NEW YORK, NY - A new urban vision became reality today in Harlem with the opening of David & Joyce Dinkins Gardens. The building, residences for foster care graduates and low-income families, was co-developed by Jonathan Rose Companies and Harlem Congregations for Community Improvement (HCCI) to promote a better quality of life for its residents with community gardens, job training for youth and multiple green building features. Dinkins Gardens, Harlem's first green building that is 100 percent for low-income residents, demonstrates that environmentally responsible design can work within an affordable housing budget, and that residents can reinforce green aspects of the site.
"Dinkins Gardens is the new model for affordable housing," said Jonathan Rose, co-developer on the project. "Green projects like these are tremendous investments in the future of the community. By integrating social services, job training, affordable housing and green design, we're modeling what the future of Harlem and New York City, in fact, cities nationwide can be."
The green features of David and Joyce Dinkins Gardens promote energy efficiency, conservation and the quality of life, enhance the urban environment, and reduce utility costs for residents. By employing an integrated design approach from the outset with Dattner Architects, Jonathan Rose Companies was able to specify energy-efficient mechanical systems, a high-performance wall and roof system, green building materials such as recycled components, and low-VOC materials at no significant additional cost to the project, all for $19.5 million. "Green building is particularly important for affordable housing because it protects residents from rising energy costs and promotes their health," said Paul Freitag of Jonathan Rose Companies.
David & Joyce Dinkins Gardens is located at 263 West 153rd Street in Harlem. Of the building's 85 apartments, 26 are designated for youth aging out of foster care, with the remaining apartments for low-income households earning less than 60 percent of the area median income. HCCI, a non-profit interfaith consortium of more than 90 different congregations, will maintain ownership and management of the building. David & Joyce Dinkins Gardens will also include classroom space for HCCI's Construction Trades Academy, a training and job placement program that provides Harlem residents with access to careers in the construction industry.
Source: PRNewswire