NDR Group Completes Westchester’s First Green Affordable Senior Housing Project

By Erika Schnitzer, Associate EditorNew Rochelle, N.Y.—The NDR Group (formerly the New Rochelle Neighborhood Revitalization Corporation, or NRNRC) has completed Garito Manor at Union Square, a 102-unit green senior housing community.The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)-certified project is Westchester County’s first affordable green independent living community with resident services. It is available for seniors ages 62 and older. Income limits are between $35,550 to $42,660 annually for singles or a combined salary of $40,650 to $48,780 annually for couples.Garito Manor was financed with New Rochelle Industrial Development Agency (IDA) tax-exempt bonds, along with tax credits from WNC & Associates. This was supplemented with other funding sources, explains DePasquale, including HUD (Department of Housing and Urban Development) federal home loans, and a HUD special grant that was reengineered from New Rochelle rehabilitation dollars. Additional funding was provided through Westchester County for the acquisition and construction of Garito Manor, and the New York State Energy Research and Development Administration (NYSERDA) provided a $399,000 grant for the development’s green features.Garito Manor and the Townhouses at West Way, which sit on the same 2.5-acre site, form a master-planned community, according to Charlie DePasquale, executive vice president, The NDR Group. “They’ve been master-designed to be integrated together and into the community so that, aesthetically they fit in with the historical neighborhood.”Garito Manor was named after Frank Garito, president of NDR Group and former mayor of New Rochelle from 1970 to 1975. As mayor, Garito envisioned a keystone to the redevelopment of the city’s historic area, which had become deteriorated over time. His goal, he tells MHN, was to “bring back the energy and vibrancy of the community.”“Garito and West Way show NDR’s commitment to intergenerational housing—the combination of family home ownership along with senior rental housing,” DePasquale adds.Green features of the $30 million community include five geothermal wells to provide heating and cooling savings and energy-efficient windows, lighting and insulation. All construction materials were manufactured within a 500-mile radius of the site, and all of the residences were modularly constructed.Designed by Perkins Eastman Architects and built by Andron Construction Company, Garito Manor offers studios, one- and two-bedroom residences, ranging in size from 385 to 875 sq. ft. Monthly rents are $2,200 to $2,800 with all amenities included.Services include two daily restaurant-style meals, 24-hour security and concierge services, housekeeping, transportation and complimentary utilities. In addition, the development offers a fitness center, onsite beauty parlor and barbershop, lounges with fireplaces, a library, computer room and outdoor garden and sitting area. Isabella Management Services Inc., a subsidiary of Isabella Geriatric Center, manages Garito Manor, which is expected to receive its Certificate of Occupancy this week. Based on marketing studies, DePasquale says that that are approximately 20,000 seniors in the primary market area—New Rochelle, the Bronx, Yonkers and surrounding communities—who qualify for the facility. Move-ins will begin December 1.