The Bedford Park community came together to celebrate the opening of affordable, senior housing that is as “green” as a green building can currently be.
Serviam Gardens II, the second phase of Serviam Gardens located at 323 E. 198th Street, was officially opened with a ribbon cutting on Tuesday, May 3.
The senior housing development will provide a total of 243 units of green, affordable housing for low- and moderate-income seniors. The second phase has created 158 new units in addition to those opened two years ago.
The Department of Housing Preservation and Development, Housing Development Corporation, The Ursuline Bedford Park Community, developer Fordham Bedford Housing Corporation, Enterprise Community Partners, J.P. Morgan Chase, and regional New York and New Jersey U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development director and former Borough President Adolfo Carrion Jr., all came together to celebrate the new housing.
It conforms to Enterprise Green Communities Certification for green housing, the only certification that is specifically designed for low- and moderate-income housing.
The certification makes it cleaner and more affordable for those who live at the facility.
Fordham Bedford’s dedication to meeting these criteria has helped to create a green property from construction through completion, incorporating amenities that will allow it to remain vital and efficient for the foreseeable future, Visnauskas also said.
Among the green features of the building are a rainwater harvesting system and green roof that limits storm water impact, bamboo flooring, and energy-efficient elevators, lighting, and appliances.
The green building, which was financed through a public-private partnership, directly supports the goals of PlaNYC, the city’s sustainability plan through 2030.
“Serviam Gardens shows how it is possible to make our housing both more affordable and more sustainable,” said Mayor’s Office of Long Term Planning and Sustainability director David Bragdon.
