Housing association praises E Square
Energy Square, an apartment building that opened this year on Cedar Street in Midtown Kingston, has drawn praise from a state affordable housing group.
The New York State Association for Affordable Housing says the state should “prioritize the development and preservation of affordable housing with sustained funding for the state’s affordable housing crisis in 2021,” and it cited Energy Square, developed by affordable housing agency RUPCO, as a model effort.
“RUPCO’s Energy Square development is a shining example of a project that should be replicated across New York state,” Jolie Milstein, president and chief executive officer of the association, said in a prepared statement. “It provides ... much-needed affordable homes to families in Kingston, including support for those with experiences with homelessness.
“It also provides residents and the community with broadband connectivity; meets net-zero standards, thanks to its combination of geothermal and solar power energy sources; and provides on-site educational programming for school-aged children in its ground-floor space,” Milstein said.
The New York State Association for Affordable Housing said in a press release that it “advocates for policies that will stimulate the production of affordable housing for families across the state.”
“This mission is even more important now in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, which hit lowincome New Yorkers hardest and exacerbated a longstanding affordability crisis,” the release stated.
Energy Square, or E Square, opened to tenants in June at 20 Cedar St., where the MidCity Lanes bowling alley used to stand. The fivestory building comprises 57 apartment: 44 one-bedroom apartments, six twobedroom units, four threebedroom units, two studio apartments and an apartment for a live-in superintendent. It is home to 79 people.
Amenities in the building include Energy Star appliances, laundry machines on the premises, a community room with WiFi service, a “green” rooftop area with an outdoor pavilion, and on-site parking. RUPCO has said Energy Square will meet a “net-zero for living” standard that combines geothermal and solar power sources and other energyefficient features.
Milstein said E Square is an example of not only good affordable housing, but of what can be done to improve neighborhoods.
“It is a testament to the transformative impact of affordable housing production for both the families living in the new homes and the communities in which they are built,” she said. “Funding more projects like Energy Square will help New York recover from the pandemic while laying the foundation for a fairer, more equitable future . ...
“Now more than ever, we must enact smart housing policies that will protect vulnerable New Yorkers and address our state’s housing crisis head-on,” Milstein said. “A commitment to fund the preservation and production of affordable housing over the course of the next five years will not only help to provide safe and secure homes for all New Yorkers but will also kick-start our state’s economic recovery by expanding job creation and stimulating local economies.”
The New York State Association for Affordable Housing says a typical 100-unit affordable housing project in New York generates 175 construction jobs, an additional 20 permanent jobs, $29.6 million in economic spending during construction, and $3.6 million in sustained local economic activity.