MacQuesten Begins Construction of Mixed-Use Complex in East New York Neighborhood

From Thompson & Bender:

MacQuesten Development, LLC has begun construction on Van Sinderen Plaza, a 155,000-square-foot, mixed-use complex in the East New York section of Brooklyn that will feature 130 affordable rental units and more than 20,000 square feet of retail space.

Located at 679 Van Sinderen Avenue and New Lots Avenue, the two-building complex is receiving funding from the New York City Housing Development Corporation (HDC) and the New York City Department of Housing Preservation & Development (HPD). MacQuesten is also partnering with East Brooklyn Housing Development Corporation (EBHDC), a non-for-profit, and Best Development Group LLC, an affordable housing consultant and development company founded by Ron Schulman in 2006.

“I am so grateful to the City of New York, Borough of Brooklyn, HDC, HPD, EBHDC, Best Development Group and Community Board 5 for allowing us to advance the housing needs of East New York,” said Rella Fogliano, president of MacQuesten Development, which purchased the site in January 2015. “We’re thrilled to contribute to the revival of the East New York neighborhood by providing high-end, affordable housing units and expansive retail and community space that will benefit all Brooklyn residents,” she said.

“The East Brooklyn Housing Development Corporation believes that our partnership with MacQuesten will create a new blueprint for economic development and affordable housing,” said Bill Wilkins, director at EBHDC. “MacQuesten has shown sensitivity and understanding of the needs of East New York in design and project development.”

“The construction of Van Sinderen Plaza will turn long-vacant lots into 130 new, affordable housing units for the families of East New York and Brooklyn for generations to come,” Schulman said. “It is a permanent, positive change for the neighborhood."

Van Sinderen Plaza will comprise two seven-story buildings featuring one, two and three-bedroom rental apartments. The larger building, on Van Sinderen Avenue, will feature 95,037 square feet of residential space, 17,341 square feet of retail space and 3,860 square feet of community space. The smaller building, on New Lots Avenue, will have 32,776 square feet of residential space, 3,931 square feet of retail square space and 2,049 square feet of community space. There also will be 21 parking spaces available to residents of the two buildings.

MacQuesten recently completed Phase II and broke ground on Phase III of its Heritage Homes development in New Rochelle. When finished, the project will feature 228 affordable apartments and townhouses on the site of a former public housing project. The company is currently developing The Modern, a mixed-use transit-oriented development in downtown Mount Vernon that will feature affordable rental apartments and commercial space.

Photo courtesy of Thompson & Bender