Construction recently began on a project to create 328 units of permanently affordable and supportive homes for low-income and formerly homeless populations in Brooklyn, N.Y. The $237.9 million Clarkson Estates affordable housing development will be home to youth aging out of foster care, formerly incarcerated individuals, formerly homeless young adults, and formerly homeless families.
The project by CAMBA Housing Ventures, Inc. (CHV) targets Passive House certification and will offer more than 30,000 sf of community facility space including a broad array of onsite supportive services and recreational opportunities as well as nearly 15,000 sf of parking.
Passive House project elevates affordable housing in Brooklyn
Clarkson Estates is part of New York’s $1.4 billion Vital Brooklyn initiative, a community development program targeting and investing in eight integrated areas including healthcare and housing. The program’s aim is to establish a new standard for addressing chronic economic and health disparities in Central Brooklyn’s underserved communities. The initiative will create 4,000 affordable homes.
Clarkson Estates will transform the site that was formerly owned by The Health Science Center at Brooklyn Foundation, Inc. and used as a parking lot for SUNY Downstate Medical Center. CHV’s focus is on co-locating housing and healthcare to combine affordable housing and community resources to address the socio-economic determinants of health. CHV’s proven model of supportive services, nearby healthcare and on-site amenities helps transition families from survival to stability and success. CHV will provide tailored case management. Onsite community resources are focused on supporting economic development and workforce training, youth development and violence prevention, adult education and financial literacy, access to healthy food, recreation, and health and wellness.
The project will offer a mix of studios, one-, two-, and three-bedroom units at 30%, 40%, 50%, and 70% area median income (AMI). Clarkson Estates will be a 9-story brick and metal panel contextual building and feature a double-height lobby at both the residential and community facility entrances with plentiful access to natural light throughout common spaces. Amenities will include free Wi-Fi in units, 24/7 front desk security to enhance safety, extensive landscaping including courtyards and rooftop terraces to encourage socializing, a teaching kitchen for nutrition workshops, children’s playroom, computer room, indoor fitness center, laundry on every floor, flexible community rooms, bike storage, live-in superintendent, and local art throughout the building.
On the Building Team:
Owner and/or developer: CAMBA Housing Ventures, Inc.
Architect of record, design architect: CetraRuddy
MEP engineer: Dagher Engineering
Structural engineer: DeSimone Consulting Engineers
General contractor/construction manager: Bruno Frustaci Contracting
Related Stories
Adaptive Reuse | Jan 12, 2024
Office-to-residential conversions put pressure on curbside management and parking
With many office and commercial buildings being converted to residential use, two important issues—curbside management and parking—are sometimes not given their due attention. Cities need to assess how vehicle storage, bike and bus lanes, and drop-off zones in front of buildings may need to change because of office-to-residential conversions.
Apartments | Jan 9, 2024
Apartment developer survey indicates dramatic decrease in starts this year
Over 56 developers, operators, and investors across the country were surveyed in John Burns Research and Consulting's recently-launched Apartment Developer and Investor Survey.
MFPRO+ News | Jan 8, 2024
Canada turns to 1940s strategy to speed up housing construction
To address a severe housing shortage, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s administration has begun a housing construction strategy pioneered in the years after World War 2. The government aims to use a catalog of pre-approved home designs to reduce the cost and time to construct homes.
MFPRO+ Special Reports | Jan 4, 2024
Top 10 trends in multifamily rental housing
Demographic and economic shifts, along with work and lifestyle changes, have made apartment living preferable for a wider range of buyers and renters. These top 10 trends in multifamily housing come from BD+C's 2023 Multifamily Annual Report.
MFPRO+ News | Jan 2, 2024
New York City will slash regulations on housing projects
New York City Mayor Eric Adams is expected to cut red tape to make it easier and less costly to build housing projects in the city. Adams would exempt projects with fewer than 175 units in low-density residential areas and those with fewer than 250 units in commercial, manufacturing, and medium- and high-density residential areas from environmental review.
MFPRO+ News | Dec 22, 2023
Document offers guidance on heat pump deployment for multifamily housing
ICAST (International Center for Appropriate and Sustainable Technology) has released a resource guide to help multifamily owners and managers, policymakers, utilities, energy efficiency program implementers, and others advance the deployment of VHE heat pump HVAC and water heaters in multifamily housing.
Urban Planning | Dec 18, 2023
The impacts of affordability, remote work, and personal safety on urban life
Data from Gensler's City Pulse Survey shows that although people are satisfied with their city's experience, it may not be enough.
MFPRO+ News | Dec 18, 2023
Berkeley, Calif., raises building height limits in downtown area
Facing a severe housing shortage, the City of Berkeley, Calif., increased the height limits on residential buildings to 12 stories in the area close to the University of California campus.
Affordable Housing | Dec 14, 2023
What's next for affordable housing in 2024?
As 2023 draws to a close, GBBN’s Mary Jo Minerich and Amanda Markovic, AIA sat down to talk about the future. What’s next in terms of trends, technology, and construction of affordable housing?
MFPRO+ News | Dec 11, 2023
U.S. poorly prepared to house growing number of older adults
The U.S. is ill-prepared to provide adequate housing for the growing ranks of older people, according to a report from Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies. Over the next decade, the U.S. population older than 75 will increase by 45%, growing from 17 million to nearly 25 million, with many expected to struggle financially.
