The state finished building over 300 affordable apartments in Flatbush on Wednesday, and started on another affordable complex that will add over 200 units to the area.
Governor Kathy Hochul was in Brooklyn to celebrate the completion of Utica Crescent, a 322-unit complex part of the state's Vital Brooklyn program that is building thousands of affordable units on state-owned land.
Constructed on a former parking lot adjacent to the Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center, the apartments at Utica Crescent are for households earning up to 80% of Area Median Income, including 89 with on-site supportive services for eligible elderly residents. The health and wellness-oriented hub includes a healthcare center operated by One Brooklyn Health System, retail space, grocery store, community facility, and exercise and recreational opportunities.
The project will include fully accessible and adaptable apartments. There are 17 units to accommodate residents with mobility disabilities and seven units to accommodate residents with sensory disabilities, officials said.
In addition, the state started construction on the first phase of Sparrow Square, a 261-unit complex, with partners Breaking Ground and Douglaston Development. There will be two buildings, and more than 100 units will be reserved for eligible vulnerable households and those struggling with homelessness who are eligible to receive on-site supportive services.
The first phase will have approximately 20,000-square-feet of community facility space and 63,000-square-feet when fully complete, a ballet studio, and resident social service space. When complete, the proposed project will provide up to 1,081 new affordable homes of which 9% would be owner-occupied.
The project will also include fully accessible and adaptable apartments. There are 17 units to accommodate residents with mobility disabilities and 10 units to accommodate residents with sensory disabilities, officials said.
“These two transformative developments in East Flatbush bring the promise of the Vital Brooklyn Initiative to life-creating affordable apartments and expanding access to health and community services in an area of the city that has been underserved for decades,” Hochul said in a statement. “These investments put the health and well-being of the developments’ residents and the surrounding neighborhood at the forefront and bring us closer to creating a more equitable Brooklyn where everyone has a fair shot at a brighter future.”
