80-unit Bergen Saratoga Apartments will provide affordable housing for local residents and supportive housing for formerly homeless individuals
Brooklyn project includes state-of-the-art energy efficiency, a computer room and library, a landscaped garden and children’s play area and artwork commissioned for the building
NEW YORK – July 1, 2016 – (RealEstateRama) — HPD today joined Dunn Development Corp., State officials, elected representatives, and community leaders to announce the opening of Bergen Saratoga Apartments at 331 Saratoga Avenue, an 80-unit new construction affordable and supportive housing project in the Brownsville neighborhood in Brooklyn.
Bergen Saratoga Apartments utilizes an innovative model combining affordable housing for families, 50 percent of which went to Brownsville residents, and supportive housing for formerly homeless individuals. CAMBA is providing on-site support services.
Bergen Saratoga Apartments is a true public-private partnership reflecting Governor Cuomo’s and Mayor de Blasio’s shared commitment to creating affordable housing and addressing homelessness. The project was built on formerly vacant land contributed by the City of New York with low-income tax credits provided by the State of New York along with private bank loans and equity investments. The State of New York provided rental subsidies and support services funding for the supportive housing units through the New York/New York III initiative and the City of New York provided a real estate tax exemption.
Joining Dunn Development Corp. President Martin Dunn at the ribbon cutting were James S. Rubin, Commissioner/CEO, New York State Homes and Community Renewal, Ann Marie T. Sullivan, M.D., Commissioner, New York State Office of Mental Health, Daniel Hernandez, Deputy Commissioner, New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development , City Councilmember Darlene Mealy, State Senator Velmanette Montgomery and Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams along with residents of 331 Saratoga, the development team, representatives of Enterprise Community Investment, JPMorgan Chase Bank and community leaders.
“Collaboration is key to reaching the de Blasio Administration’s affordable housing goals. At Bergen Saratoga, we coupled New York City land and State funding with Dunn Development’s vision to create the beautiful new homes we celebrate today,” said HPD Commissioner Vicki Been. “I want to thank our partners in government – HCR, Council Member Mealy, Borough President Adams, Senator Montgomery, and all our local officials— as well as Dunn Development, CAMBA, Enterprise, and all of our development and financing partners. Through your hard work and dedication, 80 households now have a safe, affordable place to call home”
The Bergen Saratoga Apartments represents the possibility of a new, more stable life for persons of modest means and those in need of supportive services,” said HCR Commissioner James S. Rubin. “Governor Andrew Cuomo is committed to providing safe, affordable housing opportunities for New Yorkers throughout the State. This collaboration with our colleagues at the Office of Mental Health and our development partners is a tangible result of that commitment.”
“New York State is continuing our historic investment in safe and permanent supportive housing with the Bergen Saratoga Apartments,” said New York State Office of Mental Health Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan. “For many individuals with behavioral health concerns, supportive housing is one of the best paths to recovery and continued resilience. Supportive housing began in New York and under Governor Cuomo’s leadership, projects such as these maintain New York’s legacy of providing services to our most vulnerable residents.”
“We have put our hearts into creating this project. We wanted to show that it’s possible to build a beautiful building, make it highly energy efficient, and still provide affordable rents and serve a diverse group of people,” said Martin Dunn, President of Dunn Development Corp. “We have residents at different income levels. We have residents whose only need was safe, decent, affordable housing. We have residents who were formerly homeless with special needs who now have access to on-site support services to enable them to live independently. They all live together and they all deserve this beautiful building. We are excited to cut the ribbon on a project that will positively impact so many lives.”
“Anyone who has looked at apartment listings recently knows that rents are becoming more and more expensive, even in neighborhoods that were historically affordable such as Brownsville,” said Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams. “To create affordable housing and keep families in our communities, we need a comprehensive, all-of-the-above approach that effectively leverages public-private partnerships. With tax credits and contributions from our State and City as well as social services from CAMBA, Bergen Saratoga Apartments promises to offer Brownsville families and individuals who were formerly homeless not only a place to live, but a home with all of the resources needed to thrive.”
“I am pleased to have been a supporter of Bergen Saratoga Apartments from the beginning of this process,” said New York City Council Member Darlene Mealy, District 41, who is the elected city official representing the community of Brownsville in which the building is located. “Dunn Development Corp. has built a number of new construction buildings in my district and has repeatedly demonstrated a commitment to excellence, as evidenced by the beautiful building designs, the landscaped rear yards and the numerous tenant and child friendly amenities. The building in which we are holding today’s ribbon cutting is an asset to the community, providing much-needed affordable housing for Brownsville residents, and I congratulate the tenants who are now able to make this lovely building their new home. Dunn Development Corp is truly a model of the direction that affordable housing needs to take going forward, and I salute them for that.”
“The development of the Bergen Saratoga Apartments is a prime example of the kind of public/private partnership that works,” said New York State Senator Velmanette Montgomery “Dunn Development Corp. consistently provides high quality affordable units that our communities need and deserve. They understand and respect the needs of low-income families and individuals who seek supportive housing. They even go a step further by contracting with local businesses and prioritizing energy efficiency in their construction. I am always so impressed by their work and I am proud to join Mr. Dunn and my colleagues in celebrating the completion of the Bergen Saratoga Apartments.”
“CAMBA is proud to partner with Dunn Development Corp. by providing supportive services for the formerly homeless individuals who will now have stable, quality homes at the Bergen Saratoga Apartments,” said Joanne M. Oplustil,President and CEO of CAMBA/CAMBA Housing Ventures. “Our extensive experience proves that combining on-site social services with secure housing transforms lives, strengthens communities and reduces spending on costly alternatives.”
“We are pleased to once again be the nonprofit partner on a Dunn Development project, said Daniel Martin, President and CEO of the NYC Housing Partnership. “We have a long and successful history in creating affordable housing together and Bergen Saratoga is an excellent example of the product of this ongoing collaboration.”
“We are thrilled to serve as the lender for Bergen Saratoga Apartments and have had the privilege of working with an excellent team, including Dunn Development Corp. and CAMBA, on this vital project,” said Sharmi Sobhan, Executive Director, Chase Community Development Banking. “Bergen Saratoga Apartments will make a tremendous impact on this community, providing affordable housing and supportive services to people in need.”
“Bergen Saratoga Apartments will provide quality affordable housing and supportive services to 79 households in Brooklyn, giving them the stable foundation they need in order to thrive,” said Judi Kende, vice president and New York market leader, Enterprise Community Partners. “Enterprise was proud to syndicate the Low-Income Housing Tax Credits as part of this partnership between the City, State and private sector to create much needed affordable housing.”
About Bergen Saratoga Apartments
With a total development cost of $20.5 million, construction of the five-story building began in June 2014 and was completed in April 2016. Designed by SLCE Architects, Bergen Saratoga Apartments features large, bright apartments with generous layouts and beautiful finishes. The entrance lobby is attended by 24-hour front desk staff and features a stunning mosaic art wall of hand cut glass tile commissioned for the building. Tenant amenities include a computer room and library, a community room with kitchen, off-street parking, indoor bicycle parking, and a lushly landscaped back yard featuring tenant gardening plots, game tables, a children’s play area and an exercise area.
Of the 80 rental units at Bergen Saratoga Apartments, 40 one- and two-bedroom apartments serve very low- and low-income households (households earning between approximately $25,000 and $52,000 annually) and were awarded through a lottery process, half of which went to Brownsville residents. More than 55,000 households submitted applications for the project. 40 studio units are set aside for formerly homeless individuals under the New York/New York III initiative with on-site support services are provided by CAMBA, Inc., a Brooklyn-based non-profit service provider with strong ties to the Brownsville community.
New York State Homes and Community Renewal awarded an allocation of low-income housing tax credits, representing a $17.33 million investment over 10 years which facilitated an $18 million tax credit equity investment syndicated by Enterprise Community Investment, Inc. through its fund with American Express. The City of New York through its Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) contributed the land for the project. The City of New York also provided a real estate tax exemption for the project through the 420-c program. The New York State Office of Mental Health has funded CAMBA, Inc. to provide rental subsidies and support services to the supportive housing units. JPMorgan Chase Bank financed the project with a construction loan of $7,000,000 and will originate a $2,072,000 permanent loan.
Bergen Saratoga Apartments is a highly energy efficient building constructed using insulated concrete forms (ICF), which provides a continuously insulated cast-in-place concrete structure that significantly enhances thermal efficiency and performance when compared to traditional CMU or cast-in-place structures. The building includes a micro co-generation facility in which the waste energy from electricity generation helps heat the building’s domestic hot water. Other energy efficient components include: high efficiency boilers, Energy Star appliances and lighting, motion sensor controls, low-flow plumbing fixtures. The very tight building envelope paired with natural and mechanical ventilation provides improved indoor air quality while minimizing heat loss. The building is also 100% smoke-free, with durable and low-VOC finishes, further improving air quality for tenants. Bergen Saratoga Apartments participated in NYSERDA’s Multifamily Performance Program and successfully achieved ENERGY STAR status.
Brooklyn Woods, a non-profit job training programs sponsored by Brooklyn Workforce Innovations, designed and manufactured the fine cabinetry in the kitchens in the community room and supportive services office, bathroom vanities for each tenant apartment, and the custom woodwork entrance lobby.
The glass tile mosaic art wall in the lobby was crafted by Miotto Mosaic Art Studios interpreting original art by Millie Falcaro.
The general contractor for the building was D.P. Group General Contractors.
The NYC Housing Partnership Development Corporation co-sponsored the project as the non-profit partner.
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About the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD)
HPD is the nation’s largest municipal housing preservation and development agency. Its mission is to promote quality housing and diverse, thriving neighborhoods for New Yorkers through loan and development programs for new affordable housing, preservation of the affordability of the existing housing stock, enforcement of housing quality standards, and educational programs for tenants and building owners. For more information visit www.nyc.gov/hpd and for regular updates on HPD news and services, connect with us via www.facebook.com/nychousing andwww.twitter.com/nychousing.
CONTACT: Elizabeth Rohlfing rohlfinge (at) hpd.nyc (dot) gov | 212-863-8076
