NEW YORK CITY– New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) Commissioner Maria Torres-Springer, and Housing Development Corporation (HDC) President Eric Enderlin announce the selection of a development team led by the Gotham Organization and RiseBoro to develop two sites, referred to as Parcels F and G, in Hunter’s Point South, Queens. The development plan includes the creation of over 1,120 new apartments with a diverse mix of affordability levels and senior housing. It will also feature local retail, a community facility, arts and cultural space, and water-based recreational space to complement a kayak launch and adjacent waterfront park currently under construction by the New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC). A new primary school will be built by the New York City School Construction Authority adjacent to Parcel F.
“Today marks a giant leap forward in advancing Hunter’s Point South, a vibrant, full-service, mixed-income community transforming the landscape of Long Island City, Queens,” said Housing and Preservation Development Commissioner Maria Torres-Springer. “This exciting, mixed-use proposal will create more than 1,200 homes, 900 of which will be permanently affordable, including 90 homes for seniors, as well as bring a medical center, arts and cultural space, local retail, and recreational space to compliment the waterfront park now under construction. In keeping with the vision of the Mayor’s Housing New York plan, which was recently accelerated and expanded with the release of HNY 2.0, the project provides more and deeper affordability than earlier phases of the development. I want to thank the Gotham Organization, RiseBoro Community Partnership, and all of their partners, as well as my colleagues at HPD and HDC for their creativity and hard work to anchor this growing community with lasting affordability and economic opportunity.”
“The Gotham Organization and RiseBoro are an outstanding example of the for-profit and non-profit sectors working together for the public good,” said HDC President Eric Enderlin. “Their plan will bring more permanently affordable housing as well as dynamic retail, commercial and cultural space to the southern sites of this expansive waterfront development. I look forward to working with them and our many City partners to bring this transformative project from concept to reality.”
The sites will be developed under Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Housing New York 2.0 Plan to create and preserve 300,000 units of affordable housing. The most comprehensive affordable housing plan in the City’s history and largest municipal housing plan in the nation, its goal is to help address New York City’s affordability crisis by housing more than half a million New Yorkers, ranging from those with very low incomes to the middle class – all of whom face ever-rising rent pressures.
“Gotham has a long, proud history of developing high-quality homes that are accessible to New Yorkers at every income level. We’re excited to have the opportunity to work alongside RiseBoro, HPD and HDC to continue development of Hunters Point South,” said Gotham Executive Vice President of Development Bryan Kelly.
“I couldn’t be more excited to help build a truly inclusive community with permanently affordable housing at this important site on the Long Island City waterfront. I hope that our project, which will offer housing, services, and opportunity for people of all ages and incomes, will be a beacon of diversity that provides the basis for the Hunters Point community to thrive,” said RiseBoro Community Partnership CEO Scott Short. “I applaud the visionary commitment of Mayor DeBlasio to affordable housing and look forward to working with his talented team at HPD and our partners at the Gotham Organization to bring this project to fruition.”
“NYCEDC is committed to strengthening communities and creating economic opportunity for all New Yorkers,” said NYCEDC President and CEO James Patchett. “Hunters Point South achieves both goals, serving as a model for transformative development that will create much-needed affordable housing, infrastructure, neighborhood amenities and quality jobs. We’re excited to continue working with HPD and community leaders to make this project a reality.”
“This city-owned site that makes up ‘the point’ at Hunter’s Point South will bring affordable housing, locally-sourced retail uses and community facility and non-profit spaces to well-designed buildings that will enhance the Long Island City waterfront’s revitalization. With a diverse mix of uses and amenities that will benefit residents and the community at large, this transformative project is another step towards the city’s goals of creating economic diversity and tackling the housing crisis,” said Department of City Planning Executive Director Purnima Kapur.
“I am delighted that development is beginning for Hunter’s Point South parcels F&G to finally realize the potential of these undeveloped lots. Now, thanks to Mayor de Blasio, The Gotham Organization, and RiseBoro, we will see the transformation of this underutilized land into something beautiful. With over 900 affordable apartments, a new primary school, retail space, a medical center, arts and cultural space, and water recreational space, I have no doubt that this new development will quickly become a vibrant addition to a thriving community,” said U.S. Representative Carolyn Maloney.
The proposal also helps to meet the needs of New York City’s growing senior citizen population, with ninety-three units expected to be set aside for low-income seniors. RiseBoro will provide onsite supportive services, operate a recreational senior center, and provide advocacy services for residents.
In addition to the affordable housing, Gotham’s plan will provide retail and community facility spaces that create a multi-dimensional development. Anticipated retailers include a grocer, a bike shop, and small cafés and restaurants along Center Boulevard on Parcel F. Gotham is partnering with several nonprofits to provide community facility space that will offer a range of services and take advantage of the waterfront location of Parcels F and G. These include an art gallery, a recreational boathouse and a job training and placement center. Flux Factory will run arts programs, offer the community the opportunity to interact with working artists, and create programming that complements the school adjacent to Parcel F. To support the waterfront park’s kayak launch adjacent to the Parcel G development, Harbor Lab Boathouse will provide recreational boating programs for youths and adults and will activate the space year-round. The project will also include a new public restroom on Parcel G near the kayak launch, and a rooftop garden open to the public on Parcel F.
Once complete, the entire Hunter’s Point South project will include more than 11 acres of landscaped waterfront parkland, new streets, new retail shops and community facility space, new schools, and 5,000 units of housing, of which at least 60% will be permanently affordable. A 5-acre waterfront park constructed by NYC Economic Development Corporation and a new 1,100-seat Intermediate/High School built by the School Construction Authority have already been completed as part of the first phase of development. The street network boasts a pedestrian-scaled street design that ties into the existing street grid and neighborhood, and also taps into nearby transit connections. The overall plan completed the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) in November 2008.
Parcels A and B were the first two residential buildings of the Hunter’s Point South development to complete construction. Now known as Hunter’s Point South Commons (Parcel A) and Hunters Point South Crossing (Parcel B), they include a combined total of 924 apartments, all of which are permanently income-restricted, in addition to about 17,000 square feet of new retail space. A developer has been selected for Parcel C and the project is in predevelopment.
###
The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (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. HPD is tasked with fulfilling Mayor de Blasio’s Housing New York Plan which was recently upgraded through Housing New York 2.0 to complete our initial goal of 200,000 homes two years ahead of schedule—by 2022, and achieve an additional 100,000 homes over the following four years, for a total of 300,000 homes by 2026. For full details visit www.nyc.gov/hpd and for regular updates on HPD news and services, connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @NYCHousing.
The New York City Housing Development Corporation (HDC) is the nation’s largest municipal Housing Finance Agency and is charged with helping to finance the creation or preservation of affordable housing under Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Housing New York plan. Since 2003, HDC has financed more than 120,000 housing units using over $13.7 billion in bonds, and provided in excess of $1.6 billion in subsidy from corporate reserves. HDC ranks among the nation’s top issuers of mortgage revenue bonds for affordable multi-family housing on Thomson Reuter’s annual list of multi-family bond issuers. In each of the last four consecutive years, HDC’s annual bond issuance has surpassed $1 billion. For additional information, visit: http://www.nychdc.com
