Categories: New York City, Member News, Openings
11.30.2021
On the first day of November, The Community Builders (TCB) and BronxWorks joined with project partners to celebrate the opening of Park Haven Apartments, a new affordable and supportive residence in the Bronx providing homes to 178 families and individuals, including 50 formerly homeless households.
TCB’s Desiree Andrepont emcee’d the event praising the myriad partners who weathered a nearly decade long journey to opening Park Haven, including BronxWorks who, in addition to providing services in the building, moved their Workforce Development program into a 7,000+ sf ground floor space there. She also singled out the Food Retail Expansion to Support Health (FRESH) Program which was instrumental in bringing a grocery store to occupy the building’s 14,000 foot commercial space. She also heaped praise on the project’s architect SLCE, as well as the contractor Monadnock and gave a huge shout-out to HPD’s Director of Bronx Planning, Ted Weinstein whom she described as a “true public servant.” Additionally, Desiree lauded Council Member Diane Ayala who was unable to attend but who helped ensure deep affordability in the project.
NYC HDC’s Ruth Moreira thanked Community Board 1 for working so hard to ensure the project’s success. She and the next speaker Greg Hale of NYSERDA also took special note of the building’s green features. Park Haven leverages Passive House design principals and its rooftop solar array and other features both reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve indoor and outdoor air quality and reduce tenants’ utility costs.
TCB’s Bart Mitchell noted that Park Haven is the organization’s first project in New York City but remarked that he couldn’t think of any project that better embodied TCB’s mission to build and sustain communities where all people can thrive.
Additional speakers included BronxWorks Executive Director Eileen Torres and CSH’s Ross Clarke.
The 10-story Park Haven Apartments features a community room, a wellness room, a children’s play area, a resident lounge, landscaped recreation areas bicycle storage and on-site laundry. On-site wrap-around case management services are provided by Bronxworks funded through NYS’s Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative through the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance.
Park Haven was financed through NYC HPD and HDC’s ELLA program. HDC provided both bonds and subsidy to the project; HPD provided City Capital funds. RBC provided Low Income Housing Tax Credit equity. Additional funding was provided by CSH, Leviticus Fund, LISC and Low Income Investment Fund. NYSERDA provided two grants and City Council provided $1 million in Reso A Funds.