A pair of new senior housing developments outside Co-op City were recently celebrated.
On Wednesday, June 1, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at 2217 Givan Avenue to celebrate the grand opening of the Woodlands and Council Towers VII, two new affordable senior housing developments that provide 178 new apartment units in total, along with other supportive services.
The $64 million project, which was a collaboration between the mayor’s office, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development, NYC Housing and Development Corporation, the NYC Housing Authority, the Arker Companies and the Met Council, among other partners, will serve low-income senior citizens, ages 62 and older.
The units consist of a one and two-bedroom rental apartments.
Each apartment unit in the two, 11-story wings is subsidized, so that residents are not required to pay more than 30 percent of their monthly income towards rent. Both buildings are fully occupied.
Income limits in the Woodlands building, which consists of 90 one-bedroom and 10 two-bedroom apartments, are set at $31,100 for an individuals and $36,250 for a household of two.
The Council Towers VII building, which consists of 78 one-bedroom apartments, serves the same senior population with a set income limit of no more than $31,250 for an individual and $33,250 for a household of two.
Each of these units, which are handicap accessible, contain a fully equipped kitchen, a combination living and dining room and a bathroom with either a full-sized bathtub or a roll in shower.
Building amenities in each wing include a laundry room, community room, landscaped sitting areas, a computer learning center, electronic surveillance equipment and security, parking and an on-site superintendent and porter.
The community room will host numerous activities for seniors, including arts and crafts, exercise classes and Bingo, among others.
The Woodlands and Council Towers VII were built adjacent to Met Council’s Weinberg Council Towers V and Weinberg Council Towers I.
This new development is the latest Met Council Tower to open.
“Affordable housing is an issue that affects us all but it’s an issue that greatly impacts seniors,” said Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr., who put $750,000 in capital funds towards the project in 2011.
