HUD Attends Yonkers Ground Breaking

Acting Regional Administrator Mirza Orriols (4th from right) joins with the other dignitaries in breaking ground.

On September 16, HUD Acting Regional Administrator Mirza Orriols attended a ground breaking for Schoolhouse Terrace at Croton Heights in Yonkers, a new mixed-income residential complex sponsored by The Community Builders, Inc., and the Yonkers Municipal Housing Authority. The site was formerly an old school building that had been abandoned and suffered major structural damage from years of neglect. The schoolhouse was eventually demolished during the winter of 2012-2013. The new complex will consist of a 51-unit senior building and a 70-unit family building. Each building will feature underground parking, on-site management, maintenance space, and ample resident community rooms, including a computer lab. The complex is also designed to achieve LEED certification, with a strong focus on energy efficiency and green design, including green roofing. The complex also fits into the City's broader plan for the neighborhood's growth and renewal. The Yonkers Housing Authority and The Community Builders were awarded a $300,000 Choice Neighborhoods planning grant to create a blueprint for the redevelopment of the adjacent Cottage Place Gardens complex.

Other attendees at the ground breaking included Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano; Bart Mitchell, President and CEO of The Community Builders; Joseph Shuldiner, Executive Director of the Yonkers Municipal Housing Authority; Darryl Towns, Commissioner and CEO of New York State Homes and Community Renewal; and, Christopher Johnson, Yonkers Councilmember.

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