Dattner Architects has been selected to design Kingsbrook Estates in Central Brooklyn, transforming the Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center North Campus into a new 266-unit affordable housing development.
As part of Governor Cuomo’s Vital Brooklyn initiative, which promises to create 4,000 units of affordable housing in Central Brooklyn, Kingsbrook Estates will offer affordable housing and an array of health, wellness, employment and support services for residents and the community at-large.
The three-building development will give residents access to health and wellness classes, vocational training, physical activity programs, and integrated care.
Amenities include a community garden, outdoor exercise equipment, walkways, children’s play areas, outdoor kitchens, an indoor teaching kitchen, community spaces, laundry rooms, and bike storage.
A nurse’s station will provide on-site services and counseling space. One Brooklyn Health System and Kingsbrook Estates will also provide all-inclusive care for the elderly in the development’s 7,000 s/f PACE Center.
Kingsbrook Estates is designed to meet Enterprise Green Communities and ENERGY STAR requirements, and includes solar photovoltaic panels and green roof systems.
The Kingsbrook Estates idevelopment team includes Monadnock Development, CB-Emmanuel Realty,and Brooklyn Community Housing and Services. They were recently awarded the project through New York State Division of Homes and Community Renewal (HCR).
“As a 20-year resident of the East Flatbush community, I am pleased that the Cuomo Administration is making this investment,” said John Woelfling, principal at Dattner Architects
“As an architect in the community, my firm and I are excited to help transform the Kingsbrook campus to include much needed affordable, inter-generational, and supportive housing. Our site plan is a combination of adaptive re-use and contextual design that will integrate with and enhance the community.”
As part of the proposal, three existing buildings on the 102,000 s/f Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center North Campus will be demolished and replaced with two newly constructed buildings.
The Leviton Building, another building on the campus, will be redeveloped from hospital use into housing units.
Central Brooklyn is considered one of the most vulnerable areas in all of New York State. Residents experience measurably higher rates of health problems; limited access to healthy foods or opportunities for physical activity; and high rates of violence and crime.
Central Brooklyn is also affected by wide economic disparities due to unemployment, high poverty levels and inadequate access to high quality health care.
The Governor launched the Vital Brooklyn Initiative in spring 2017 in order to address disparities that affect residents and to create a new model for community development and wellness.
