Metro East 99th Street

Organization Name: SKA Marin, Developer and Owner; Dattner Architects

Project Title: Metro East 99th Street

Project Location: East Harlem, New York

Project Goals:
Metro East 99th Street was developed in partnership with NYC HPD, HDC and NYCHA, NYC HHC and NYC HCR and NYS DOH.to provide housing for chronically disabled seniors and non-seniors who can live independently but require access to support services. Due to the transition of patients from the now closed long-term care facilities on Roosevelt Island, there was a strong need for independent housing, located close by to the Metropolitan Hospital, that would facilitate independent living with access to supportive services. Many of the residents at Metro are from Coler and Goldwater Hospital, as well as other HHC facilities across New York. An on-site adult day program is run by the Carter Burden Center.

Metro East 99th Street recently won a prestigious national affordable housing award for “Best Supportive Housing Project” in the country. The awards ceremony will take place in Chicago in November at the Affordable Housing Finance conference.

Project Description:
Metro East 99th Street was the first Medicaid Redesign (MRT) project to close in New York. It is also the first 100% affordable and 100% fully handicapped accessible project in the country. The project was designed for low-income disabled non-elderly and elderly persons who are chronically disabled and may require some support services available to live independently. The building’s 176 units include a mix of studios and one bedroom apartments are complemented by a significant amount of communal space, including a community room, resident lounges, and outdoor garden community space, space for adult social day or related programs, and amenities to make daily living and aging in place easier for the non-elderly, disabled and senior population. The building massing features contrasting projected and recessed bays to give a human scale to the long façade, while contrasting brick colors in the bays. Glass canopies identify both the community facility and residential entrances.

Community Impact:
The building is located on East 99th Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue in Manhattan, across the street from Metropolitan Hospital. In addition to providing affordable housing for a population in need, the building also includes a community facility run by Carter Burden, providing social services to the residents of the building. The quality of design and construction of the building reinforces the strength of the East Harlem community.

Organization Description:
SKA Marin is the Developer/Owner of Metro East 99th Street. A 100% women owned business, SKA Marin has developed and preserved, as principals, several thousand affordable housing units across New York State. The firm specializes in Senior Housing and is on the forefront of health and housing. Dattner Architects designed Metro East 99th Street and the firm has a well-earned reputation for their leadership in the design of urban, sustainable, affordable housing and their commitment to creating safe and attractive social housing.