NEW YORK – On Thursday, December 12, the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) closed on the financing for Manhattanville Houses, a $445 million Permanent Affordability Commitment Together (PACT) project that will bring comprehensive renovations for over 2,600 residents living in six residential buildings in Manhattan. The buildings have now converted to Project-Based Section 8 through the federal Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program. This funding will allow the PACT partner team – Gilbane Development Company; Apex Building Group, a Minority-owned Business Enterprise (MBE); and West Harlem Group Assistance, a non-profit organization – to address all the capital needs of the development and begin fully rehabilitating over 1,272 apartments, as well as shared spaces, grounds, and building infrastructure, to improve residents' quality of life. The PACT program also maintains residents' rights and preserves affordable rents for all households.
ELH Mgmt LLC is now the property manager, and Goddard Riverside will operate on-site offices with full-time staff dedicated to providing supportive services and workforce development programming to Manhattanville residents. This will supplement on-site programs already offered by Citizens Care Day Care, Presbyterian Senior Services, and Graham Windham. Additional details on the planned investments and improvements are outlined in the Manhattanville Community Plan, which was developed through a collaboration between resident leaders and NYCHA and is being distributed to every household prior to the start of construction.
“The Manhattanville PACT closing is yet more proof that this administration is wasting no time in providing safe, quality, affordable housing to New Yorkers,” said First Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer. “From renovations for 2,600 NYCHA residents, to robust on-site social services and more, the Manhattanville PACT project shows the power of what happens when tenants, and partners from the private and public sector, collaborate to uplift an entire community.”
“Manhattanville marks the end of a truly transformative year for NYCHA’s mission to address decades of disinvestment with comprehensive renovations,” said Executive Director for Housing Leila Bozorg. “Through its PACT partner team, 2,600 NYCHA residents will now receive brand-new apartments along with substantial upgrades to building infrastructure and outdoor spaces that will further highlight what a resident-centered rehabilitation process can look like.”
“With the financial closing at Manhattanville Houses, we are excited to move another step closer to connecting over 2,600 residents with the transformative benefits of the PACT program,” said NYCHA Chief Executive Officer Lisa Bova-Hiatt. “This milestone paves the way for comprehensive renovations that will modernize apartments, upgrade building infrastructure, and revitalize shared spaces and grounds. By working closely with residents and the PACT partner team, we are ensuring that these improvements will enhance quality of life for generations to come.”
“Residents at Manhattanville worked closely with NYCHA and our PACT partner team over the past several years to finalize the details of this $445 million rehabilitation. Physical renovations will restore this campus to a safe and welcoming place for families and seniors, while enhanced on-site social services will ensure all of our households are connected to resources to thrive,” said NYCHA Executive Vice President for Real Estate Development Jonathan Gouveia. “We are proud to see the project reach this important milestone and excited for our residents to soon see critical investments made in their community.”
“Thanks to this latest PACT partnership, the residents of NYCHA’s Manhattanville Houses will soon benefit from extensive home renovations, critical infrastructure improvements, and access to new social services and job training programs,” said New York City Housing Development Corporation President Eric Enderlin. “We look forward to working with our PACT partners and resident leaders to deliver on our commitments and transform New York City’s public housing stock.”
“We’re looking forward to the transformation that’s coming through PACT,” said Manhattanville Tenant Association President Veronica Nieves. “The PACT partner team has been talking with and listening to residents here for a long time to make sure the project would address their biggest needs and concerns, and now we’re finally here. Manhattanville residents will start to see the improvements and the changes in quality of life that they’ve deserved for many years.”
“At Gilbane Development Company, we believe that every New Yorker deserves a safe, comfortable, and modern home,” said Gilbane Development Company Senior Vice President Yarojin Robinson. “Closing financing on Manhattanville represents a significant milestone and is the culmination of much work already done alongside NYCHA and Manhattanville residents, and we look forward to delivering these transformed 1,272 homes to the benefit of more than 2,600 residents. By working with our PACT partners to preserve and enhance Manhattanville and improve the property management and social services offerings to residents, we are ensuring that this neighborhood remains a cornerstone of opportunity for generations to come.”
“Apex Building Group is very proud to be a part of the Manhattanville PACT partner team. This 1,272-unit project affords us the opportunity to continue our mission of strengthening and revitalizing communities through the restoration of public housing and their amenity spaces,” said Apex Building Group Chief Executive Officer Lee Brathwaite. “Manhattanville has special meaning for us given our Harlem roots, as we undertake its preservation with personal motivation to see the building transformed into a vibrant residential community with improved amenities that will significantly increase the quality of life for all. We thank the Manhattanville residents for entrusting and giving us the opportunity to improve our community.”
“With this announcement, West Harlem Group Assistance, Inc. celebrates a victory for all the residents of Manhattanville,” said West Harlem Group Assistance Executive Director Donald C. Notice. “WHGA, with our 50 years of experience in affordable housing and development, is so proud to take part in this exciting project with this first-class partner team of Gilbane and APEX. This rehabilitation is one of our most promising ventures to date. We want to thank the leadership of our partner team and NYCHA to deliver the much-needed repairs for the residents.”
“ELH is proud to be a part of the preservation and revitalization of Manhattanville on behalf of the more than 2,600 New Yorkers who call it home,” said ELH Mgmt. LLC Founder and CEO Larry Hirschfield. “Our team looks forward to instituting comprehensive property management services to improve the resident experience and foster a healthier living environment for Manhattanville's families, children and seniors in line with the goals of NYCHA's PACT program. We are grateful for the opportunity to play a role in this important transformation under the leadership of our partner team and NYCHA, and wish to thank Manhattanville residents and tenant leaders for placing their trust in us throughout this process.”
“At Goddard Riverside, our mission has always been to strengthen community and provide meaningful support to those who need it most,” said Goddard Riverside President Roderick L. Jones. “We are honored to partner with NYCHA and the PACT partners to provide on-site social services tailored to the needs of its residents. This collaboration reflects our shared commitment to empowering individuals and families, fostering resilience and creating opportunities for all. Together, we're building a stronger, more connected Manhattanville community.”
Selected in coordination with resident leadership, the PACT partner team has worked closely with Manhattanville residents and NYCHA to design every aspect of the development's renovation since 2021. After years of community-wide and development meetings, the plans for the large-scale renovation have been finalized, and the team has closed on the necessary financing to begin construction, which is expected to take approximately three years. Manhattanville has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places, based on its design by modernist architect, William Lescaze, and as a result, the rehabilitation plan for Manhattanville must preserve the spirit of the original design. The building exteriors and common spaces will be restored to the extent original designs are intact.
All apartments at Manhattanville will receive new interior doors, closets, windows, paint, air conditioners, and hardwired carbon monoxide/smoke detectors. Kitchens and bathrooms will be renovated and receive new appliances, fixtures, countertops, cabinets, flooring, tubs, and showers. The buildings will receive new energy-efficient heat and hot water systems, building envelope repairs, restored balconies, fully modernized elevators, electrical upgrades, ventilation improvements, façade repairs, and new security installations and cameras in common areas; additionally, free high-speed internet access will be available for all residents. Common areas – such as entrances, mail areas, stairwells, and hallways – will be renovated. Building lobbies will be expanded, and new laundry rooms, recycling rooms, and secure package and parcel rooms will be added to every building. A new resident association office and dedicated social services provider offices will be constructed while the Manhattanville Community Center’s elevator and heating and cooling systems are overhauled.
The PACT partners will revitalize existing open spaces by installing new landscaping, seating, tables, and bike racks, while the development’s parking lots, pathways, drainage systems, exterior lighting, and play areas will receive comprehensive upgrades, including the central ball field, which will be transformed to include basketball courts and a running path.
Gilbane Development Company, Apex Building Group, and West Harlem Group Assistance will lead the project as co-developers; Gilbane and Apex will also serve as the general contractors; and ELH Mgmt LLC will be the property manager. Social services programming at Manhattanville, operated by Goddard Riverside, has been guided by the results of a resident survey and will evolve over time based on regular resident feedback. In addition to job training, placement, retention, and coaching, services will focus on benefits access, health and wellness programming, and food security. The supportive services staff will advocate for residents, helping to improve communications among tenant leadership, property management, and other service providers.
Gilbane Development Company, the real estate development, investment, and property management arm of Gilbane, Inc., uses experience in finance, project management, alternative transaction structures, marketing, and project delivery structures to develop award-winning projects and communities. Apex Building Group is a Harlem-based developer and MBE-certified contractor with decades of experience, adding top-quality living and working spaces throughout New York City. West Harlem Group Assistance is a non-profit, affordable housing and social services organization serving West and Central Harlem residents. ELH Mgmt LLC is a full-service, solution-driven real estate company with unmatched expertise in building, acquiring, preserving, and managing affordable housing throughout New York City. Goddard Riverside is a social services provider serving over 20,000 New Yorkers a year through a variety of programs for all ages.
The PACT program transitions developments from traditional public housing assistance to the more stable, federally funded Project-Based Section 8 program – unlocking funding for designated PACT partners to complete comprehensive repairs. Overall, 140 NYCHA developments (representing over 38,000 apartments) are in pre-development, are under construction, or have completed construction through the program. The Authority is on track to include 62,000 apartments in the PACT program in order to bring the benefits of comprehensive apartment repairs and building upgrades, as well as enhanced property management and social services, to more than 142,000 residents. The New York City Housing Development Corporation (HDC), New York City's municipal Housing Finance Agency, is the key financing partner for PACT. In addition to providing or arranging the financing, HDC provides ongoing asset management and compliance support for PACT transactions.
