The 68-unit HANAC Corona Senior Residence is the first affordable senior housing development built in New York City’s Corona neighborhood in 30 years.
The new development also meets the area’s need for early-education programs with a pre-K facility for 54 children on the ground floor.
“It’s an intergenerational project that is highly energy efficient not only for the tenants but also for the operations of the overall building,” says Paola Duran, HANAC’s director of housing development.
In developing the eight-story project, developers followed rigorous Passive House guidelines, including robust thermal insulation, high-efficiency heating and cooling systems, and strong ventilation features throughout the building. Based on early estimates, the building’s energy consumption will be between 75% and 90% less than conventional buildings.
In addition to reducing utility costs, the design provides health benefits to the senior residents, especially those with respiratory conditions, says Amelia Visnauskas, housing project manager at HANAC, noting the property’s use of low-VOC paints and formaldehyde-free wood products.
The $36.1 million development features six studios and 61 one-bedroom apartments for seniors 62 and older.
Twenty-one of the apartments are home to seniors who had been homeless. All the units, which are set aside for residents who earn 60% of the area median income and less, have project-based Sec. 8 assistance, guaranteeing the long-term affordability of the development. There’s also a two-bedroom superintendent’s unit.
The development is one of the first affordable housing projects for seniors to receive funding through the city Human Resources Administration’s Senior Affordable Housing Tenant Services program to provide social services for tenants.
