Renaissance Plaza

Renaissance Plaza is a mixed-use project built on vacant, city-owned land in an area of Harlem that is undergoing redevelopment. The developer was chosen through a request for qualifications (RFQ) process. The major uses are street-facing shops on the ground floor, with up to ten levels of residential cooperative apartments above, a single level of below-grade parking, and a small surface lot. The retail space is owned by the developer and is leased to ten tenants. Construction was financed through an innovative municipal economic development program that required 50 percent preleasing before release of the construction loan. Construction of the 240 residential units was subsidized through a separate municipal program, and tenants now manage the coop through an owners’ association. The project has accelerated the momentum of revitalization in this area of Harlem, and has provided the developer with experience in inner-city subsidized residential projects that the firm is applying to development elsewhere in Harlem’s revitalization areas.

Via Verde

Via Verde is a mixed-income residential development offering innovative, high-quality sustainable design and affordable rental and ownership housing for people at a range of income levels, combined with health-focused amenities. Located on a brownfield site in the South Bronx, the project includes 222 residential units, 7,500 square feet of retail space, and 40,000 square feet of green roofs and other open space for residents. The development addresses the community’s health issues with opportunities for exercise, fresh fruits and vegetables grown on site, and a clinic within the building.