Affordable Housing Lottery for Gowanus Wharf Building Offers $903 Units

An affordable housing lottery is open through this month for a 15-story development on Gowanus’ Douglass Street, one of four buildings in the Gowanus Wharf complex developed by Charney Companies. The new building, steps away from the Gowanus Canal, includes a dance studio and rooftop deck.

Included in the lottery for 251 Douglass Street are 65 studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments, all rent stabilized and income restricted, 52 of which are truly affordable. Those are set aside for families earning 40 and 60 percent of the Area Median Income, or between $34,766 and $105,000 a year for households of one to five people, according to the listing.

Eight units are studios going for $903 and $1,397 a month, 19 are one-bedrooms at $961 and $1,491 a month, and 25 are two-bedroom apartments going for $1,142 and $1,777 a month. The other 13 apartments are aimed at households of one to five people earning 100 percent of AMI, or $85,612 to $175,000 for households of one to five people. Studios in this price range cost $2,386 and two-bedrooms rent for $3,048 a month.

The 15-story, 260-unit development, dubbed Douglass Port Apartments and located at 251 Douglass Street, was designed by architecture firm Fogarty Finger and developed by Charney Companies. It is one of four buildings in Charney’s Gowanus Wharf complex, which includes Nevins Port at 320 and 340 Nevins Street and Union Channel at 240 3rd Avenue. Union Channel, the farthest along, has held an affordable housing lottery and recently started leasing.

In addition to the dance studio and roof deck, the building has bike storage lockers, electric vehicle charging, a gym, basketball court, coworking space, and children’s playroom, according to the listing. Residents are allowed two dogs per apartment, but are subject to breed restrictions, the listing says.

Apartments have air conditioning, washers and dryers, and energy efficient appliances, the listing notes. Tenants have to pay for electricity, which includes the stove, but rent includes heat and hot water.

Renderings show the building, like Union Channel at 240 3rd Avenue, has a wavy, zigzag pattern across the facade. Vertical dark panels break up floor to ceiling windows, while light bands break up the building horizontally. The commercial ground floor is mostly glass, with concrete canopies. Apartments have light wood and white finishes.

According to StreetEasy, market rate units haven’t started leasing. Listings for Union Channel range from $3,400 per month for a studio up to $7,750 for a three-bedroom.

The development, which sits on the corner of Nevins and Douglass streets, replaced a single-story industrial building on the corner and another two-story building further up Douglass Street, as well as empty land between. City records show Charney bought the site in 2019 for $22.5 million and applied for a demolition and new building permit in 2021.

Because the development takes advantage of the Gowanus rezoning, it is required to include affordable units under the city’s Mandatory Inclusionary Housing program. It is also expected to receive the 421-a tax break, according to the listing.

The Douglass Port Apartments lottery closes on March 23. To apply, visit the listing on New York City’s Housing Connect website.

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