Overcoming Challenges
Like the nutshell summary of many a summer blockbuster: local community heroes team up and defy the odds to help people. The story of Unified Neighborhood Partners (UNP) is about the collaboration of four area community organizations: St. Nicks Alliance, Southside United HDFC – Los Sures, RiseBoro Community Partnership, and United Jewish Organizations of Williamsburg and North Brooklyn (UJO) to provide truly affordable housing. Although, their efforts took longer than a two-hour movie. They overcame years of community conflict concerning the development of city owned parcels in the Broadway Triangle (the area bordered by Union Avenue, Gerry Street, Harrison Avenue, and Walton Street)
“For four nonprofits to come together to develop five properties is an extraordinary thing. We were all willing to work together and put community need ahead of organizational benefit. We came together with vision and equity to ensure publicly owned land would yield affordable housing, and ensure the properties are permanently affordable in partnership with New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) and local electeds,” said Michael Rochford, executive director of St. Nicks Alliance.
UNP was chosen by HPD in 2019 to develop five languishing municipal sites in the Broadway Triangle. When these organizations joined forces they created the winning proposal, which addresses the needs of the communities they serve.
One of the properties developed into Throop Corners, located at 88 Throop Avenue between Gerry Street and Bartlett Street. The project includes a mix of unit types including studios, one-, two-, three-, and four-bedrooms with a higher-than-average allotment of family-sized apartments to provide space for families: 51 units, or more than 36%, of units have two to four bedrooms.
To celebrate the completion and occupancy of the Throop Corners, a ribbon cutting was held on the morning of May 8. At the time of the event, more than 95% of the 140-unit deeply affordable units had been leased to extremely low-, very low-, low-income, and formerly homeless households.
Kieran Harrington, CEO of RiseBoro Community Partnership, said, “This project shows what’s possible when long-standing neighborhood organizations come together with the community to build not just housing, but places that will last for generations.”
“The four organizations … came together to make sure that those who know their community best were the ones developing these affordable units and provide essential social services to those in need. Congratulations to all involved,” said Juan Ramos, executive director of Los Sures.
Rabbi David Niederman, president of UJO, said, “We stand here today, witnessing the strength of a community that builds together. This building demonstrates our unwavering commitment to meeting our community’s diverse needs. While this is a momentous occasion, our community organizations continue their journey to build a stronger Broadway Triangle, one building at a time, towards our goal of nearly 400 units.”
“St. Nicks Alliance is delighted Throop Corners is complete, fully leased, and in operation. As the property managers and social service provider for the project, we are assisting these diverse low-income households with their needs while maintaining a high-quality home. We look forward to the next two phases getting underway and completing the community vision of inclusion and stability in North Brooklyn,” said Frank Lang, deputy executive director for housing at St. Nicks Alliance.
All apartments are at or below 80% of the area median income (AMI), with almost 90% of units reserved for households earning at or below 60% AMI. Additionally, fourteen of the units are set aside for formerly homeless households. The project includes 27 units that are mandated to be permanently affordable under HPD’s inclusionary housing program. The nonprofit developers are committed to maintaining affordability restrictions on the remaining units in perpetuity.
“Due to the grit, vision and collaboration of these four local and trusted partners, the City was able to be part of an opportunity that will yield more than 130 deeply affordable homes, and kick off a three-phase plan that eventually will bring nearly 400 new sustainable homes and vital community spaces to Brooklyn’s Broadway Triangle neighborhood,” said Acting HPD Commissioner Ahmed Tigani.
The New York City Housing Development Corporation (HDC) finances the creation and preservation of affordable housing for low-, moderate-, and middle-income New Yorkers, but also strives to stimulate economic growth. HDC President Eric Enderlin emphasized a feature that addresses the latter when he stated, “Throop Corners addresses the urgent housing needs of New York City while providing crucial onsite workforce development services to support the larger Williamsburg community.”
St. Nicks Alliance moved their Workforce Development Center to Throop Corners (92 Throop Avenue) at the start of this year. For nearly twenty years they have been providing in-demand skills training and credentials needed to secure high-wage career-track jobs, such as in construction, technology, and healthcare. In addition, they assist with finding that first job, obtaining a high school diploma, or mastering English.
Throop Corners is the first of a three-phase community plan to add approximately 390 new affordable apartments and over 10,000 square feet of community and commercial space to the Broadway Triangle area, enhancing the neighborhood’s vitality, amenities, and services.
Each of the five Broadway Triangle buildings are planned to be designed with Passive House techniques for an energy-efficient building with better interior air quality, noise attenuation, and thermal stability. This design will reduce carbon emissions while also deepening affordability for residents through lower utility bills.
Throop Corners was designed by Marvel Architects and built by Mega Contracting. The team also includes: structural engineering by DeNardis, mechanical/electrical/plumbing engineering by Dagher Engineering, envelope consulting by Steven Winter Associates, lighting consulting by Dot Dash, sustainability consulting by MaGrann Associates, solar design and construction by Sunkeeper Solar, and landscape design by Tier II.
The total development cost was approximately $89.9M. The project received city capital grant funds from former NYC Council Member Stephen Levin and Mayor Eric Adams during his time as Brooklyn borough president. Financing was also provided from a variety of sources including HPD’s Extremely Low- and Low-income Affordability (ELLA) program, HDC’s tax-exempt city bonds, the NYS Brownfield Cleanup Program, and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority’s multifamily new construction program. Tax credit syndication was provided by Enterprise Community Partners, and a construction loan was provided by TD Bank, N.A. predevelopment financing was provided by NY Green Bank.
The second and third phase of the Broadway Triangle community development plan are currently in predevelopment. The upcoming second phase, Bartlett Crossing, is poised to feature 79 units across two buildings on Flushing Avenue. All new units will cater to extremely low-, very low-, low-income, and formerly homeless households. The third phase is named Broadway Commons.
The Greenline 