It’s that time of year when post spring cleaning brings thoughts of renovation and renewal. Jarka Hall, who had started renovations at 270 Bedford Avenue in spring of 2016, unveiled and celebrated the results on June 13th with a ribbon cutting and breakfast.
Jarka Hall holds 63-units of senior citizen housing: 16 studio apartments and 47 one-bed-room apartments. It is sponsored by the People’s Firehouse, Inc. and co-sponsored by St. Nicks Alliance.
“The renovation program provided critical building maintenance, structural stabilization work, repair and rehabilitation of both the interior and exterior, including the roof, walls, windows and doors. Among the amenities, every unit received new kitchen appliances, and a to-tally remodeled bathroom,” said Daniel Rivera, Executive Director of The People’s Firehouse, Inc. “Our collaboration with St. Nicks Alliance and our other partnering organizations has greatly aided us in this rehabilitation project.”
Del Teague, Chair of the Board of the People’s Firehouse, Inc. welcomed residents and guests to the celebration breakfast in the Jarka Hall’s community room, “We are proud of the renovation work which has been completed, which will allow Jarka Hall to continue to serve its Residents well into the future.”
For their assistance with renovation project, Ms. Teague and Mr. Rivera thanked: The FG-PH CORP.; Design AIDD Architecture; DPC; Rockabill; St Nicks Alliance; Hirschen Singer & Epstein LLP; Citi Community Capital; Richman Capital Group, LLC; US Dept. of Housing & Urban Development; NYC Dept. of Housing Preservation & Development; and the NYC Housing Development Corporation.
“We broke ground for Jarka Hall in the 1980s and completed the con-struction, and opened the building for seniors in 1991. After more than a quarter century of constant use, even the best-kept home environments need replenishments and upgrades,” said Rivera.
Jarka Hall, more formally known as Msgr. Alexius A. Jarka Hall, is named for the founding pastor of Our Lady of Consolation parish. He came to Williamsburg in 1909 as a newly ordained priest to see to the spiritual needs of Williamsburg’s Polish community and deter-mine the feasibility of establishing a church for them. Our Lady of Consolation was built and on December 11, 1910 was dedicated and blessed by Bishop McDonnell.
The Greenline 