A recently completed affordable housing development was dedicated in the memory of America’s foremost civil rights leader.
A ribbon cutting ceremony held on Monday, March 4 at MLK Plaza in Mott Haven, named in honor of Martin Luther King Jr., celebrated the completion of the 12-story apartment building with 167 affordable housing units.
The building features a spacious grandiose two-story high entrance lobby that showcases a mural dedicated to King and an energy efficient façade with a LEED Platinum green building certification.
Its unique amenities are usually found in more upscale residential buildings, said Dan Rad, principal of the builder, Radson Development.
Radson developed the building with funding from the NYS Housing Development Corporation and the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development.
The affordable units were leased through a housing lottery, which was already held, for families earning from $21,930 to just above $75,000 for a family of three. Another 33 units were set aside for the formerly homeless.
Additionally, 68 units in the building will be permanently affordable due to subsidies provided both under the Mayor’s Mandatory Inclusionary Housing program, an affordable housing development plan, and the additional support from HPD and HDC, said Rad.
“It is an amenity rich building,” said Rad, pointing out the building’s greenroofs, outdoor and indoor recreation areas, a gym, laundry room and an outdoor yoga space.
The apartments have high quality fixtures and finishings, Rad said.
These include luxurious wooden floors, Italian porcelain in the bathrooms, granite countertops, tilt and turn casement windows and high-energy efficient kitchen appliances, said Rad.
The building was designed with the tenants’ quality of life in mind, he said.
“Radson Development is proud to bring this state of the art building to Mott Haven, and we are grateful to all our partners that helped make this dream a reality,” said Rad.
Additionally, Rad said that the building has a lot of architecturally pleasing elements and is approximately 180,000 square feet.
Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., who took part in the ceremonial ribbon cutting, said that his office provided $500,000 in funding to the project.
“MLK Plaza is a testament to our efforts to create new housing units and keep our borough and our city affordable,” said Diaz.
Adding, “MLK Plaza will not only provide necessary affordable housing units for the borough but considering that permanent supportive housing is the key to preventing recurring homelessness, these new units will also help alleviate the homelessness problem.”
Local Councilwoman Diana Ayala said she was excited about bringing more “deeply affordable projects” like the complex to Mott Haven.
The apartment unit mix is comprised of 25 studios, 57 one-bedrooms, 60 two-bedrooms, and 24 three-bedroom apartments.
Additionally, there is a 722 square foot community room.
