The Rise stands tall for bringing affordable housing and supportive services to formerly incarcerated individuals and low-income households in Brooklyn, New York.
The new 72-unit development is located in the Brownsville neighborhood, which has an incarceration rate three times higher than the rest of the city. Providing affordable housing along with key resident programs is a critical intervention, according to the developers, who have dedicated 47 units of supportive housing for this population.
The Rise directly supports the state’s Vital Brooklyn Initiative, which aims to mitigate chronic social, economic, and health/wellness disparities in the underserved neighborhood.
It has been named the best permanent supportive housing development in this year’s Readers’ Choice Awards.
The new community features a two-level community hub to provide trauma-informed case management, mental health and substance-use services, and employment and education programs. A rooftop urban farm is also planned to improve healthy food access and education in the neighborhood.
Adhering to trauma-informed design principles, The Rise is designed to avoid negative associations with institutional space and promote emotional well-being. For example, soft, neutral colors and natural light provide a calm and therapeutic living environment.
“We succeeded in creating an environment where individuals can improve their lives and thrive,” says Christine S. Lebron, director of design and construction at Xenolith Partners. “That was the goal. When you walk through the building, it feels like a sanctuary.”
Xenolith Partners developed the project along with United for Brownsville and the Women’s Prison Association.
The $50 million all-electric passive house-certified development was awarded a Buildings of Excellence Award and Blue Ribbon for Design Excellence from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.
DEVELOPERS: Xenolith Partners, United for Brownsville, and Women’s Prison Association
ARCHITECT: Magnusson Architecture and Planning
GENERAL CONTRACTOR: Bruno Frustaci Contracting
MAJOR FUNDERS: National Equity Fund; New York State Homes and Community Renewal; New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance; New York State Energy Research and Development Authority; TD Bank; Community Preservation Corp.; Federal Home Loan Bank of New York