Officials from the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) joined Transitional Services for New York, Inc. (TSINY) and Community Preservation Corporation (CPC) to celebrate the groundbreaking of 161-01 89th Ave, a 70-unit affordable and supportive housing development in Jamaica, Queens. The new affordable housing building, operated by TSINY, will include studio apartments that will serve low income seniors and chronically homeless individuals in need of supportive services.
“Today, in breaking ground at the new residence, we are opening another new chapter in the history of TSINY, our second new apartment building,” said Dr. Larry S. Grubler, CEO at TSINY. “We are coming together as a community to build new homes and provide community-based services for individuals from New York City with low incomes. We are grateful for the support we have received from the Queens community and look forward to being part of the revitalization of Jamaica and our economy.”
Lawrence Hammond, Vice President & Mortgage Officer at CPC, said, “CPC is proud to be part of this partnership that is bringing high-quality supportive and affordable housing to the Jamaica community. When complete, this new development will provide a stable and safe environment where its residents can rediscover themselves and live with dignity.”
The new eight-story apartment building will provide tenants with a range of programs and services designed to support recovery and develop daily living skills. These include assistance and support dealing with substance abuse, budgeting, housekeeping, cooking, building support networks, educational and vocational training, and managing personal healthcare needs.
The project involved the demolition of a vacant existing building, Monica House, which historically operated as single room occupancy housing. When complete, 161-01 89th Avenue will include offices for onsite supportive services, an exercise room, common areas, laundry, bicycle storage, and outdoor recreation space.
This project furthers the city’s efforts to build supportive housing through the 15/15 program, with the remaining units affordable to very-low income households. TD Bank’s Commercial Real Estate business provided a $15.6 million construction loan.