The NYCHA Journal

The NYCHA Journal has informed and inspired residents since 1970, covering the news, contributions, and uplifting stories of the NYCHA community while providing the latest information on Authority initiatives.

Communities Seniors Top Story 

Atrium at Sumner Opens Affordable Senior Housing in Bed-Stuy 

Vincent Echavaria

On May 23, Brooklyn’s Bedford-Stuyvesant community welcomed a newly constructed affordable housing building for senior residents on the campus of NYCHA’s Sumner Houses.  

Mayor Eric Adams joined community members and representatives from NYCHA, the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), and the NYC Housing Development Corporation (HDC) to mark the completion of the $132 million Atrium at Sumner project with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.  

The 11-story development – built on underutilized land at Sumner Houses – features 132 apartments available to senior households earning 50 percent or less of the Area Median Income (AMI), 57 apartments reserved for older adults who formerly experienced homelessness, and one apartment for a live-in superintendent. NYCHA residents will receive preference for 33 apartments. 

Mayor Eric Adams cuts the ribbon at the ceremonial opening of Atrium at Sumner. (courtesy of Ed Reed, Mayor’s Office)

As the city continues to battle an ongoing housing crisis, Mayor Adams and other leaders lauded the new construction project at NYCHA for creating an affordable community for senior residents.    

“This project is a success story for NYCHA, HPD, HDC, and, most of all, seniors in Brooklyn, who are receiving new affordable homes built specifically for their needs,” Mayor Adams said. “I’m so excited that hundreds of older New Yorkers will now have the opportunity to live in this safe, modern, affordable space with the amenities and programs they deserve.” 

NYCHA Chief Executive Officer Lisa Bova-Hiatt said: “It is a truly remarkable feeling to have come together to create nearly 200 new affordable housing units on NYCHA property for New Yorkers in need. This new, beautiful building will be home to a thriving senior community and provide a new quality of life to formerly unhoused members of the community. We are deeply appreciative of our partners in this endeavor to provide the Atrium at Sumner’s residents with the comprehensive care and exceptional level of comfort that they deserve in their golden years.” 

The new Atrium at Sumner features 190 apartments on Marcus Garvey Boulevard, between Park Avenue and Myrtle Avenue.

Designed by the world-renowned architecture firm Studio Libeskind, the Atrium at Sumner building encompasses a central atrium with corridors overlooking a year-round indoor garden on the second floor. The property, which was constructed by Lettire Construction Corp., was developed by Urban Builders Collaborative, LLC., RiseBoro Community Partnership, Inc., and Selfhelp Realty Group – The Melamid Institute for Affordable Housing. 

“Growing up in social housing in the Bronx gave me a unique perspective on the importance of community and high-quality affordable housing,” Studio Libeskind Principal Design Architect Daniel Libeskind said. “I took this insight to task when designing the Atrium at Sumner Houses – I wanted to create a place that felt like home to the residents. I hope this project serves as a powerful example of how good design can have a positive impact on society.”    

Supporting sustainability goals, the project was designed in accordance with Passive House standards – aiming for 60 to 70 percent less energy consumption than the average New York City apartment building. The new development fosters positive engagement with the environment with a community garden for residents and outdoor seating by the building entrances, while the open spaces at the adjacent Sumner Houses also received new landscaping, walking paths, lighting, and seating areas. 

“By activating underutilized land on our property, we are able to provide NYCHA seniors with beautiful, affordable housing,” NYCHA Executive Vice President for Real Estate Development Jonathan Gouveia said. “We are also providing the Sumner development with new community space, access to services, and beautified grounds. This building is a shining example of how NYCHA and other City agencies can come together to reinvest in, rebuild, and restore our NYCHA communities.” 

The amenities and facilities at the Atrium at Sumner include a 24-hour attended lobby, free broadband Internet service in common areas and apartments, on-site building manager, multi-purpose community room, library/computer room, bicycle storage room, exercise room, laundry rooms, handrails in common areas, and emergency pull cords and built-in air conditioners in each apartment. The building also offers onsite social services through Selfhelp’s Active Services for Aging Model and a Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) center on the ground floor.