June 2025 Newsletter
Overcoming Challenges
4 nonprofits come together to develop 5 properties with truly affordable housing.
92 Ribbon cutting at Throop Corners. (l to r) Stanley Celius, (exec. dir., Joint Ownership Entity New York City), David Davenport (managing dir. NY Green Bank), Kim Council (deputy Brooklyn borough president), Michael Rochford (exec. dir. St. Nicks Alliance), Evelyn Cruz (district director for U.S. Representative Nydia Velázquez), NYC Council Member Lincoln Restler, Rabbi David Niederman (president of UJO), Kieran Harrington (CEO of RiseBoro Community Partnership), Juan Ramos (exec. dir. Los Sures), and Diana Reyna (former NYC Council member of District 34).
The story of Unified Neighborhood Partners (UNP) is about the collaboration of four area community organizations: St. Nicks Alliance, Southside United HDFC – Los Sures, RiseBoro Community Partnership, and United Jewish Organizations of Williamsburg and North Brooklyn (UJO) to provide truly affordable housing. Only their efforts took longer than a two-hour movie. They overcame years of community conflict concerning the development of city owned parcels in the Broadway Triangle (the area bordered by Union Avenue, Gerry Street, Harrison Avenue, and Walton Street)
“For four nonprofits to come together to develop five properties is an extraordinary thing. We were all willing to work together and put community need ahead of organizational benefit. We came together with vision and equity to ensure publicly owned land would yield affordable housing, and ensure the properties are permanently affordable in partnership with New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) and local electeds,” said Michael Rochford, executive director of St. Nicks Alliance.
UNP was chosen by HPD in 2019 to develop five languishing municipal sites in the Broadway Triangle. When these organizations joined forces they created the winning proposal, which addresses the needs of the communities they serve.
Michael Rochford (exec. dir. St. Nicks Alliance), Kieran Harrington (CEO of RiseBoro Community Partnership), Stanley Celius (exec. dir., Joint Ownership Entity New York City), NYC Council Member Lincoln Restler, Rabbi David Niederman (president of UJO), Juan Ramos (exec. dir. Los Sures).
A corner of Throop Corners from the patio.
A formerly homeless tenant of 88 Throop, Anthony Gilmore, told his story, “I was outside. I’ve slept on the post office steps. I’ve seen a lot of rats, millions of them. Thanks to all of the community and government and staff for Throop Corners I was lifted from the streets.
Frank Lang (dep. dir. of housing for St. Nicks Alliance)
The New York City Housing Development Corporation
One of the properties developed into Throop Corners, located at 88 Throop Avenue between Gerry Street and Bartlett Street. The project includes a mix of unit types including studios, one-, two-, three-, and four-bedrooms with a higher-than-average allotment of family-sized apartments to provide space for families: 51 units, or more than 36%, of units have two to four bedrooms.
To celebrate the completion and occupancy of the Throop Corners, a ribbon cutting was held on the morning of May 8. At the time of the event, more than 95% of the 140-unit deeply affordable units had been leased to extremely low-, very low-, low-income, and formerly homeless households.
Kieran Harrington, CEO of RiseBoro Community Partnership, said, “This project shows what’s possible when long-standing neighborhood organizations come together with the community to build not just housing, but places that will last for generations.”
“The four organizations … came together to make sure that those who know their community best were the ones developing these affordable units and provide essential social services to those in need. Congratulations to all involved,” said Juan Ramos, executive director of Los Sures.
Rabbi David Niederman, president of UJO, said, “We stand here today, witnessing the strength of a community that builds together. This building demonstrates our unwavering commitment to meeting our community’s diverse needs. While this is a momentous occasion, our community organizations continue their journey to build a stronger Broadway Triangle, one building at a time, towards our goal of nearly 400 units.”
“St. Nicks Alliance is delighted Throop Corners is complete, fully leased, and in operation. As the property managers and social service provider for the project, we are assisting these diverse low-income households with their needs while maintaining a high-quality home. We look forward to the next two phases getting underway and completing the community vision of inclusion and stability in North Brooklyn,” said Frank Lang, deputy executive director for housing at St. Nicks Alliance.
All apartments are at or below 80% of the area median income (AMI), with almost 90% of units reserved for households earning at or below 60% AMI. Additionally, fourteen of the units are set aside for formerly homeless households. The project includes 27 units that are mandated to be permanently affordable under HPD’s inclusionary housing program. The nonprofit developers are committed to maintaining affordability restrictions on the remaining units in perpetuity.
“Due to the grit, vision and collaboration of these four local and trusted partners, the City was able to be part of an opportunity that will yield more than 130 deeply affordable homes, and kick off a three-phase plan that eventually will bring nearly 400 new sustainable homes and vital community spaces to Brooklyn’s Broadway Triangle neighborhood,” said Acting HPD Commissioner Ahmed Tigani.
The New York City Housing Development Corporation (HDC) finances the creation and preservation of affordable housing for low-, moderate-, and middle-income New Yorkers, but also strives to stimulate economic growth. HDC President Eric Enderlin emphasized a feature that addresses the latter when he stated, “Throop Corners addresses the urgent housing needs of New York City while providing crucial onsite workforce development services to support the larger Williamsburg community.”
St. Nicks Alliance moved their Workforce Development Center to Throop Corners (92 Throop Avenue) at the start of this year. For nearly twenty years they have been providing in-demand skills training and credentials needed to secure high-wage career-track jobs, such as in construction, technology, and healthcare. In addition, they assist with finding that first job, obtaining a high school diploma, or mastering English.
Throop Corners is the first of a three-phase community plan to add approximately 390 new affordable apartments and over 10,000 square feet of community and commercial space to the Broadway Triangle area, enhancing the neighborhood’s vitality, amenities, and services.
Each of the five Broadway Triangle buildings are planned to be designed with Passive House techniques for an energy-efficient building with better interior air quality, noise attenuation, and thermal stability. This design will reduce carbon emissions while also deepening affordability for residents through lower utility bills.
Throop Corners was designed by Marvel Architects and built by Mega Contracting. The team also includes: structural engineering by DeNardis, mechanical/electrical/plumbing engineering by Dagher Engineering, envelope consulting by Steven Winter Associates, lighting consulting by Dot Dash, sustainability consulting by MaGrann Associates, solar design and construction by Sunkeeper Solar, and landscape design by Tier II.
The total development cost was approximately $89.9M. The project received city capital grant funds from former NYC Council Member Stephen Levin and Mayor Eric Adams during his time as Brooklyn borough president. Financing was also provided from a variety of sources including HPD’s Extremely Low- and Low-income Affordability (ELLA) program, HDC’s tax-exempt city bonds, the NYS Brownfield Cleanup Program, and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority’s multifamily new construction program. Tax credit syndication was provided by Enterprise Community Partners, and a construction loan was provided by TD Bank, N.A. predevelopment financing was provided by NY Green Bank.
The second and third phase of the Broadway Triangle community development plan are currently in predevelopment. The upcoming second phase, Bartlett Crossing, is poised to feature 79 units across two buildings on Flushing Avenue. All new units will cater to extremely low-, very low-, low-income, and formerly homeless households. The third phase is named Broadway Commons.
Guru Krupa Loves the BK Story Voyager
The BK Story Voyager has instilled a love for reading in local students since 2016
A decade ago St. Nicks Alliance asked the question, “How can we fulfill an unmet need in local literacy?” The BK Story Voyager was the answer. After its launch in early 2016, this purple mobile library and its activities to inspire a love of reading raised literacy rates in schools with St. Nicks Alliance after school to above the Brooklyn Community School District 14 average. The BK Story Voyager received initial funding by being a winning project in 2014’s Participatory Budgeting.
The Guru Krupa Foundation (GKF) supports causes related to the acquisition of knowledge. In 2019 the BK Story Voyager’s mission caught GKF’s eye and has since become the literacy champion’s major funder. In October 2024, GKF renewed theirv annual grant of $75,000, which will continue to fuel the mobile library as it travels to
an expanded roster of 20 elementary after-school centers and holiday camps as well as twelve summer camps. Plus this fall, St. Nicks Alliance has added four after-school sites from New York State’s new LEAPS (Learning and Enrichment After-school Program Support).
“One of the basic principles of the Guru Krupa Foundation is to foster a brighter future by empowering young minds. That’s why we’re extremely happy to renew our support of St. Nicks Alliance’s BK Story Voyager. Seeing the joy on the faces of children when the mobile library arrives at their schools is truly heartwarming. The mission of educational equity aligns perfectly with our own priorities, and we’re happy to provide our sixth year of support for this vital program,” said Mukund Padmanabhan, president of Guru Krupa Foundation.
The BK Story Voyager’s mission has become even more crucial after the learning loss caused by the COVID 19 pandemic. St. Nicks Alliance incorporates NYC Public Schools’ vision for literacy, called NYC Reads with their school success model that joyfully and creatively engages youth in culturally responsive literary works.
“The BK Story Voyager is an invaluable asset for the children and families of North Brooklyn. Guru Krupa Foundation is fueling BK Story Voyager’s travels to 20 public schools for literacy lessons, book borrowing and book giveaways for thousands of children. We are immensely grateful for their steadfast support,” said Debra Sue Lorenzen, director of St. Nicks Alliance Youth and Education.
