The latest winning proposal under the Vital Brooklyn initiative was recently announced. The winning bidder is Utica Crescent, which will construct 322 affordable and supportive apartments in Central Brooklyn. The $1.4 billion Vital Brooklyn initiative targets and invests in eight integrated areas, from health care to housing, establishing a new standard for addressing chronic economic and racial disparities in Brooklyn’s high-need communities.
“The pandemic has further exposed the inequalities that exist in far too many of our communities and at the same time it’s shown how important it is for New Yorkers to have access to safe and affordable housing,” Governor Cuomo said. “We are facing unprecedented challenges, but we are in this together – and that’s why the State is continuing to step up and help those who need it most by moving forward with projects like Utica Crescent, which will increase affordable housing opportunities for hundreds of New Yorkers.”
The building will have a total of 322 apartments which will be made affordable to a range of household incomes. Thirty-four of the units will be reserved for formerly homeless individuals and families, and 96 of the units will be set aside for seniors. Utica Crescent is a joint venture by Monadnock Development LLC and CB-Emmanuel Realty LLC. Catholic Charities will provide on-site supportive services to residents as well as the broader community.
The development will be constructed on a parking lot currently owned by One Brooklyn Health System (OBHS) that is adjacent to Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center. The winning proposal includes plans for a new dialysis center operated by OBHS to replace their current smaller dialysis center on the Kingsbrook Jewish campus. The building will also include a large full-service grocery store as the anchor commercial tenant, and smaller ground floor storefronts that will accommodate local businesses. In addition, an underground parking garage with 300 parking spaces will be provided for Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center employees that currently park at the development site.
On-site amenities for residents will include laundry rooms, exercise and activity rooms, bicycle storage, and multipurpose community rooms. Community Supported Agriculture services will be located on-site.
In addition, the development features a host of energy efficiency strategies that contribute to community and individual health, including green roofs, an Enterprise Green Communities Certification, and meeting the standards of the ENERGY STAR multifamily high-rise program to satisfy Climate Bond Initiative requirements. Residents and visitors will also be provided free Wi-Fi, which is a hallmark of the Vital Brooklyn initiative’s commitment to increasing internet access across Central Brooklyn.
Utica Crescent will also provide approximately 30,000 square feet of open space that includes a large interior courtyard with resident gardens, timber bleachers, walking paths, and several outdoor activity areas. Space for both active and passive recreation such as games, walking, sitting and picnicking, will allow the diverse resident populations to enjoy the same space. Landscaping along the street level will include tree beds, seating, bicycle racks, and outdoor bicycle storage for grocery store customers.
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