Impact

Partnered with Westhab to develop the Fort Greene Family Center, a 105-unit transitional housing residence for families in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. The modern, purpose-built facility was designed to provide stable housing, supportive services, and resident-focused amenities in a setting that feels more like a traditional apartment building than a shelter environment. The project includes indoor recreation space, training and social service areas, bicycle storage, a landscaped playground, and large-scale public art, including an 11-story mural by artist DaFlemingo that connects the building within the neighborhood streetscape. Designed to meet Enterprise Green Communities standards, the building was also planned to allow for future conversion to permanent affordable housing if shelter demand declines.

Partnering with Thorobird Companies and Bangladeshi American Community Development and Youth Services (BACDYS) on a mixed-use, 213-unit, affordable housing development in Cypress Hills, Brooklyn. Units at 570 Eldert Lane will be 100 percent affordable with 66 units set aside for formerly homeless residents and the remaining homes providing low-income families earning between 40 and 80 percent of Area Median Income. Located on a City-owned block and awarded through a New York City RFP, the building will also offer nearly 10,000 square feet of community space, operated by BACDYS, which has a long history of serving the area’s Bangladeshi American community. Urban Pathways will also provide on-site services. The project recently broke ground and is expected to complete construction in 2028.

La Ostra is the winning proposal for the Inwood 9th Avenue RFP, awarded to Slate Property Group in partnership with Communilife and Xenolith Partners. The transformative mixed-use development will deliver approximately 600 units of permanently affordable and senior housing alongside community-focused spaces, a new waterfront park, resilient design, and innovative environmental programming in the heart of Inwood. Rooted in the neighborhood’s waterfront history and future, La Ostra integrates regenerative architecture, publicly accessible open space, and partnerships with organizations including the Billion Oyster Project and BioBus to bring marine science, STEM education, and environmental stewardship directly into the community. Designed as both a home and a neighborhood destination, La Ostra reflects a long-term commitment to affordability, sustainability, and inclusive community development.

Partnered with RiseBoro Community Partnership to convert the former JFK Hilton hotel into 318 permanently affordable homes for low-income and formerly homeless New Yorkers. The project was the first hotel-to-housing conversion completed under New York State’s Housing Our Neighbors with Dignity Act and demonstrates how adaptive reuse can accelerate the delivery of high-quality affordable housing. The redevelopment transformed an underutilized hospitality asset into a modern residential community with supportive services and resident-focused amenities. The building also serves as the home of “Aviation Garden,” designed by OSD to reimagine the former hotel pool as a lush indoor green space for residents and “Queens Rising,” a mural by artist Danielle Mastion in collaboration with ArtBridge that celebrates the history and culture of Queens.

Acquired and preserved a 296-unit affordable housing community in Queens through a comprehensive rehabilitation and long-term affordability strategy. The project included significant capital improvements focused on sustainability, accessibility, and quality-of-life enhancements for residents, while preserving affordability for low-income households. The redevelopment also included upgrades to building systems, common areas, landscaping, and outdoor spaces designed to support long-term community stability. The team is also advancing plans to redevelop underutilized parking areas on the site into additional affordable housing, expanding the property’s long-term community impact.

Partnered with RiseBoro Community Partnership to develop a 216-unit affordable and supportive housing development in Brownsville, Brooklyn, including one of New York’s largest sustainable Passive House supportive housing projects. This all-electric, mixed-use development was designed to be entirely fossil-fuel-free for heating and includes rooftop solar to offset energy use, setting a new standard for environmentally conscious affordable housing. The project also features “King of Love,” a mural created by artist Victor “Marka27” Quiñonez in collaboration with ArtBridge, celebrating Brownsville’s culture and hip-hop legacy as the largest outdoor mural in Brooklyn.

Developed in partnership with Westhab Inc., the nonprofit operator and service provider, this eight-story, 64,000-square-foot project delivers 88 units of transitional housing for families with children experiencing homelessness. The building was designed to provide stable housing and comprehensive on-site support services, including dedicated administrative offices for social services staff, a training room, computer room, indoor recreation areas, laundry facilities, and bicycle storage. A fully landscaped rear yard includes a children’s playground, and the project was designed to meet the 2020 Enterprise Green Communities Criteria. Large-scale public murals by internationally recognized artist Sonny Sundancer anchor the project and contribute to the surrounding neighborhood streetscape.