Categories: New York City, Openings
06.22.2016
New residence provides 107 apartments to a mix of low-income and formerly homeless families and individuals.
Cutting the ribbon at The Sydelle.
For decades the nation’s largest provider of services in supportive housing, the Center for Urban Community Services opened their third CUCS-developed-and-owned residence June 6th, The Sydelle, in the East Tremont neighborhood of the Bronx. Named for a longstanding supporter of CUCS, Sydelle Ostberg, the Sydelle provides 107 apartments to a mix of low-income and formerly homeless families and individuals.
CUCS Board Chair and CSH Founder Julie Sandorf kicked off the event along with CUCS President and CEO Tony Hannigan. They were followed by a moving address from CUCS tenant Laverne Rogers who told those assembled, “I used to live in fear. Now I feel safe…My neighbors come and check in on me after I’ve been in the hospital …and I’m filling out job applications!”
City and State partners, including HPD Commissioner Vicki Been, OMH Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan, NYC DOHMH Deputy Executive Commissioner Dr. Gary Belkin, NYS Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance Commissioner Samuel D. Roberts, all spoke about the strength of the nonprofit/government partnership that created The Sydelle. Breaking Ground’s Brenda Rosen, whose organization once again will be partnering with CUCS to run the building, also spoke as did Enterprise’s Judi Kende. The ceremony ended with an address by Ms. Ostberg.
The Sydelle is LEED Silver environmentally certified, features a gym and computer lab and on-site services include crisis prevention and intervention, entitlement and legal assistance, household management and coaching, employment assistance, and primary medical care and psychiatric services.
Funding for the project came from HPD’s Supportive Housing Loan Program (SHLP), NYC Housing Development Corporation and NYS Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance’s Homeless Housing and Assistance Program (HHAP), with an additional award from NYS Energy Research and Development Authority. Enterprise Community Investment, Inc. functioned as the residence’s Low Income Housing Tax Credit syndicator. The architect is Harden + Van Arnam and the contractor was Mega Contracting Group.