Affordable Housing Lottery Opens to Fill Units in DoBro’s The Hub, Starting at $833 a Month

An affordable housing lottery has opened for 12 vacant apartments — and a waitlist — in the amenity-packed Downtown Brooklyn skyscraper The Hub, with rents starting at $833 a month for a studio.

The 54-story, 750-unit building at 333 Schermerhorn Street was built prior to the pandemic, and was one of the tallest – if not the tallest – buildings in Brooklyn at the time of its topping out.

A housing lottery first opened for the 150 income-limited and rent-stabilized apartments in 2016, while the building was still under construction. The building got its temporary certificate of occupancy in 2017 and renters moved in. A Department of Housing Preservation and Development spokesperson told Brownstoner the new lottery is to fill 12 vacant units in the building and to create a waitlist for future vacancies.

The lottery listing doesn’t specify the size of the apartments available (the building has studios, one-, and two-bedrooms units) or the exact rate of rent, but does say all units will be set for those earning 60 percent of the Area Median Income. Eligible incomes range from $28,560 to $91,500 for households of one to five people, according to the listing.

The lottery has units priced at almost the same level as in 2016, with studios starting at $833 a month, one-bedrooms at $846, and two-bedrooms at $1,096. However, the listing on NYC Housing Connect notes the prices will be subject to the recent Rent Guidelines Board-approved rent increases for rent stabilized apartments, including 3 percent for a one-year lease.

Units all have a washer/dryer and dishwasher. Images of a market-rate one-bedroom in an old listing show big windows and sleek modern finishes.

Rent includes gas for heating and hot water, but tenants pay for electricity including the stove and, presumably, air conditioning. After the building opened, a few tenants complained on StreetEasy about the elevator, outside noise, extra fees of $80 or $100 or more for the amenities, and the AC — including the cost of it.

The Dattner Architects and Hill West Architects-designed building has a range of amenities that include a landscaped outdoor terrace with sun deck, a dog run, 24/7 concierge, a gym with a yoga studio, bike storage, a pool, and even parking, all for additional fees.

Of the building’s 680,000 square feet, 42,000 are set aside for retail stores. Compass, a kickboxing gym, a veterinary center, and a medical office have leased space in the building, but signs on the building indicate there are more spaces still vacant.

Prior to holding the serrated red brick and glass tower, the site, which sits between Nevins Street and Flatbush Avenue, included some four- and five-story brick buildings. The area on the corner of Schermerhorn Street and Flatbush Avenue was used as a parking lot.

In 2011, the deed for 333 Schermerhorn Street was transferred from Nevins Realty Corp. to 333 Schermerhorn LLC for $23.5 million. Douglas Steiner of Steiner NYC was the signatory for the LLC. Steiner NYC was behind Steiner Studios in the Brooklyn Navy Yard and also brought Wegman’s to the borough.

Meanwhile, award-winning Dattner Architects has designed a number of Brooklyn projects including East New York’s Empire State Dairy redevelopment and the Cypress Hills and East New York Community Center, which includes 275 deeply affordable apartments.

The lottery for 12 units and the waitlist for The Hub closes October 30. To apply, visit the listing on New York City’s Housing Connect website.

Related Stories

• Affordable Housing Lottery Opens for 150 Units in DoBro Skyscraper, Starting at $833 a Month
• Downtown Brooklyn Tower Reaches Halfway Point on Schermerhorn Street
• Long Awaited Abolitionist Place Park Takes Shape in Downtown Brooklyn

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