LI rental landscape changes with three developments
The Village Lofts, a luxury apartment building in Hempstead, is one of the first modular apartment buildings on Long Island. Each of the 29 units in the building has its own washer/dryer/dishwasher and private gated parking, which is unique to the area, and some of the apartments are duplex. Jan. 31, 2015 (Credit: Daniel Brennan)
Over the past year, three rental developments have sprung up on the Island, increasing housing options that had previously been lacking into Hempstead, Huntington Station and Riverhead. The projects are part of a trend toward bringing modern apartments, with a mix of affordable and market-rate rents, to downtown areas. Each complex has its own interesting twist.
VILLAGE LOFTS
HEMPSTEAD
In a heavily trafficked part of Hempstead, New York City-based La Cité Development completed Nassau County’s first prefabricated high-rise apartment building last year. Called Village Lofts, the development, which replaced four vacant, dilapidated houses, includes both market-rate and affordable apartments among its 29 units, with the developers touting its sleek, contemporary feel and a construction method that saved both time and money.
WHAT MAKES IT DIFFERENT? Clayton Homes built each module at a factory in Tennessee, where the company is based. Everything — including the kitchen cabinets, tiles and bathtubs — was installed at the factory, then the fully assembled units were transported by truck to Long Island and stacked on the foundation to make the four-story building.
Dan Bythewood, La Cité Development’s president, says the construction for Village Lofts was about 15 percent cheaper, saving more than $1 million on the approximately $9 million project and helping the company fulfill the goal of bringing affordable housing to Hempstead.
Six of the 29 units are considered affordable — about $700 to $800 less per month than the market-rate units, which start at $1,650 for a one-bedroom — and were awarded by the developer through a lottery process. Two of the units were available to residents who make 50 percent of the area median income and four units were available to residents making 60 percent of the area median income, which varies based on family size.
Modular construction is common for single-family homes and has recently started catching on for high-rises. The 32-story B2 tower at Brooklyn’s Atlantic Yards, built by Forest City Ratner in 2013, is said to be the world’s tallest prefabricated building.
Village Lofts was Clayton Homes’ second modular project on Long Island, but its first high-rise. The company built a two-story senior housing complex on the grounds of St. Michael’s Lutheran Church in Amagansett in 2012.
WHAT THEY’RE LIKE. The apartments have a sleek, contemporary feel, with wide-plank maple wood floors, nearly 10-foot ceilings and open kitchens with solid hardwood cabinets and GE Energy Star appliances. The project also had a green aspect, with prefabrication allowing for much less construction waste and greater insulation, reducing heating and cooling costs.
WHAT DO RESIDENTS SAY? Jammie Freeman, 44, a plumber who grew up in Hempstead, moved into a one-bedroom apartment after working on the building during construction, connecting the building’s plumbing to the town’s water supply and sewage systems. He’s also the building’s superintendent. Freeman says he is impressed with the luxurious design and spacious rooms. The building is home to several families and many single people of all ages.
WHAT’S AVAILABLE? The building, at 479 Front St., is made up of one- and two-bedroom units, including two duplex apartments. The building is currently fully rented. Call Matthew Korman or Orlando Frade of Douglas Elliman Real Estate at 516-327-6264.
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