nycha-hpd-announce-developer-for-prospect-plaza

NYC Housing Authority


Press Release


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 16, 2013
Contact: media@nycha.nyc.gov, (212) 306-3322

NYCHA, HPD Announce Developer for Prospect Plaza

Blue Sea & Partners to Build Affordable Housing and Public Housing Units in Brownsville, Brooklyn

New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) Chairman John B. Rhea and New York City Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) Commissioner Mathew M. Wambua today announced the selection of a development team for Prospect Plaza in Ocean Hill-Brownsville in Brooklyn. The agencies have selected Blue Sea Development Company, Pennrose Properties, Duvernay + Brooks, and Rosenberg Housing Group (Blue Sea & Partners) to develop the approximately 200,000 square feet, 4.5-acre area for new, affordable and public housing units. It will be constructed in three phases, creating a total of 364 new housing units, including 80 units of NYCHA public housing, and 284 affordable housing apartments. The project will include a space for a new supermarket, community facility space with a rooftop greenhouse, and a new recreation area. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded NYCHA a HOPE VI Grant to revitalize Prospect Plaza. The Program emphasizes partnerships with community residents, other agencies, local governments, nonprofit organizations, and private businesses to leverage support and resources. NYCHA will provide $15.5 million in HOPE VI Grant funds for the development of the public housing units at Prospect Plaza.

“Today’s announcement is a key step in fulfilling our promise in our strategic roadmap, Plan NYCHA, to bring a successful execution to the highly anticipated Prospect Plaza development, which includes new units of affordable housing and public housing; commercial space for retail stores; and programs for the surrounding community,” said NYCHA Chairman John B. Rhea. “Through partnership with HPD, we can leverage NYCHA resources to provide housing opportunities for more low-income New Yorkers. I’m very proud of the community engagement of former Prospect Plaza residents and other stakeholders in the development of the new plan. We look forward to the successful revitalization of Prospect Plaza as a model for future redevelopment.”

“During this Administration we have been very successful in using HPD’s pipeline of city-owned land to develop affordable housing. The Mayor’s housing plan has also provided the flexibility to think out-of-the-box to find innovative ways to expand the City’s affordable housing stock beyond our pipeline; our partnership with NYCHA being a key example of this,” said HPD Commissioner Mathew M. Wambua. “The designation of Blue Sea and Partners is great news for this neighborhood. They bring a history of quality work and knowhow to this project. The development of new housing on this site marks a long-awaited fresh start for the community, and we look forward to finalizing the financing on this development and getting our shovels in the ground.”

Prospect Plaza is being developed under Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s New Housing Marketplace Plan (NHMP), a multibillion dollar initiative to finance 165,000 units of affordable housing for half a million New Yorkers by the close of the 2014 fiscal year. For every dollar invested by the City, the Plan has leveraged $3.42 in additional funding for a total commitment of more than $21 billion. To date, the NHMP has funded the creation or preservation of more than 142,800 units of affordable housing across the five boroughs; 4,408 of those units in Brooklyn Community District 16 where Prospect Plaza is located.

The three development sites are bounded by St. Mark’s Avenue to the north, Saratoga Avenue to the east, Sterling Place to the south, and Howard Avenue to the west. The public housing units will be included in the first two development phases. The third phase will include approximately 22,000 square-feet of ground floor retail space for a supermarket along Saratoga Avenue and the community facility space. All of the affordable rental units will be available to low-income New Yorkers earning not more than 60 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI), or what is equivalent to an annual household income not exceeding $49,800 for a family of four. Former Prospect Plaza residents will receive a preference for the public housing units.