The Garden Lofts at the Marine Hospital

Organization Name: Cazenovia Recovery Systems

Project Title: The Garden Lofts at the Marine Hospital

Project Location: Buffalo, NY

Project Description:
The Garden Lofts at the Marine Hospital features 23 studio apartments for people with substance use disorders. These apartments were designed to address the specific gap in safe and affordable housing for this vulnerable population. By providing studio apartments to people with substance use disorders, we are helping individuals continue on their road to recovery while they build the important skills they need to succeed in their day-to-day lives. Not only do the apartments provide a safe and affordable place to stay, but program participants also receive wraparound support services. These involve vocational supports, case management, recovery planning, and other services offered by staff members who are located onsite in renovated staff offices. The project consisted of a major renovation to a historic and unoccupied building in Buffalo. We’ve created a vibrant new apartment building that also incorporates Caz Recovery’s focus on wellness initiatives. There’s a raised garden bed outside, a recumbent exercise bike onsite, an indoor tower garden, and more.

Community Impact:
With the opioid epidemic still devastating communities across New York State, the Garden Lofts is part of the solution to address the lack of safe and affordable housing for people with substance use disorders. This gap can be extremely dangerous, especially for people in the earlier stages of recovery. People with substance use disorders often complete treatment successfully and make wonderful progress in their recovery. However, when they’re ready to move on, they typically have nowhere to go except right back to unsafe and potentially triggering situations. When that happens, it is incredibly challenging to maintain one’s recovery. This is one of the primary reasons for the recidivism in the system.

The Garden Lofts provides studio apartments for individuals facing a lack of affordable housing options. These studios provide a stable place to live while program participants focus on planning out and obtaining their hopes and dreams. From obtaining a college degree to reconnecting with family members, inspiring and hopeful things happen every day at the Garden Lofts.

Organization Description:
Caz Recovery provides residential treatment and support services for people with substance use disorders. We’ve assisted this vulnerable population in Western New York for 40 years, and our services feature a wide-ranging continuum of care that includes intensive treatment programs all the way up through supported housing. The work we do not only saves lives, it also inspires our residents to reunite with their families, find jobs, go back to school, and more. As one of our residents said, “I have nothing but good days now.”

Team Members:

Suzanne L. Bissonette
Kenneth Gholston
Eileen Dietsch
Gregory Fulgham
KLR Consulting (Kristina Rogers)
Fontanese, Folts, Aubrecht, Ernst Architects, PC (Phil DiNicola)

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