Wyandanch, NY- December 20, 2019 The Albanese Organization, with its joint venture partner Community Development Corporation of Long Island, today hosted a lottery at the Wyandanch-Wheatley Heights Ambulance Corp. located at 295 Merritt Avenue, Wyandanch, NY, to select the 123 residents who will soon call 1 Washington Avenue home. The five-story workforce Residence includes studios, one, and two-bedroom apartments designed to be affordable to households from a wide range of economic backgrounds earning up to 50%, 60%, 90%, 100% and 110% of Area Median Income. For initial lease-up, a preference is provided to veterans for nineteen (19) units. Units are also available for the mobility, hearing and vision impaired.
“We continue to be extremely pleased with the evolution of the Wyandanch Village development, and 1 Washington Avenue will help us keep up with the continuing demand for affordable rental housing,” stated Albanese Organization Chairman, Russell Albanese. “In addition to CDCLI, there are many partners to thank including: New York State Homes & Community Renewal, Suffolk County, Town of Babylon, Babylon IDA, Sterling National Bank, New York Community Bank, and Hudson Housing Capital. This continues to be a very successful public-private partnership.”
“CDCLI is pleased to partner with the Albanese Organization on this transformative, transit-oriented, multifamily development,” said Gwen O’Shea, CDCLI’s President and CEO. “The high demand for these beautiful apartments demonstrates the critical need for workforce housing in Wyandanch and across Long Island.”
“Today is another exciting day for the Wyandanch community as we usher in the latest phase of economic development that will continue making Wyandanch the vibrant downtown that it is,” stated New York State Assemblywoman Kimberly Jean-Pierre. “I look forward to welcoming all of today’s lottery winners to this wonderful community, and I am thankful to the Albanese Organization and our partners at all levels of government for helping make today possible.”
“It’s an exceptionally exciting day for the 123 residents who will soon be able to call 1 Washington Avenue home – the third building in the Wyandanch Rising Development,” said County Executive Bellone. “We are moving full steam ahead, and continue to transform one of the most economically distressed communities in our region into a vibrant, pedestrian friendly mixed-use downtown with a beautiful public plaza.”
Town of Babylon Supervisor, Richard Schaffer added, “I am very proud to be a part of this special day, and I am especially excited for the new residents of Wyandanch Village who will have their dreams come true this morning. There is a lot of planning, hard work, and community effort that goes everything that we’ve seen in Wyandanch recently, but at the end of the day, it’s all about the smiles on the faces of these families.”
The purpose of today’s event was to randomly draw applicant names and assign a number to each name pulled, in the order in which they were pulled. A list will then be created with applicant names listed in the order in which they were pulled. This list will be utilized to reach out to applicants to confirm information listed in their applications and determine income eligibility for the residence in the order of the list. There are 123 residential units in the building and there is an approved initial preference for veterans for nineteen of these units. Each of the units will be filled as qualified applicants are identified, based upon the list. Any individuals who are not selected for residency, based upon list-order will be kept on the building’s waitlist in the order established today.
About Wyandanch Village
Wyandanch Village, the first phase of the Wyandanch Rising community revitalization initiative, currently consists of 177 mixed-income residential rental apartments supported by 35,000 square feet of retail space, a new public park, plaza, and LIRR train station. The project involves a complex financial structure arranged through a creative partnership between the public and private sectors. New York State’s support has been critical to moving this transformational project forward. Identified as a priority project by the Long Island Regional Economic Development Council (LIREDC), Wyandanch Rising received the largest funding award in the region through the first two rounds of the Regional Council initiative, along with the support of five New York State agencies: Empire State Development (ESD), Department of Transportation (DOT), Department of State (DOS), Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC), and Homes & Community Renewal (HCR).
About The Albanese Organization
The Albanese Organization is a full-service real estate firm with significant multifamily residential and commercial development experience. The firm was founded in 1949 and has grown steadily in the decades since, expanding its portfolio of properties known for their distinction, quality, and architectural merit, all of which optimize value, are environmentally responsible and further enhance the communities in which they are situated. An affiliate of the Albanese Organization was designated by the Town of Babylon as the Master Developer of Wyandanch Rising in 2011, of which 1 Washington Avenue is the third building.
About Community Development Corporation of Long Island
Community Development Corporation of Long Island (CDCLI) invests its resources, talents, and knowledge in the people of Long Island, helping them to achieve their dreams of an affordable home in a vibrant community. Since its inception 50 years ago, CDCLI has assisted more than 225,000 Long Islanders and invested $2 billion into the communities in which they live. CDCLI is a chartered member of the NeighborWorks network, a group of more than 245 nonprofit organizations across the United States that work to provide affordable housing opportunities for low- and moderate-income people.