Army reserve center to be transformed for veterans

New York City-based non-profit The Doe Fund has announced plans to develop 90 new units of permanent, supportive and affordable housing in the Wakefield section of The Bronx on the site of the former Joseph A. Muller Army Reserve Center.

The total gut renovation of the Center is expected to last about two years.
The four-story, 51,000 s/f development was redesigned by MHG Architects and will convert the site into 54 studio units targeted to formerly homeless veterans — a population in critical need of supportive services.

The remaining 35 affordable units will be rented to low-income individuals, with a preference for local residents, with one unit set aside for a live-in superintendent.

The former Army Reserve Center was acquired by The Doe Fund in September 2013 when it was conveyed to the organization by the federal government through its Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) program.

Since that time, The Doe Fund has worked with Wakefield residents to create a redevelopment plan that responded to local community needs, especially with respect to property revitalization, affordability, and the creation of new community spaces.

“We are deeply proud to transform the former Joseph A. Muller Center into 90 modern, beautiful, high-quality homes for people who desperately need stability after experiencing hardship and homelessness, especially for the 54 veterans who have bravely served our country and who will soon call 555 Nereid Avenue home,” said George T. McDonald, Founder and President of The Doe Fund.

“We are so very grateful for the input from community members and the surrounding neighborhood, and for all of the partners who helped make this project possible so that, together, we can continue to improve the lives of our city’s most vulnerable residents.”

Development funding sources include NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), Sterling National Bank, and Raymond James Tax Credit Funds, Inc. The development also received a social services operating grant awarded through New York City’s 15/15 Rental Assistance Program.

On-site building amenities will include social services administered by The Doe Fund, a live-in super, custodial staff, 24-hour security, laundry room, bike room, and a private yard. The building will also include a 123-seat lecture hall theater that will be available to the community for educational programs, cultural activities, and local community board events.

Last week, The Doe Fund announced plans to develop 255 units of affordable, supportive housing at 1331 Jerome Avenue, located in the Mount Eden neighborhood in The Bronx. The Fund is on track to double its portfolio of affordable housing by 2020.