Comprehensive Modernization: Building Futures and Bettering Homes
NYCHA’s Comprehensive Modernization (Comp Mod) program is connecting residents to renewal and opportunity. From celebrating residents who graduated from the Pathways to Apprenticeship program and stepped into new career pathways in construction to the first resident meetings with the design-build team leading a $247 million renovation project at Wyckoff Gardens and Gowanus Houses, Comp Mod is facilitating long-term investment and improvement in NYCHA communities.
Pathways to Apprenticeship Graduation
On March 24, Comp Mod celebrated the graduation of its third class of the Pathways to Apprenticeship (P2A) program, which provides free training to residents to prepare them for union apprenticeships and future careers in the construction industry and membership in unions.
Funded by NYCHA’s Comp Mod Department, the program also partners with Laborers’ International Union Local 78, which represents asbestos and hazardous materials abatement workers. Eight residents graduated from the program, gaining construction skills and asbestos handler training and certifications such as OSHA 30, Site Safety Training, Environmental Protection Agency and City Department of Environmental Protection Lead certificates, and the State Department of Labor Asbestos License.
Residents Help Shape the Future of their Homes at Wyckoff Gardens and Gowanus Houses
The design-build team chosen to complete a $247 million renovation at two Brooklyn developments, Mega/Technico Joint Venture, held their first resident engagement meetings on March 26 at Wyckoff Gardens and on April 2 at Gowanus Houses.
These events marked the first in-person opportunity for residents to meet the team leading the transformation of their homes. The design-build team introduced themselves, discussed project scope, and unveiled potential design directions for kitchens and bathrooms.
Residents had a chance to touch and see sample materials and explore four different options for kitchen and bathroom layouts. These selections were curated to reflect feedback from previous resident input and resident association conversations. The meetings provided an informal opportunity for the team to assess resident sentiment, listen to concerns, and begin shaping a design that reflects community preferences.
“This moment means everything: to stand in this room, seeing and feeling the designs and knowing we will be voting on them, that is powerful,” said Valerie Bell, Resident Association President of Wyckoff Gardens. “I’ve been here a long time, and I’ve seen a lot of promises come and go. But this process felt different. Comp Mod brought us in, listened to what we had to say, and made sure we were part of every step. This wasn’t just transparency, it was a genuine partnership.”
Following the introductory events, a second round of meetings was held to officially launch the resident voting process. Based on resident input, the design options were narrowed to the most preferred selections, and residents have from now through mid-June to cast their votes on the finishes that will define the future look of their renovated apartments.
“I was a Comp Mod resident ambassador, where I spent a lot of time communicating the work that will take place in our homes and speaking with my neighbors,” said William Reid, Resident Association President of Gowanus Houses. “To now be in a room where we can actually see the designs and touch the materials feels like all those conversations are turning into something real. Residents are given a say in what their future homes will look like, and that means a lot.”
The comprehensive modernization of Wyckoff Gardens and Gowanus Houses includes full upgrades to 1,668 apartments across both developments, with improvements such as new kitchens, modernized bathrooms, upgraded building systems, and abatement of hazardous materials. The collaborative design process is a cornerstone of NYCHA’s design-build strategy, ensuring that residents are not just informed but meaningfully engaged in shaping their homes.
For updates on upcoming meetings and ways to get involved, residents of Comp Mod developments are encouraged to visit their local engagement office or reach out to the resident liaison team.
Featured photo caption: Graduates of the Pathways to Apprenticeship (P2A) program