The non-profit developer Selfhelp Realty Group announced it has received $1 million in funding from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to support the construction of Kissena House, an upcoming 110-unit, all electric, energy-efficient building for low-income seniors at the intersection of 45th Avenue and Kissena Boulevard in Flushing.
The $1 million Buildings of Excellence (BOE) Competition Award was provided for the development of Kissena House because the project was found to be innovative and affordable, as the energy-efficient building would help lower emissions across New York City. Selfhelp Realty Group received the maximum award in the BOE Competition, which has been running since 2019. Award funding will also be provided to assist in design services for the project’s architectural team, led by Curtis + Ginsberg Architects LLP.
“We are incredibly grateful and thank NYSERDA for receiving this substantial funding to advance a cutting-edge project that previews the potential of low- and no-emission affordable housing,” Selfhelp Realty Group Executive Director Lisa Trub said. “Affordable and efficient don’t have to be mutually exclusive, and this investment is a commitment to a project that accomplishes both. This NYSERDA award will help Selfhelp continue to build safe and beautiful, permanently affordable housing for low-income New Yorkers.”
Kissena House is currently in the design phase. The building will go up on the Flushing campus of Selfhelp Community Services, a non-profit that provides care and support for seniors. Kissena House will provide several older New York City residents with affordable apartments during a time in which many are facing housing instability and large increases in poverty rates.
In addition to providing much-needed affordable housing for this population of New Yorkers, Kissena Park will be designed to lower carbon emissions. The building will be entirely electric and carbon-neutral-ready, meaning there will not be any combustion of fossil fuels for daily operations there.
Geothermal power will be the source of all heating and cooling, with a solar array also planned for the roof to further provide renewable energy sources. In an effort to reduce heat uptake from the sun, the windows of the building will have strategically implemented solar shade structures. Additionally, to reduce heat uptake even further, the building’s envelope, including the windows, roof and walls, will be highly insulated.
“The Buildings of Excellence Competition inspires projects that push the boundaries of clean, modern building design and construction to demonstrate pathways to zero-emission structures. Congratulations to the team behind the Kissena House project, whose work exhibits how to meet the needs of the community while helping to further New York State’s efforts toward a more resilient future,” NYSERDA President and CEO Doreen M. Harris said.
On-site social services will be available to residents of Kissena House through Selfhelp’s Acting Services for Aging Model (SHASAM), which will better ensure the residents are able to age with dignity by providing them with a constant set of supports. The stable housing that Kissena House will provide will also allow the seniors there to maintain ties to support networks, faith groups and neighbors, as the communities would also remain stable.
It is estimated that the population of seniors in New York City will reach more than 1.4 million by 2030. With agency budgets already being stretched, Selfhelp Community Services hopes to bring unparalleled expertise in senior housing design, neighborhood engagement and services focused on residents through its housing arm, Selfhelp Realty Group.
The housing arm has already created 19 buildings with 1,900 housing units across New York City and Long Island. Selfhelp Community Services has assisted more than 25,000 adults in aging with independence and dignity through home care, community-based programs and affordable housing.
