News
The New York Times: “Does This Brooklyn Housing Development Know the Secret to Long Life?”
The New York Times explores the unique Alafia development, which is inspired by the practices of Blue Zone communities that are believed to lead to longevity. HSE served as deal counsel.
Three HSE Projects Named as Finalists for ULI New York Awards for Excellence in Development
HSE is pleased to announce that three of the firm’s have been named finalists for the Urban Land Institute (ULI) New York Awards for Excellence in Development. Winners will be announced from 15 total finalists at the Awards for Excellence Gala on October 18.
The Awards “honor outstanding development projects in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors across New York State that best exemplify ULI’s commitment to shape the future of the built environment for transformative impact in communities worldwide.”
Two of the three projects are in the “Excellence in Affordable Housing Development” category. Downtown Far Rockaway Village, developed by Phipps Houses, is a 537-unit affordable housing development created on the site of a former surface parking lot and failed shopping mall in Far Rockaway, Queens. Far Rockaway is a transit-oriented development, sited near the A subway train terminus and a Long Island Railroad stop. Amenities include rooftop solar panels and green space, community courtyards, concierges, and playrooms. The development also features 10,000 square feet of retail space and a new public library. The Peninsula, developed by The Hudson Companies, Gilbane Development Company, and Mutual Housing Association of New York (MHANY), is a 183-unit affordable housing and multi-use development located on two parcels where the former Spofford Juvenile Detention Center once stood in the Bronx. Peninsula 1A includes a shared commercial kitchen for local entrepreneurs, and Peninsula 1B includes multiple subsidized rehearsal, studio and gathering spaces for commercial artists. The Peninsula is currently pursuing LEED GOLD certification, bolstered by features like solar panels, green roof, heat island reduction, rooftop rainwater harvesting, and New York City’s first aerobic food waste-to-fertilizer digester.
One Clinton is a finalist in the “Excellence in Market-Rate Housing Development” category. Developed by The Hudson Companies, One Clinton was created to meet community and housing needs on the site of the original Brooklyn Heights library. When the library grew too expensive to maintain, developers and the community worked together to create a plan that would provide not only a new library but also new housing stock and additional community resources. One Clinton is now home to the new Brooklyn Heights library (the largest library in Brooklyn), as well as 134 market-rate condos with unparalleled views and sustainability features like high-performance exterior walls. Additional proceeds from the sale of the Brooklyn Heights library land helped finance 114 affordable homes at 60 to 125% of AMI at two other sites, one new DUMBO library and $40 million for nine libraries’ deferred capital needs.
Winners will be announced at the Awards for Excellence Gala on October 18, 2023.