RiseBoro Community Partnership and Slate Property Group announced that leasing has begun for the 317 affordable apartments for low-income and formerly homeless individuals at Baisley Pond Park Residences at 143-06 135th Ave. in South Jamaica on Thursday, March 27.
Of the 317 units, 125 of them have been set aside for an affordable housing lottery, which is running through May 19. Twenty-nine of these units are available for those earning 50% of the area median income and with an asset limit of $77,650. The other 96 are for those earning 60% of the area median income and with an asset limit of $93,180.
Studios account for 25 of the residences set aside at 50% of the area median income. The monthly rent is $784. Up to two people are allowed to live in each unit. The combined annual income for residents of a unit must add up to $26,880-$62,150.
Three of the units at 50% of the area median income are one-bedroom, with a monthly rent of $980. These units can house up to three people who combine to earn $33,600-$69,900 a year.
The last unit at 50% of the area median income is a two-bedroom, costing $1,175 a month in rent. It can fit up to five people, with the annual household income required to add up to $40,286-$83,850.
There are 83 studios at 60% of the area median income, with a $996 monthly rent. The one to two residents of each of these units are required to have an annual income that adds up to $34,149-$74,580.
Another ten units at 60% of the area median income are one-bedroom and have a monthly rent of $1,244. The combined annual income among each household of up to three people must range from $42,652-$83,880.
Three two-bedroom units account for the last units set aside at 60% of the area median income. The rent is $1,493 a month and up to five people can reside in each of these units. The annual household income must be $51,189-$100,620.
Those looking to apply for the affordable housing lottery can do so by clicking here. Applications can also be requested via mail by sending a self-addressed envelope to Baisley Pond Park Residences, PO Box 440, Wading River, NY 11792.
In addition to the units set aside for the housing lottery, the other 192 units will be dedicated to providing supportive housing. On-site support and wraparound services will be provided by RiseBoro Community Partnership for the tenants of Baisley Pond Park Residences as they try to transition from homelessness to affordable housing. These residences will have access to case managers and on-site programming.
The property was previously the site of the JFK Hilton Hotel. In December 2023, Riseboro Community Partnership and Slate Property Group bought the property for $64 million for the purpose of converting the former hotel into permanently affordable housing. This marked the first former hotel to be converted under New York State’s Housing Our Neighbors with Dignity Act (HONDA), which gives the state the ability to finance the acquisition of distressed hotels and commercial office properties by the appropriate nonprofit organizations so they can be transformed to provide more affordable housing.
This former hotel, which is 12 stories high, already had layouts compatible with the new intended use, making the construction process quicker and easier. Only selective changes to internal walls have been necessary. As a result, construction is expected to be completed by Slate Property Group this spring after just 18 months of work, which equates to half of the typical 36-month timetables for ground-up projects.
“With construction rapidly coming to a close, we are so excited to have families applying to make this beautiful building their home,” Slate Property Group Principal David Schwartz said. “The speed to market of this project has been a game-changer. It’s a model that points the way to rapidly bring new apartments online more than a year faster than ground-up construction.”
In the conversion process of Baisley Pond Park Residences, Slate Property Group has replaced the building and mechanical mechanisms, including new all-electric heating and cooling systems meant to dramatically reduce emissions. New rooftop solar panels and Energy Star appliances have also been installed.
Amenities available to tenants of Baisley Pond Park Residences include a shared laundry room, a gymnasium, storage, full-time security and maintenance staff, a computer lounge, yoga space, bicycle storage, on-site social services and offices, a children’s playroom, an indoor garden, a mailroom, an outdoor recreation courtyard with seating areas and landscaped green spaces, elevators, a community/work space and 1,164 square feet of community center space on the ground floor. Each residence features full kitchens and ADA-compliant bathrooms. The building is also smoke-free. Utilities and amenities are included in the cost of rent.
Aufgang Architects designed Baisley Pond Park Residences. Enterprise Green Communities certified the project. The indoor/outdoor garden space was designed by the landscape architecture firm OSD.
“The completion of Baisley Pond Park Residences marks a major milestone in our commitment to providing safe, stable and affordable housing for New Yorkers in need,” RiseBoro Community Partnership CEO Kieran Harrington said. “By repurposing existing hotel infrastructure, we were able to create high-quality homes with essential support services – offering not just a home to live in, but the resources and community support that help residents thrive.”
After construction is completed, RiseBoro Community Partnership will maintain long-term nonprofit ownership of the building. This will be made possible through the Department of Social Services’ Affordable Housing Services Program. This project will mark the first time this model has been utilized to fund the creation of permanent affordable housing owned by a nonprofit.
