Posts Tagged ‘Enterprise Community Investments’

The next phase for Birchez Associates

Thursday, July 15th, 2010

Aaron’s Birchez Associates opens fifth affordable housing facility in Ulster

Kingston Times, July 15, 2010  By Carrie Jones Ross   Pictured Below Right: Library/Game Room at The Birches at Chambers

The enigma stealing sleep from the burgeoning legion of baby boomers – “Where can I afford to live when I retire? Will it be safe? Will it be clean? Will I be lonely?” – just got a little easier to figure out.

Dignitaries from the county and state joined other people of influence and three full tents of perspiring seniors during last Thursday’s oppressive heat wave to cut the ribbon commemorating some 75 seniors  (62 and older) moving into the fully sustainable and LEED-certified 66 newly-constructed, 600+ square-foot apartments at Birches at Chambers on Maple Lane in the Town of Ulster. Chambers is fifth in a line of desperately-needed affordable housing projects in Ulster County built by developer Steve Aaron; his previous projects include Chambers Court, Birches at Esopus, Birches at Saugerties and Birchwood Village. The $16 million complex will be the first platinum-rated LEED-certified project of its kind in Ulster County.

Imagine paying a fixed monthly rent between $596 and $721 for a one-bedroom apartment. What would you get? Well-lit, freshly-carpeted halls with security cameras? Laundry rooms furnished with handicapped-accessible, brand-new machines for the long-gone bargain price of $1 a wash on every floor? A secure computer room with four flat-screen panel monitors? A free gym filled with new machines and classes just an elevator ride away? A beautifully furnished library with games and a community room with a kitchen and French doors leading to a patio? Media room with kitchenette? Would you expect beautifully kept grounds with a full-time groundskeeper and state-of-the-art security? In all likelihood, no, but Aaron’s new project promises all those amenities.

The community was designed for those who earn less than 60 percent of the area median income (currently $29,480 for a single person). The shift to friendlier colloquialisms reflects our slowly evolving views on affordable housing. Aaron emphatically concurred with the opening ceremonies speech given by County Executive Mike Hein when he stated, “It’s not about bricks and mortar, it’s about people – dignified housing for people.”

Aaron explained that his company has been dedicated to answering seniors’ and working families’ mounting housing crisis and has “gotten a little smarter” with each project. “We didn’t start off wondering what to do to be LEED-compliant,” Aaron explained. “But we found that we were already doing all that anyway.”

Birches at Esopus and Saugerties got the ball rolling forward with Energy Star appliances and energy-efficient radiant floor heat. Aaron took the Birches at Chambers project all the way, by including even more things like 97 percent-efficient Swiss-made boilers to accommodate the smart-design European heating system and solar hot water heaters. There are also energy recovery units recycling air through HEPA filters also pouring into a series of cooling condensers for air conditioning, eliminating the potentially harmful bacteria that collect in vents and ducts and saving big money for residents on extra-tight incomes.

Birchez is also referred to as “phase two”, conjoining the 2005-built Chambers Court community, oriented for 55 and older active lifestyle seniors. Aaron broke ground for Birches at Chambers in February 2009 to build the facility for residents with mobility issues. A community dining hall is in the works, at which point Birches at Chambers may likely go in the direction of assisted living, he said. Each apartment does have a kitchen (equipped with Energy Star appliances), however, those residents who do not cook rely upon the Meals on Wheels program.

Elant Home Health Care has an office in Birches and holds twice-weekly wellness clinics. ”We meet with the families, and if they opt for services we link with their primary practioner and devise care plans,” Elant health coordinator Kelly Ketcham explained. The goal, Ketcham stressed, is, “to keep people in their home setting, prevent hospitalizations and nursing home placements.” She added, “I do this for my head and heart, because that’s what I would want done for me.”

Aaron, who sits in good company on the executive committee of the Ulster County Housing Consortium, has his eyes on the horizon line of several locations including Fishkill, New Paltz and Ellenville. Aaron recently also submitted a building proposal in the Town of Rosendale in response to their request for affordable senior housing.

A myriad of agencies came together to make the building possible, including Enterprise Community Investments who notably found investors to actually finance portions of the project during this tight-fisted economy. One such financier was the “Oracle of Omaha” – Warren Buffett, who according to Aaron, has been financing affordable housing for years.

It did not come together without some issues, though. Aaron, who supported and employed former Town of Ulster supervisor Nick Woerner, got into a dispute earlier this year over alleged safety issues at Chambers Phase II with the town board led by the man who beat Woerner, Supervisor James Quigley. The spat held up the project’s temporary certificate of occupancy, which held up some of the first residents’ moving-in dates. Charges and counter-charges flew between Aaron and Quigley, but the dispute was resolved on March 31, allowing residents to claim their apartments.

They love it here

A group of residents rested in the bright, crisp entrance room from the day’s oppressive heat during the ribbon-cutting and subsequent luncheon, talking excitedly in a group about their appreciation of the new facility. Resident Clara McGill said that she always enjoyed visiting Kingston as a place to shop and dine, but never before considered living there until Birches at Chambers was built. “I have rented most of my life, and I have never seen anything like this place. It’s incredible here. Sometimes I even feel guilty for having this place,” McGill said. Lifelong Kingston resident “Mary” agreed. “We have fallen into a gold mine here. It was a little rough in the beginning, but I don’t think we could ask for a better place to live. The amenities are incredible.”

The residents commented on how often they see Aaron and his wife Judy, and how easily they can communicate with the couple. They love the decor (for which Judy is responsible), the fitness studio, their apartments (“It’s beautiful!” they crooned), and asked the Kingston Times to put out a message of sincere thanks to everyone on their behalf; to the Aarons, groundskeepers, maintenance and security.

To discuss the article in Ulster Publishing’s forum, click here and scroll to the bottom of the article.

More than just a Ribbon Cutting

Friday, July 9th, 2010

A Commitment to Partnership: Birchez Associates Gets it Done

Ulster, New York: Success is often a quality that is measured subjectively.  What one person considers success may be quite the opposite for someone else.  But when it comes to the track record for Birchez Associates, one needs to look no further than the fact that there have been five ribbon cuttings on five communities within the past five years.  By anyone’s definition, that’s getting it done!

Pictured at left: Lynn Kopka, Division of Housing & Community Renewal; Joel Brink, Town of Ulster Councilman; Alfred A. DelliBovi, CEO Federal Home Loan Bank of New York; Congressman Maurice Hinchey; State Senator John J. Bonacic; Steven L. Aaron, Founder & Managing Member of Birchez Associates; Michael Colgrove (in background), New York State Energy Research & Development; Josh Aaron; Judy Aaron; Joseph Malcarne, LEED AP & President Malcarne Contracting; Bryan Smith, Rhinebeck Savings

“This is a tremendous example of what strong public/private partnership can get done in difficult economic times,” said Chris Herrmann, an underwriter for Enterprise Community Investment.  Enterprise helps facilitate the closing of affordable housing developments, like the recently opened Birches at Chambers, with investment of development capital and funding.  He, and others, spoke to the feat achieved by Birchez Associates at the official dedication of The Birches at Chambers on July 8, 2010.  “This project managed to build in the highest-end amenities, build in all the current green amenities, and get the project done even with the economic conditions of the past two years.”

“Keep in mind that this was done during one of the worst recessions we’ve seen in our lifetime,” said Judy Calogero, CEO of the New York Housing Conference and past commissioner of the New York State Department of Housing and Community Renewal, who was master of ceremonies at the community dedication.  Despite sour economic conditions during the latter part of the past decade, Birchez Associates was able to forge affiliations with not-for-profit and government agencies to bring its plans to fruition.

The path to success hasn’t been without obstacles, however: thanks to census issues, the $15 million project almost didn’t happen.  Just as The Birches at Chambers was about to begin, Ulster County lost its entitlement based on a snafu with census tract numbers and overnight tax credits lost a 30 percent boost. Then came the economic downturn and there was another 30 percent shortfall.  To make sure that the project could get back on track, Steve Aaron, the founder and managing member of Birchez Associates, stepped up by providing a multi-million dollar loan to bridge the funding gap, while deferring the maximum amount he could in developer’s fees.

In addition, the New York State Housing Finance (nyhomes) and Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) was able to provide approximately $6 million is low interest loans, while Enterprise Community Investment supplied $3.20 million.  The Federal Home Loan Bank of New York, through their local partnership with Rhinebeck Savings Bank, kicked in $1.32 million to help get the project finished.

When all was said and done, the building now offers 66-affordable apartments tosenior residents who pay, on average, $700 a month.  That low rent is yet another success achieved by Birchez Associates because of private/public partnerships.

“When the state at its level looks to invest in someone, they look at someone with a wonderful track record,” said State Senator John J. Bonacic.   “We could do a hundred more of these projects and fill them, and we will continually strive to get the tax credits to help our good partners like Steve — a premier affordable housing builder — do more and more of these projects.”

For a video on putting the financial pieces together, click here.

Brian Rubin for Birchez Associates, birchezassociates@gmail.com

NYSERDA Recognizes Birchez Associates Outstanding Sustainability Efforts

Friday, July 9th, 2010

Birchez Associates is constantly pushing itself to stay on the forefront of sustainable building practices.  But what does that mean?

Simply put, sustainability is all about keeping energy consumption in line with energy resources.  And thanks to solar thermal panels at two Birches communities — Esopus and soon-to-be-installed at Chambers — the company has been recognized for their efforts. (Click here for video on sustainability.)

On July 8, at the official dedication ceremony of The Birches at Chambers, Birchez Associates was presented with a plaque from Michael Colgrove, the Director of Energy Programs with the New York State Energy & Development Agency, or NYSERDA.  The building in the Town of Ulster is expected to use over 40 percent less energy than a building constructed under normal practices.  This number is an improvement over the energy savings found at The Birches at Esopus, which uses 30 percent less energy than a typically constructed project, a no less impressive feat.

“Not only does that mean lower energy bills for all the tenants who live here, but also a much more comfortable environment to live in as well,” said Colgrove as he handed the plaque over to Steve Aaron, the founder and managing member of Birchez Associates.

The panels at The Birches at Esopus provide 30 percent of the building’s heat, and a whopping 70 percent of the energy for the building’s domestic hot water.  And it’s expected that The Birches at Chambers will go beyond the already high bar set by Esopus.

“It’s NYSERDA’s mission to provide incentives to folks like Steven who have the vision and the dedication to the environment to make these steps, to go out of the box and do things that other people are not doing,” said Colgrove, who declared that The Birches at Chambers would join its predecessor at Esopus as a New York Energy $mart building.  “Because of their effort they’ve earned somewhere around a $200,000 grant from NYSERDA for this effort.”