New York Construction Report staff writer
Construction has begun on a $37-million affordable and supportive housing development in downtown Dunkirk that will include 78 apartments, including 16 units reserved for veterans who have experienced homelessness.
The Homesteads at Dunkirk Landing development will consist of two new buildings located within two blocks of each other on Washington Avenue and East Fourth Street. The project is being developed by Regan Development Corporation and will replace vacant and blighted properties within the city’s Brownfield Opportunity and Downtown Revitalization Initiative areas.
The Washington Avenue building will contain 48 apartments, while the East Fourth Street building will have 30 units and approximately 5,900 square feet of commercial space planned for a childcare centre.
Sixteen apartments will be reserved for eligible veterans with disabilities who have experienced homelessness. Support services will be provided on-site by Soldier On, a nonprofit organization serving veterans. Eight will be designed to accommodate residents with mobility impairments, while four will accommodate residents with sensory disabilities.
The development will also include community rooms and a playground.
Homesteads at Dunkirk Landing is designed to meet several energy-efficiency and sustainability standards. The buildings will be all-electric and will include on-site solar panels and electric vehicle charging.
Financing includes federal and state low-income housing tax credits expected to generate $19 million in equity, $9 million in subsidies from New York State Homes and Community Renewal, $200,000 in infrastructure funding from Empire State Development and a $1-million award through the Department of State’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative.
The project is part of the state’s broader effort to expand affordable housing in Chautauqua County, where New York State Homes and Community Renewal says it has created or preserved more than 600 affordable homes.
