Parkledge Apartments Featured in Affordable Housing Finance
Evergreen's Parkledge Apartments, located in Yonkers, NY, was one of the case study subjects showcased in the artcile "Good Redesign Makes Old Buildings Safe," found in the April 2008 issue of Affordable Housing Finance.
Below is an excerpt from the article that showcases Parkledge:
"Parkledge was orginally built in 1971 on the side of a freeway in Yonkers, NY., without any kind of controlled public space between its two 10- and 19-story towers, only an open plaza and a rugged path to the towers doors, according to Brian Poulin, a principal with Evergreen Partners, LLC, an affordable housing developer based in South Portland, Maine.
"So Magnusson Architects and Planners (MAP) designed an enclosed, brightly lit lobby for Parkledge that stretched between the two towers and the project's driveway. Large windows make it easy to see in and out of the lobby, while a windowed laundry room just off the lobby encourages neighbors to keep their eyes on the public space.
"A 24-hour concierge also watches over the cars and people that enter and leave the development from a round out-post at the end of Parkledge's new glass awning, just in front of the lobby's front door.
"The changes, in addition to modern technologies like electronic key cards and video cameras, allowed Evergreen to get the biggest impact out of the $15 million it budgeted for hard construction at the development's 310 apartments. That's just $48,000 per unit. In the years since the relatively light renovation was finished in 2005, crime has fallen to a fraction of what it was at the towers, making a huge difference to the tenants that live there.
"'A lot of people entering or living in affordable housing have experienced some form of trauma,' said Petr Strand prinicipal with MAP. 'They need to feel safe.'"
For the complete article please click here.
