Chestnut Commons rendering courtesy of Dattner Architects
It was recently announced that Chestnut Commons, a new all-affordable Passive House will be built in the underserved East New York, a neighborhood frighteningly called the city's next "hottest neighborhood" due to rezoning and planned residential construction. But for those that live there, gentrification may seem far, far away - the borough is crime-ridden and 34% of residents are living below the poverty line. Plans (PDF) are in-progress to improve the community, and Chestnut Commons is viewed as an integral part. Dattner Architects, the same firm behind another affordable Passive House at 425 Grand Concourse, is designing the upcoming development.
Located on what is currently a vacant lot at 3269 Atlantic Avenue, Chestnut Commons will house a community facility, ground-floor retail, and 274 apartments ranging from studios to three-bedrooms. Units will be permanently affordable and more than 80 of them will be open to households earning up to $25,770/year including a set-aside for the formerly homeless. On the higher end of the spectrum, there will be units open to households earning up to $51,540/year. Passive House design standards, revered for its energy-efficient and cost-saving techniques, will benefit residents come bill time.
Passive House Design; Dattner Architects
In addition to the much-needed affordable housing, Chestnut Commons will bring programs and services that will revitalize the community. This includes recreation & social services provided by Cypress Hill Local Development Corporation (CHLDC), a CUNY Kingsborough Community College satellite campus that will offer certification training programs and introductory courses, an ARTS East New York Center for the Performing Arts that will host professional performances, community events, and courses in the arts, a food incubator to help neighborhood-based caterers and home-based food businesses, and finally, a new 2,000-square-foot Brooklyn Federal Credit Union branch that will offer financial education programs.
Dattner Architects
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Sandra Herrera
Sandra Herrera is a writer, editor, and graphic designer based in Brooklyn, NY.
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