New Supportive Housing Takes Shape in Clinton Hill

February 21, 2012 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

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By Linda Collins

Brooklyn Daily Eagle

CLINTON HILL — Ground has been broken on a new affordable supportive apartment complex in Clinton Hill, Martin Dunn of Dunn Development told members of the Land Use Committee of Community Board 2 (CB 2) last week.

Dunn was making a courtesy presentation on the as-of-right six-story, 59-unit building at 40 Putnam Ave. at Irving Place, to be known as Putnam Court.

The site was originally slated for condos before the market’s slump, then acquired by Dunn, a firm that has a history of building affordable and affordable-supportive residential projects in Brooklyn.

The 59 units — all studios averaging 490 square feet — include 34 designated for the formerly homeless (whose rent will be 30 percent of their income), 24 for those making 50 percent of the median income (who will pay approximately $613 a month) plus a super’s unit.

“Preference will be given to CB 2 residents for 50 percent of the non-homeless tenants,” said Dunn.

With CAMBA providing supportive services, the complex will include office space, a community room, a computer room and 24-hour security (with a desk just inside the entrance “so it looks like a doorman building,” said Dunn).

“We also like a lot of open space and greenery,” he added, noting there is a large backyard landscaped garden with seating.

Dunn also provided the committee with an update on Navy Green, the large-scale, mixed-income, mixed-use residential development on the site of the former Navy Brig near the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

One of two affordable buildings developed by Dunn, 45 Clermont Ave., is already one-third leased up and occupied.

“We had 14,000 applicants in the lottery for the 101 units,” he told committee members. “We received less than 600 from CB 2 residents and too many of those were ineligible, either over or under the income-level range. So we didn’t make our 50 percent goal.”

The other building, at 7 Clermont with 112 units, is now under construction and will be done by early fall.

“It will have a wider income spread,” he noted. “So if you live in community district 2 you will have a very, very good chance of getting in at 7 Clermont.”

The lottery for 7 Clermont will be announced in March and will take place in May or June, according to Dunn.

The architecture firms are Curtis+Ginsburg for 45 Clermont and FXFowle for 7 Clermont.

In other good news, he reported that the common green space at the center of the larger Navy Green development is being done ahead of the market-rate building and townhouses. A siteplan of the landscaped garden. Images courtesy of Dunn Development