Breaking Ground in Brooklyn
Construction has begun on Van Dyke III, a building on the campus of Van Dyke Houses that will bring 180 affordable apartments to the Brownsville, Brooklyn, community.
“Every apartment will be reserved for low-income households, with 54 apartments exclusively for formerly homeless families,” said Matthew Charney, NYCHA’s Director of Real Estate Development.
“One out of five children and families in Brownsville are living in shelters,” said Lisa Kenner, President of the Van Dyke I Resident Association. “I am pleased that the new development will provide homes for some of these families so that they can live in a stable, clean, and safe environment to grow and live productive lives.”
“NYCHA is proud to be a partner in providing this essential 100 percent affordable housing to New Yorkers,” said NYCHA Chair Greg Russ. “We must use every tool at our disposal, including underused property, to benefit low-income families. This milestone is the result of a productive and remarkable planning process, which included the voices of hundreds of residents and community advocates and demonstrates what can be achieved when we work together to address our city’s challenges.”
Designed by SLCE Architects, the new building will feature 18,000 square feet of community space: an accessible rooftop deck, computer lab, fitness room, resident lounge, community room, package delivery room, and outdoor recreational area. The site will also house a daycare center to be operated by the Friends of Crown Heights and a community health clinic operated by the Brownsville Multi-Service Family Health Center. Support and social services will be provided to formally homeless individuals by CAMBA, a Brooklyn-based nonprofit organization.
Apartments will feature Energy Star appliances and lighting fixtures, highly efficient heating and cooling systems, and eco-friendly interior finishes. Solar panels and solar thermal systems will generate renewable energy and save on utility costs.
In addition to NYCHA, the development partners include the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development, the Housing Development Corporation, Citi Community Capital, the Goldman Sachs Urban Investment Group, and Trinity Financial.
