Heart of the City Neighborhoods has received a $1.5 million award from New York’s Housing Trust Fund Corporation to build eight units of green, affordable housing on the city’s Lower West Side.
The proposed development will be located on what is currently vacant land at 294-302 Hudson Street. The two townhouse-style buildings designed by Stieglitz Snyder Architecture reflect the neighborhood’s historic character and will contain four apartments each. It will include four 2-bedroom, 900 sq.ft. apartments and four 3-bedroom 1100 sq.ft. apartments. Off-street parking, landscaping and green space are planned.
“With Buffalo residents paying some of the nation’s highest utility costs, green housing is affordable housing,” said Stephanie Simeon, Executive Director. The new development will comply with the standards of New York’s Energy Efficiency and Green Building Initiative using energy efficient windows, appliances and other technology to save residents hundreds of dollars.
“This will not only be a first for the Lower West Side but this is one among few green developments in Buffalo today. Heart of the City is excited about the green design but also looks forward to providing quality housing for eight working families,” Simeon said.
Heart of the City recently renovated 263 Hudson Street, a single-family home that is currently on the market for $65,000 for a income-qualified first time homebuyer. Work on Hudson Street follows successful rehabilitation of three properties on adjacent Plymouth Avenue. By employing a block-by-block strategy, Heart of the City believes they can make a real difference in improving whole neighborhoods, not just one or two homes.
The Hudson Street Revitalization Initiative employs a strategy of selective acquisition of vacant, dilapidated properties for rehabilitation and resale to new home owners, and development of vacant lot infill housing.
The project site has an interesting history. From Chris Brown, President of the Kleinhan’s Community Association:
The property is a natural knoll that attracted Buffalo Mayor Pierre Barker (1837-38) to build a country mansion there in 1834 (photo above).
Benjamin Rathbun, the builder of Barker’s country mansion, was a famous Buffalo builder who was prolific in the 1830s. The home was purchased in the early 1840s by Jonathan Sidway and was commonly known as the Sidway Mansion until it was demolished about 1892. The original barn still stands and is located behind 34 Plymouth Avenue.
An apartment building was built on the site in 1895 and demolished in 2001 after a fire ravaged the property.
First proposed in 2006, it took several years to locate financial resources to support the development. Heart of the City anticipates a spring 2010 groundbreaking.
Get Connected: Heart of the City Neighborhoods: 716.882.7661