Breaking Ground has topped out its Betances Residence in the South Bronx.
Designed by COOKFOX Architects, Betances is Breaking Ground’s first Passive House project, and among only a handful of supportive residences in the City to embrace such a rigorous energy use standard.
The Betances development is part of a commitment by NYCHA and HPD to identify underutilized land for new affordable homes and has created 152 units of senior housing, 45 of which are set aside for formerly homeless seniors, and 26 of the units will have a preference for current NYCHA residents.
The building will also provide social services for low- and- extremely-low income residents 62 and older.
Betances will be Breaking Ground’s seventh building in the Bronx and increase its total units under management in the borough to more than 1,100.
The property is located between Willis and Brook Avenues on a site that spans 142nd to 143rd Streets, and features two eight-story residential towers with 22 one-bedroom and 130 studio apartments.
Onsite social services will be offered to all residents in the building by the Center for Urban Community Services, Breaking Ground’s long-standing partner, marking their 11th residential collaboration in over the past nearly 30 years.
The space will feature gardens, libraries, a fitness room, and a community facility.
With a tight building envelope and engineered ventilation systems, the Passive House design ensures a high indoor air quality for Breaking Ground’s senior tenants while achieving optimal energy cost efficiencies. The building will also have solar paneling.
The DreamYard Project, a Bronx-based arts nonprofit for teens and young adults, will program the community facility and bring visual and digital arts programming to Bronx
