CHV tops out Clarkson Estates - design by CetraRuddy and Starr Whitehouse
Brooklyn, NY CAMBA Housing Ventures, Inc. (CHV) celebrated a milestone at Clarkson Estates in Flatbush, as it officially topped out on April 10th 2025. The final roof plank was hoisted into place atop the 334,745 s/f, nine-story building by the dedicated team at Bruno Frustaci Contracting, Inc. The event marked the completion of the block and plank construction for the development, which is part of the state’s $1.4 billion Vital Brooklyn initiative, and will provide 328 permanently affordable and supportive homes for low-income and formerly unhoused families and individuals, including youth aging out of foster care and formerly incarcerated individuals.
Clarkson Estates will feature more than 30,000 s/f of community facility space and nearly 15,000 s/f of parking. The construction, development, and design teams, including CetraRuddy Architecture D.P.C. and Starr Whitehouse Landscape Architects and Planners PLLC, gathered at the site to acknowledge all the hard work and collective commitment in achieving this milestone.
New York’s $1.4 billion Vital Brooklyn initiative is an ongoing community development program targeting and investing in eight integrated areas, from healthcare to housing, establishing a new standard for addressing chronic economic and health disparities in Central Brooklyn’s underserved communities. The Vital Brooklyn initiative will ultimately create 4,000 affordable homes in Central Brooklyn’s neighborhoods. Clarkson Estates is CHV’s second Vital Brooklyn development. The first, The Hart, is currently under construction in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, and will provide 57 workforce and supportive homes for the frail elderly, formerly unhoused families, and low-income households.
David Rowe, chief administrative officer of CHV said, “We are thrilled to reach this milestone on our second Vital Brooklyn initiative development, which represents a true collaboration between committed public and private partners to bring a transformative asset to the Flatbush neighborhood. Clarkson Estates exemplifies CHV’s model of housing as healthcare and our focus on design excellence, sustainability, and amenity-rich housing that positively impacts residents, the community, and the local economy.”
Clarkson Estates has transformed a site that was formerly underutilized as a parking lot for SUNY Downstate Medical Center into much needed workforce and supportive housing with access to healthcare services. The development further expands CHV’s focus on co-locating supportive housing and healthcare to help transition families from survival to stability and success. CAMBA, Inc. will provide onsite supportive services and programming available to all residents, including tailored case management. Onsite community resources are focused on supporting economic development and workforce training, adult education and financial literacy, youth development and violence prevention, access to healthy food, recreation, and health and wellness.
The Dr. Roy Hastick , Sr. Community Hub will feature over 30,000 s/f of community facility space. It will be home to an Economic Development and Workforce Training Center, Adult Education and Financial Literacy Office, Small Business Incubator, Health Homes and Screening Center, Violence Prevention and Mediation Center, Youth Education and Development Center, and Food Pantry, as well as a café, a childcare facility, and a full court basketball gym for use by the community. These programs are a result of community engagement with local elected officials, including NYS assemblymember Brian Cunningham (District 43) and NYC Council member Rita Joseph (District 40), to ensure the development meets the immediate and ongoing needs of residents and the neighborhood.
Designed by CetraRuddy Architecture with landscape design by Starr Whitehouse Landscape Architects and Planners, Clarkson Estates will be a metal panel and brick, contextual building and feature a double-height lobby at both the residential and community facility entrances with plentiful access to natural light throughout the common spaces. The development will be packed with amenities, including free Wi-Fi in units, 24/7 front desk security to enhance safety, extensive landscaping including courtyards and rooftop terraces to encourage community connection, a teaching kitchen for nutrition workshops, children’s playroom, computer room, indoor fitness center, laundry on every floor, flexible community rooms, bike storage, live-in superintendent, and curated art by local artists throughout the building. CHV builds amenity-rich housing to promote health and wellbeing and provide an invigorating living environment for our residents.
Clarkson Estates is a transit-oriented development built to attain a rigorous, quantifiable level of energy efficiency. It is designed to Passive House standards, which is the highest standard for energy-efficiency to reduce Clarkson Estate’s ecological footprint, provide superior air quality, and reduce energy use and residents’ utility bills. The building will include a photovoltaic solar array ready option, and has received funding through New York State Homes and Community Renewal’s (HCR’s) Clean Energy Initiative through NYSERDA. These sustainability measures achieve lower operating expenses, reduce the impact on our natural resources, and provide healthier buildings for the residents and neighborhood.
This investment in the Flatbush neighborhood is the result of committed public and private partners dedicated to bringing a transformative, sustainable, financially-sound asset to Brooklyn. Predevelopment financing was provided by Enterprise Community Partners; Capital financing was provided by the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York Affordable Housing Program and HSBC Bank, Goldman Sachs, New York State Homes and Community Renewal, New York State Housing Finance Agency, and New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance; Operations financing provided by Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative; and syndication provided by CREA, LLC.
Clarkson Estates is projected to be completed in summer of 2026. CHV, CAMBA, CetraRuddy Architecture, Bruno Frustaci Contracting, and the entire development team have been committed to identifying local and minority hiring opportunities and ensuring Clarkson Estates has a positive local economic impact during and after the construction period. As part of these efforts, Bruno Frustaci Contracting, CHV, and CAMBA have co-hosted successful construction job fairs. Clarkson Estates promises to provide an anchor of affordability, opportunity, and empowerment for the Flatbush community.