Roof Replacements Start at Queensbridge Houses
On August 24, Mayor Bill de Blasio and General Manager Michael Kelly announced the start of rooftop replacement construction at Queensbridge Houses in Long Island City, underscoring a core commitment of NextGeneration NYCHA to preserve and maintain NYCHA’s precious housing stock.
“Having a roof over your head isn’t good enough if it leaks all the time,” said Mayor de Blasio. “We’re investing $300 million to replace roofs at NYCHA developments across the City to attack decades of neglect that for too long has been the status quo. NextGeneration NYCHA goes beyond fixing what’s broken and lays the groundwork to make NYCHA physically and economically healthy for generations to come.”
“Today, we announce the beginning of our comprehensive roof replacement plan, restoring 66 of our worst roofs throughout New York City,” said General Manager Michael Kelly. “This not only fulfills an early commitment made to NYCHA residents, it is also one of the most aggressive efforts we’ve taken to curb the presence of leaks and mold at our buildings. Under the leadership of Chair and CEO Shola Olatoye and Mayor de Blasio, NYCHA is fulfilling the vision of Next Generation through addressing our infrastructure problems head-on—changing our operating structure, rehabilitating our developments, and sealing our most distressed buildings.”
Leaky roofs are the main cause of water and moisture entering a building, and the accumulated moisture contributes to mold, leaks and physical damage to the building structure. These vital repairs will decrease the number of leaks in the most affected NYCHA buildings, and move the Authority to wards completing the critical infrastructure repairs committed to residents. The City has invested $300 million over the next three years to fund roof replacements, and NYCHA is pairing an additional $80 million in federal public housing capital funds this year to supplement this investment.
NYCHA will replace roofs on 26 residential buildings at Queensbridge, including additionally repairing exterior brickwork, replacing window sills, and removing parapet walls to facilitate new roof railing installation. The work, which represents an $87 million investment, includes $60 million in funding from the City and $27 million in federal funding. Construction is expected to be completed by July 2017.
Queensbridge Houses roof replacements will:
- Preserve physical structures by safeguarding them from incoming moisture, saving money on repairing moisture damage
- Eliminate core symptoms of mold in NYCHA buildings, protecting residents and improving their quality of life
- Reduce operating expenses by making buildings more efficient
