Bridge Rockaway Apartments at 203 Newport St. in Brownsville.
Rendering via NYC Housing Connect
A new housing complex in Brownsville has opened an affordable housing lottery for 86 truly affordable apartments. One-bedroom apartments start at $617 per month. The two-building, seven-story complex, built on the site of two low-rise brick warehouses, also includes nearly 40,000 square feet of manufacturing space operated by the Greenpoint Manufacturing and Design Center.
The new development, called Bridge Rockaway Apartments at 203 Newport Street, spans the block between Rockaway Avenue and Thatford Avenue, but borders the corner lot at Rockaway Avenue and Newport Street, where the Newport Community Garden has long stood.
Included in the lottery are 86 rent-controlled and income-restricted one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments for families earning 30 to 70 percent of the area median income. Income limits range from $24,480 to $134,820 for households of one to seven people, according to the listing.
The 15 one-bedroom apartments start at $617 a month and go up to $1,271, the 46 two-bedroom apartments start at $728 a month and go up to $2,095, and the 25 three-bedroom apartments start at $830 a month and go up to $2,408 a month. In total, the building has 174 apartments, and those not included in the lottery are assisted living units for households placed through city agencies.
Designed by Think! Architecture and Design, the Bridge Rockaway apartment complex consists of two seven-story concrete buildings connected by a large, landscaped courtyard. The two long, rectangular buildings run along Rockaway Avenue and Thatford Avenue, and their facades alternate between dark gray and beige, renderings show. A glass-enclosed foyer on Newport Street marks the building’s entrance, and the production spaces on the ground floor also feature large glass windows.
The ad says the building has common areas, laundry, outdoor recreation area and garden, and a 24-hour front desk. Heating and hot water are included in the rent, but tenants must pay for electricity, which includes electric stoves, the ad says.
The two buildings will be constructed over a 40,000-square-foot lightweight parts workshop operated by the Greenpoint Manufacturing and Design Center. The building is designed to attract local start-up companies and will accommodate 10 to 12 local companies to operate small manufacturing operations there.
The Governor’s Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative will provide funding for services for 35 housing units reserved for seniors and veterans in need of supportive services. In addition, more than 50 additional units are set aside for “chronically homeless” tenants. The services will be funded by the NYC 15/15 Congregate Supportive Housing Services Program.
Nonprofit social services provider The Bridge will operate the complex and manage services. According to its website, the organization currently provides mental health and substance abuse assistance, job training and housing support to over 4,000 people annually.
At the groundbreaking for the project in 2022, Dan Garodnick, director of the City Planning Department, said, “Innovative public-private partnerships like this are helping to push the boundaries of what’s possible to provide New Yorkers with affordable housing and economic opportunity at the same time.”
“I am pleased to see this unique project moving forward that combines highly affordable housing and nonprofit industrial space in the same building in a thoughtful and safe manner,” Garodnick said.
Developed by Mega Development and The Bridge, the Bridge Rockaway Apartments were funded through the city’s Extremely Low and Low-Income Affordability program, Inclusionary Housing program, and Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program. Additional funding came from the state’s Supportive Housing Opportunities program and Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program.
The lottery for the Bridge Rockaway Apartments ends September 23. To apply, visit the ad on the City of New York’s Housing Connect website.
This story first appeared on Brooklyn Paper’s sister site, Brownstoner
