A partnership between St. Luke”™s LifeWorks, a nonprofit, and Ceebraid-Signal, a Stamford developer, will result in up to 30 units of much-needed affordable housing for Stamford.
Ceebraid-Signal has donated the site of the current sales center for its Highgrove condominium development, a 0.3-acre parcel on Summer Street appraised at $2 million, to St. Luke”™s. The nonprofit is using the land as collateral to raise the predevelopment money it requires for plans to construct affordable housing on property it owns in the south end of Stamford. St. Luke”™s provides support services and housing assistance to those facing homelessness.
“St. Luke”™s does such tremendous work and has such a proven track record in the city that using them as a choice for this project was a given,” said Jason Schlesinger, principal of Ceebraid-Signal. “This truly is a unique relationship and a great example of cooperation between private and nonprofit businesses that will benefit many residents of Stamford in need of housing assistance.”
With approvals to construct condominiums at Forest and Grove streets, Ceebraid-Signal is now required under the city”™s affordable-housing obligation to build 22 units of affordable housing. The company plans to exceed this requirement and construct up to 30 units.
“The success of Stamford’s affordable-housing program is enhanced by the flexibility established by the planning and zoning boards and staff members,” said Richard Redniss, president of Redniss & Mead, the land-use consulting firm retained by Highgrove. “Because of this, St. Luke”™s can now further their mission of providing housing options at levels far more affordable than those usually achieved through Stamford’s inclusionary requirements.”
According to Bob Rimmer, director of property management for St. Luke”™s, the organization currently provides services for more than 400 people each year. It owns and manages 69 permanent housing units in Stamford, of which 66 units are reserved for individuals and three are reserved for families. The partnership with Ceebraid-Signal could result in as much as a 40 percent increase in the overall housing stock St. Luke”™s has available to it for permanent supportive housing.
“There are currently 33,000 people in Connecticut who are homeless and over 100 families that are on St. Luke”™s LifeWorks”™ waiting list for housing,” said Rimmer. “We”™re the only service organization that provides affordable-housing assistance in lower Fairfield County and this partnership with Ceebraid-Signal will be a major asset in meeting the needs of a significant population in Stamford that requires permanent affordable housing.”
Highgrove is an 18-story residential tower comprised of 93 condominiums designed by the architectural firm Robert A.M. Stern. It is slated for completion in 2009.
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