Ribbon Cutting Held for Greenburgh Rental Housing Complex for Seniors
By Rick Pezzullo
A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held last week for an affordable rental housing complex for seniors aged 62 and older in Greenburgh.
The property, formerly known as the WestHELP Greenburgh Homeless Shelter on the Westchester Community College Campus built in the 1980s, has been repurposed into 74 units in what is now called Mayfair Apartments.
“The Mayfair Apartments are one more instance of the county seeing the potential in an underdeveloped, underused property, and transforming it into something that will pay dividends in the community that it serves,” said Westchester County Executive George Latimer. “Creating fair and affordable housing opportunities has been a keystone of my administration – it is something we strongly believe in. We know that our residents are not fleeing Westchester, and we want to see them living happily and comfortably in the place they have always called home.”
The project transformed long-vacant buildings once used as transitional housing for homeless families into 60 one-bedroom, eight two-bedroom, and six studio apartments for residents with low and moderate incomes.
The six-acre site includes nine buildings; six of the residential buildings have been connected with community rooms and elevators to make the second floor more accessible for the seniors.
State financing for the $17 million development includes $11.3 million in subsidy from New York State Homes and Community Renewal. Supportive services for 20 supportive units set aside for homeless single adults over the age of 62 are funded through the Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative and administered by the New York State Office of Mental Health.
“Members of the Greenburgh Town Board and I are pleased to have partnered with Westchester County Executive George Latimer to convert an abandoned homeless shelter into much needed affordable senior citizen housing,” said Greenburgh Supervisor Paul Feiner. “The lucky seniors who live here will be able to take advantage of Greenburgh programs and services and be within walking distance to the Westchester Community College where they can take courses and participate in inter-generational learning. A beautiful new apartment complex in a safe and beautiful location.”
“The WestHelp site has had a long tradition of providing housing to vulnerable members of our communities. In a county where homes are so expensive and in such short supply, allowing that site to go fallow in 2011 was one of the more shameful county actions of the decade,” said Legislator MaryJane Shimsky. “I am very happy, and frankly relieved, that this location is now ready to house our residents again.”
Rick has more than 40 years’ experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, running the gamut from politics and crime to sports and human interest. He has been an editor at Examiner Media since 2012. Read more from Rick’s editor-author bio here. Read Rick’s work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/pezzullo_rick-writer/
