Categories: New York City, Groundbreakings
05.19.2022
On May 17th, The Bridge, together with Mega Contracting and Greenpoint Manufacturing & Design Center (GMDC), gathered to celebrate the literal groundbreaking for a groundbreaking new development - Bridge Rockaway - that combines 174 affordable apartments including 87 supportive with manufacturing space for up to 12 local businesses who will lease the space for below market rents.
Bridge CEO Susan Wiviott emceed the event noting the street homelessness crisis the city is currently facing and pointing out that “in two years, where we’re all sitting right now, there will be a very large building that will provide 87 units of supportive housing to people very similar to those living on the streets today.”
CEO Brian Coleman of GMDC, the nonprofit organization that will own and operate the ground floor space, congratulated all the partners for their dedication in bringing this unique project to fruition, noting that there will be nearly 40,000 square feet of space to nurture up to 12 businesses doing light manufacturing.
Emanual Kokinakis of Mega Development, project co-developer, spoke about the successful partnership with The Bridge and GMDC, and the partnership with Building Skills NY and HIRE NYC to train and hire local workers.
Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso congratulated the partners on the experiment the project represents, stating his hope that the development would spur similar innovations – combining housing and job creation -- going forward not only in Brooklyn but throughout the city. Keeping manufacturing sites is a high priority, which this project accomplishes, together with creating more affordable and supportive housing.
HCR Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas spoke about the wealth of opportunities Bridge Rockaway will create for the Brownsville community.
Dana Greenberg of NYS Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance pointed out that OTDA had provided “first money in” to Bridge Rockaway, giving the project credibility.
City Planning Executive Director Edith Hsu-Chen talked about the project’s many innovations and said it pushed the boundaries of what we can do.
HPD’s Brendan McBride said, “people said they wanted affordable housing, supportive housing, jobs, and light industrial space, and that’s precisely what Bridge Rockaway will provide”. He pointed out that one of the project’s unique features is its combination of funding from both the City and State – in terms of capital subsidies, bonds and LIHTC and through its NYC 15/15 Initiative and the State’s Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative.
The project will include two residential towers with an 11,000 square foot open space for all the tenants, a computer lab and resource room, a multipurpose room with warming kitchen, bicycle storage, 24/7 front desk coverage and laundry. Services will be funded by both ESSHI and NYC 15/15.
Funding and other important support came from HCR, OTDA Homeless Housing and Assistance Program, US Small Business Administration, NYS Empire State Development, NYC HPD, NYC Industrial Development Agency, NYC Neighborhood Capital Corporation, Capital One, Chase, Citibank, Enterprise Community Partners, JPMorgan Chase Foundation, LISC NYC, National Grid, NYC Acquisition Fund, and Partnership Fund for New York City. The Richman Group is the syndicator, and Chase is participating on both the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit side and the New Market Tax Credit side. Mega Contracting is the general contractor and Think! Architecture and Design is the architect.
The project expects to complete construction in May of 2024.