery Store Offering Fresh Produce

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that construction is underway at Innovative Urban Village Phase 1A, a 385-unit affordable housing development with commercial space for a fresh food grocery store in the East New York neighborhood of Brooklyn. The $270 million project is part of the comprehensive redevelopment of the Christian Cultural Center’s campus. Event images and project renderings are available here. Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) has financed more than 7,700 affordable homes in Brooklyn. Innovative Urban Village continues this effort and complements Governor Hochul’s $25 billion five-year housing plan, which is on track to create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes statewide.

“New York remains committed to keeping our state affordable and ensuring everyone has a safe and modern home to call their own,” Governor Hochul said. “This project is helping us fight the housing affordability crisis while also prioritizing improvements that will make the neighborhood more livable for families. Innovative Urban Village would not have been possible without the cooperation of all our partners, including Mayor Adams and the Christian Cultural Center, who are dedicated to making New York a more affordable place to live. We look forward to the project’s completion and to welcoming residents home.”

New York City Mayor Eric Adams said, “The best way to tackle our city’s housing crisis is to build more affordable housing, and that is exactly what our administration is doing. 'Innovative Urban Village' will bring more homes, more jobs, and more joy to Brooklyn, while giving more New Yorkers access to a brighter future in this vibrant community. From creating record amounts of affordable housing year after year to passing historic zoning reform that will build new homes across our entire city, we are proud to be the most pro-housing administration in our city’s history. Thank you to Governor Hochul and Reverend Bernard for their shared vision and partnership in bringing this ambitious project to life.”

All 385 apartments will be affordable to households earning between 30 percent and 80 percent of the Area Median Income. Additionally, 94 apartments will be reserved for households eligible for on-site support services, including those struggling with homelessness. Services will include case management, legal services, nutritional support, and social services.

Innovative Urban Village will feature all-electric heating and cooling, solar panels, green roofs with drought resistant vegetation to reduce heat and water consumption, electric vehicle charging stations, low-flow fixtures, LED lighting, and ENERGY STAR appliances.

This project is part of a multi-phase program to redevelop the Christian Cultural Center’s campus. The redevelopment is a joint-venture partnership between the Christian Cultural Center, The Gotham Organization, and Monadnock Development. It was designed by Practice for Architecture and Urbanism and SLCE Architects. The Urban Resource Institute will provide the on-site support services.

The multi-phase program will ultimately include a total of nearly 2,000 affordable apartments in 10 buildings. It will also feature community space with childcare, senior services, workforce development, and a new performing arts center. New streets are being added as an extension of the existing neighborhood street grid to maximize walkability through interconnected pedestrian routes and three acres of publicly accessible open space.

The City of New York approved the rezoning of the project site to accommodate the redevelopment.

Innovative Urban Village is supported by HCR’s Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program which is expected to generate more than $115 million in equity and $47 million from its Housing Finance Agency. Additional support includes $47 million from the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development’s Extremely Low- and Low-Income Affordability Program. The project is also supported by the Urban Investment Group at Goldman Sachs Alternatives.

The site is participating in the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's successful Brownfield Cleanup Program and, when completed, would be eligible for $28 million in tax credits administered by the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. Operating funding for the supportive apartments will be provided by the Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative administered by the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance.

Today’s announcement also builds on Governor Hochul and Mayor Adams’ “City of Yes” plan to create thousands of new homes across the city and develop more family-friendly neighborhoods from Coney Island to Inwood.