Renovations transform trio of NYCHA towers in Washington Heights through PACT
NEW YORK -- New York City is seeing continued success with its private partnership program to redevelop old Housing Authority properties.
A trio of towers in Washington Heights proves the value of the pact to invest in a Permanent Affordability Commitment Together.
Shakeema Brockett goes to work at home every day. She has lived in her Audubon Houses apartment in Washington Heights since she was born and now works as the building's office manager. While she works and her kids are at school, a transformation is happening upstairs.
"By the end of the day we come home and just clean up after, just mop a little bit, get a little bit of the dust up, and that's it," Brockett said.
Brocket's building, along with nearby Bethune Gardens and Marshall Plaza, are part of NYCHA's PACT with the Dantes Partners development group. Founder and CEO Buwa Binitie showed their progress, explaining why his mission is social impact through real estate.
"We want to be able to create a welcoming space," Binitie said, "that you would see in a market rate building, and do it regardless of people's income."
His team inherited more than 2,000 outstanding work orders, as well as some stubborn perspectives on change. Through two years of meetings before work began, Brockett helped convince her neighbors that the slight inconvenience is worth a lifetime of luxury.
"To make them feel comfortable and assure them that the hard part is going to be over soon and you're going to be happy with the end result, it was difficult, but we made it work," Brockett said.
The vision vibrantly unites the neighborhood through colorful uniformity. The structures were previously in such rough shape, most rooms get stripped to the studs.
Construction takes an elevator out of commission, but movers take out and replace tenants' belongings like they never left.
"We're serving 900 families across three buildings," Binitie said.
The $166 million project breaks down to about $300,000 of work per apartment, plus the common and outdoor spaces. Tenants' rent pays off the interest to investors, who include Binitie.
Brockett most looks forward to a new sense of security with cameras being installed in the halls, and a rebirth of the gardens she grew up enjoying.
"It's going to bring the community together," said Brockett.
Construction on all three properties is set to be complete in about a year.
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