In response to the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development’s Melrose Commons North Site B Request for Proposals, the development team proposes a mixed-use development consisting of 3 buildings with a total of 331 units of affordable housing, community facility space, retail space, and a terraced courtyard.

Building 1 consists of 94 one-bedroom senior housing units, one two-bedroom super’s unit, 2,400 square feet of ground floor community facility space and 10 ground level parking spaces. Building 2 includes 112 low-income units ranging from studios, one-, two- and three-bedroom units, 7,300 square feet of community facility space and 9,500 square feet of retail space.  Building 3 consists of 124 mixed-income units, second floor laundry room which opens to the courtyard, and 10,700 square feet of street-level retail space with a corner space for a potential cafe or restaurant.

The retail and community space responds to the local social and environmental priorities. In order to enrich life within the new complex and surrounding neighborhood, the design of this new development includes spaces designated for public art installations, building-integrated (rooftop) agriculture, a new farmer’s market in the public plaza, senior support services, including full medical and an adult day program, and a centralized public open space with a series of outdoor decks and terraced gardens.

The proposed development will be built to receive no lower than LEED-Silver certification, and will comply with NYSERDA’s MultiFamily Performance Program, NYSERDA Energy Star and Enterprise Green Communities. The green features include a well-insulated and durable masonry envelope, daylighting in public corridors, high-performance, energy-efficient windows, Energy-Star appliances, and low VOC paints, adhesives and sealants, as well as locally manufactured brick, concrete plank and cast stone.