Gov. Kathy Hochul is looking to build 800,000 new homes over the next decade. To help meet that need, construction is set to start on a new affordable housing development in Seneca Falls.
The $24 million project will transform the 19th-century era Huntington Building located at the corner of Fall Street and the Veteran's Memorial Bridge to provide 53 apartments — 27 of which will have supportive services for formerly homeless veterans.
Plans for adapting the historic building will utilize the existing three stories as well as rebuilding the demolished fourth floor. Once completed, there will be 31 apartments dedicated to households earning at or below 50% of the area median income and 21 apartments for households earning at or below 60% of the area median income.
"The governor's been clear to say that over the last ten years we've created 1.2 million jobs, but only 400,000 homes throughout the state," New York Secretary of State Robert Rodriguez said. "That's why the rents are moving up so fast and that's why we don't have enough housing to meet the various needs."
Rodriguez said the need for housing is becoming more of a regional problem especially as the state attracts new industries.
"Micron is coming, 50,000 new jobs for the region," Rodriguez said. "How do we create and support the communities here not just for folks that will be working here but who are already here? I think that's what this project is really looking to do."
The Seneca Falls project received $800,000 in funding from the downtown revitalization initiative.
