Once the site of a long-vacant grocery store in Pittsburgh’s Carrick neighborhood, Hillcrest Residences is filling that hole with new mixed-income and energy-efficient housing for seniors.
The Community Builders (TCB) created the 66-unit development for seniors 62 and older. The majority of the units serve households earning at or below 20%, 50%, and 60% of the area median income, with project-based vouchers awarded for 16 apartments. Ten units are reserved for unrestricted households.
“We had a very strong demand for this building, with over 400 people on the interest list at the start of lease-up,” says James Eby, senior project manager for the Boston-based nonprofit. “One of the things I’m pleased with is it follows TCB’s model for many years of mixed-income housing. It’s great that people of all incomes are living together in this building.”
Completed in fall 2017, the development was certified by the Passive House Institute US and is one of the largest Passive House buildings in North America. The four-story structure features air-tight and highly insulated construction, triple-paned windows, highly efficient hot-water systems, high-performance doors, Energy Star appliances, and an energy recovery ventilation system that recirculates fresh air.
Close to public transportation, retail, and restaurants, Hillcrest Residences also offers a community garden, a community room with a kitchen, a fitness room, a salon, a business center, and a private health screening room. In addition, the community room features large windows with etched designs by a local artist.
The development has a dedicated capital fund in escrow that will be disbursed over 15 years to fund a part-time resident services coordinator. To deliver additional services, TCB has partnered with organizations such as the University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing, the American Health Care Group, the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Stroke Institute.
Financing for the $15.8 million development includes low-income housing tax credit equity from Citizens Bank via a syndication fund managed by Stratford Capital Group and TCB’s Neighborhood Stabilization Program 2 funds through the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
