A new, mixed-use, affordable housing project for low-income seniors has debuted in the Morrisania section of The Bronx. Located at 1074 Washington Avenue, the Trinity-Reverend William James Senior Apartments is constructed on land formerly occupied by a vacant United Methodist church and today comprises a collection of 154 deeply affordable apartments, a 5,400-square-foot social services facility on the ground floor, and recreational amenity spaces for future occupants.
The building was first announced in August 2021 as 1080 Washington Avenue, when demolition of the vacant church began. Today, the team responsible for the project includes affordable housing developer Bronx Pro Group, United Methodist City Society, and The Fortune Society, a New York-based non-profit that provides support to formerly incarcerated individuals. Curtis + Ginsberg served as architect of record.
“The opening of the Trinity-Reverend James Senior Apartments in the South Bronx is years in the making and is a huge win for our older adults that will benefit from not only having affordable housing, but also wrap-around services, fitness equipment, a residential garden and other essential amenities without having to leave their home,” said Bronx borough president Vanessa L. Gibson. “As we attempt to recover from the pandemic, the need for housing has never been more important.”
The mix of apartments include 57 supportive apartments reserved for formerly homeless and incarcerated seniors. The remaining 96 units will be marketed to individuals and households at or below 60 percent AMI and made available through the NYC Housing Connect portal, plus a single unit for the live-in superintendent. Available floor plans are limited to studios and one-bedroom homes.
Amenity spaces will include a communal laundry room, a fitness center, a sunroom and greenhouse, an outdoor garden, and bicycle storage.
Now complete, the development is the latest component of Governor Kathy Hochul’s $25 billion, five-year, housing plan that aims to increase housing supply by creating or preserving 100,000 affordable homes across New York. This includes 10,000 units with support services for vulnerable populations.
“As we recover from the pandemic, it is critical that we take bold action to make New York a more affordable place for all, which is why my administration launched a comprehensive $25 billion affordable housing plan to help ensure every New Yorker has access to safe, affordable housing,” Governor Hochul said. “My administration will continue to prioritize transformative projects like this one that repurpose unused space to aggressively tackle the housing crisis. Every New Yorker deserves a place to live and the resources they need to thrive – not least of all our seniors and those who were formerly incarcerated.”
Total construction costs are estimated at $84 million.
State financing for the development includes $15.9 million in permanent tax-exempt bonds, Federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits that generated $33 million in equity, $11.6 million in subsidy and $2 million through the Community Investment Fund program, all from New York State Homes and Community Renewal. The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development provided $13 million through the Senior Affordable Rental Apartments program and Project-Based Vouchers for 106 households.
Additional financing and development support was provided by Enterprise Community Partners, Freddie Mac, and JP Morgan Chase.
