Rendering of Bridge Rockaway. Image Credit: HPD.
On May 17, 2022, City and State officials joined the development team of non-profit The Bridge, Greenpoint Manufacturing and Design Center, and Mega Development for the ground breaking of Bridge Rockaway, a new mixed-use affordable housing development in Brownsville, Brooklyn.
The development will have a six-story tower and a seven-story tower, with an 11,000 square foot garden in between the towers. Combined, the towers will have 174 apartments, with half of the units affordable at 70 percent area median income or less. The remaining half of units will be supportive units for formerly homeless New Yorkers. The Bridge will provide on-site social services. The building will have a ground floor community space, reception area in the lobby, a computer room, a community kitchen, a multipurpose room, storage, bicycle storage, laundry facilities, and a community garden.
The development will also feature manufacturing space, used by the Greenpoint Manufacturing and Design Center. The 39,000 square foot space will be used for small scale manufacturing facilities for ten to twelve local businesses.
The affordable housing is made possible through the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD)’s Extremely Low- and Low-Income Affordability program. The supportive services will be funded through the Human Resources Administration’s NYC 15/15 Congregate Supportive Housing Services Program, HPD, and the Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative through the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance.
The project is expected to cost $118 million. HPD will provide $17.1 million in support. State financing includes $11.4 million in permanent tax-exempt bonds. Federal Low-Income Tax Credits will generate $46 million in equity. New York State Homes and Community Renewal is providing $16.9 million in subsidy. The New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance is providing $6.5 million through the Homeless Housing Assistance Program, and the Empire State Development provided $1.6 million to support the manufacturing space, will overall will cost $11.8 million.
Governor Kathy Hochul stated, “Quality affordable homes and good paying jobs are the foundation for successful and thriving communities, and that is what we are delivering to Brownsville with this important investment. Bridge Rockaway is an innovative collaboration between state and nonprofit partners that will bolster our continued efforts to revitalize Central Brooklyn.”
Mayor Eric Adams stated, “My administration is deeply committed to building homes for our most vulnerable neighbors, and I am proud to have supported this project as borough president and now be starting construction as mayor. We are investing millions of dollars to bring much-needed affordable and supportive apartments to this community with critical space for a local nonprofit manufacturer, and we are committed to investing the billions we need across the city to provide the high-quality, affordable housing New Yorkers need and deserve.”
By: Veronica Rose (Veronica is the CityLaw fellow and a New York Law School graduate, Class of 2018.)
What is the address of this project?