Categories: New York State, Openings
02.06.2015
The Capital Region YMCA held a grand opening of the largest single site supportive housing residence west of the Hudson.
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Cutting the ribbon at 845 Commons residence in Schenectady
The Capital Region YMCA held a grand opening of the largest single site supportive housing residence west of the Hudson January 16th: 845 Commons in Schenectady. This impressive project provides housing for 155 formerly homeless men, with a preference for both veterans and Schenectady County natives (all current tenants are from Schenectady County) as well as 25 apartments for individuals coping with a mental illness.
The ceremonial ribbon was significantly longer than usual and the distinguished guests included Daryl Towns, CEO of NYS HCR; the Mayor of Schenectady, Gary McCarthy; Assemblyman Jim Tesdisco; Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara; and Brett Hebner from OTDA.
Governor Cuomo sent greetings and praise: “845 Commons gives hope to people, especially veterans, who need a decent place to live and services to help them succeed."
The opening was the celebratory ending to a long eight year struggle to find a new location for a building that had been in service since the early twentieth century. It had been housing 188 men in SRO style rooms that were less than 100 square feet and also contained an athletic facility. The solution was to swap the old building for a new athletic facility in Schenectady’s revitalized downtown and to build a new residence with 155 brand new studio apartments in a long abandoned factory. The remaining tenants moved to scattered site locations. Schenectady will next undertake a gut rehab of the old building to use for senior housing.
Tenant Michael DeCesare, who had lived at the former YMCA for a good part of the last two decades, ‘thought he was in heaven’ when he first set foot in his new apartment, saying "the bathrooms are better than the apartments we lived in.”
The total project cost was $26.2 million, starting with a $5 million investment from the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance Program and including investments from New York State Homes and Community Renewal, State and Federal Historic tax credits, both the City and County of Schenectady, as well as the YMCA itself.
Operating and services funding in the building comes from OMH, OTDA New York Supportive Housing Program, and HUD.
Executive Director of the YMCA project, Lou Magliocca deserves thanks and praise for sticking with this project for the eight years it took to develop it.
Congratulations to Mr. Magliocca and everyone at beautiful 854 Commons!