Breaking Ground celebrates topping off of Betances Residence

Bronx, NY Breaking Ground officially topped off its Betances Residence. Designed by COOKFOX Architects, Betances is Breaking Ground’s first Passive House project, and among only a handful of supportive residences in the city to embrace the rigorous energy use standard.

Betances integrates biophilic design strategies, such as the incorporation of natural materials, patterns, and abundant natural light throughout, to enhance resident well-being. With a tight building envelope and engineered ventilation systems, the Passive House design ensures a high indoor air quality for Breaking Ground’s senior tenants while achieving optimal energy cost efficiencies. The building will also have solar paneling.

Betances is located between Willis and Brook Aves. on a site that spans 142^nd to 143^rd Sts., and will feature two eight-story residential towers and provide 22 one-bedroom and 130 studio apartments. On-site social services will be offered to all residents in the building by the Center for Urban Community Services, Breaking Ground’s long-standing partner, marking their 11^th residential collaboration in over the past nearly 30 years. The space will feature gardens, libraries, a fitness room, and a community facility.

The Betances development is part of a commitment by NYCHA and HPD to identify underutilized land for new affordable homes and has created 152 units of senior housing, 45 of which are set aside for formerly homeless seniors, and 26 of the units will have a preference for current NYCHA residents. The building will also provide social services for low- and- extremely-low income residents 62 and older.

The DreamYard Project, a Bronx-based arts nonprofit for teens and young adults, will program the community facility and bring visual and digital arts programming to the area and its residents. 

As the ongoing pandemic exacerbates the city’s need for affordable housing, Breaking Ground is committed to creating the necessary and sustainable infrastructure to house the city’s most vulnerable populations. Betances will be Breaking Ground’s seventh building in the Bronx and increase its total units under management in the borough to more than 1,100.