City officials and development partners celebrate the ribbon cutting at 1101 and 1089 President Street as residents move in to the two new residential buildings. Image Credit: HPD.
On March 21, 2023, officials from the New York City Department of Housing preservation and Development (HPD), Housing Development Corporation (HDC), and Economic Development Corporation (EDC) joined development partners to celebrate the opening of 1101 and 1089 President Street in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. New residents moved into the new two affordable buildings that were part of the redevelopment of the Bedford Union Armory.
1101 and 1089 President Street contain 415 units, including 250 affordable units. Twenty-five units were set aside for households experiencing homelessness, and the remaining affordable units were set for families earning between 30 to 60 percent area median income ($23,178 to $72,060 for a family of three). Voluntary social services are provided by Breaking Ground to help with the transition from shelter to permanent affordable housing.
Apartments include stainless steel fixtures, in-unit washers and dryers, and energy efficient appliances. Some apartments have private balconies. The rooftop is furnished, and the building contains a coworking space, private conference rooms, an indoor-outdoor fitness center, an outdoor prep kitchen with grilling stations, a resident lounge, resident and bicycle storage, and on-site parking.
BFC Partners was selected for the redevelopment of the Bedford Union Armory site in 2015. The residential buildings were designed by Marvel Architects and constructed through the Extremely Low & Low-Income Affordability (ELLA) Program. Financing for the project was provided by Wells Fargo, the Urban Investment Group with Goldman Sachs Asset Management and Citi.
The redevelopment of the Bedford Union Armory site included a conversion of the armory to the Major R. Owens Health and Wellness Community Center, a comprehensive center for medical, emotional and recreational practices that offers affordable rates to the local community. The center, the first of its kind in New York City, opened in October 2021. The facility features a neighborhood recreation center with a 25-meter competitive swimming pool, basketball courts, and a multi-purpose court for a variety of sports and community programming.
HPD Commissioner Adolfo Carrion Jr. stated, “Once serving the most exclusive National Guard unit in Brooklyn, the Bedford Union Armory will now serve the most important people of this borough – the children, the families, and the individuals who call this community home. We are proud to have worked with our partners to bring these 250 affordable homes and community center to Crown Heights.”
By: Veronica Rose (Veronica is the CityLaw fellow and a New York Law School graduate, Class of 2018.)
HPD: NYC Officials, BFC Partners, Breaking Ground Celebrate New Yorkers Moving into Affordable Housing at Former Bedford Union Armory (March 21, 2023).