R.H. Development Opens Doors
Two new affordable senior housing developments in Richmond Hill, with units reserved for formerly homeless families were announced by the builder, and praised by officials last Wednesday, May 21.
The new buildings Richmond Place and Richmond Hill Senior Living Residence, located at 129-11 and 127-03 Jamaica Ave., will house 117 and 65 apartments for seniors age 62 and older.
In the Richmond Place building, 24 units will be reserved for formerly homeless families. All units in both buildings are to be rented as affordable apartments, according to a press release.
Both buildings were built to provide seniors on fixed incomes affordable housing in southern Queens. Richmond Place and Richmond Hill Senior Living Residence were completed in the summer of 2013. The site of the development was a formerly contaminated Brownfield; the pollution was remediated before construction began.
City Council Member Karen Koslowitz praised the construction specifically for seniors, and reiterated the need for affordable housing in the borough.
“The need for affordable housing is self-evident. Seniors, may of whom are on fixed incomes, are particularly hard hit by this problem,” she said.
Borough President Melinda Katz was similarly approving of the improvement.
“The construction of Richmond Place is a wonderful story about a public-private partnership that cleaned up a contaminated brownfield site and erected some much needed housing in its place,” she said.
The buildings include approximate 200 “green design,” affordable units, with one third reserved for low-income seniors, according to a press release. The buildings also feature Solar Photovoltaic panels and are scheduled to receive a $336,876 energy efficiency incentive through New York State’s Energy Research and Development Authority.
These energy efficiency measures are expected to save an estimated $80,435 annually. Energy use at Richmond Place and Richmond Hill Senior Living Residence are projected to be 23 and 25 percent less, respectively, than minimum energy code requirements mandate.
Richmond Hill Senior Living Residence is a six story, 65-unit building, with 10 units set aside for those with special needs. The apartments are available to seniors 62 or older, earning no more than 60 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI), or $34,860 for an individual. Residents will share a ground floor lounge, community space, parking and a laundry room, and will have direct access to supportive services.
Richmond Place is a seven story apartment building with 117 units. Three apartments were reserved for families earning up to 50 percent of the AMI, or no more that $41,500 annually. All the other units are available to families earning up to 60 percent AMI, no more than $49,800 for a family of four.
Both buildings include primarily one and two bedroom apartments. The development was built on a former site of a commercial laundry facility and a joint gas station and repair shop. It was designated a brownfield due to soil contaminants and underwent remediation in partnership with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
The total development cost for Richmond Hill Senior Living Residence was around $20 million, and approximately $33.9 million for Richmond Place.
