Ribbon Cut at Brownsville's New Affordable Development

Today’s the grand opening of the Hegeman, a supportive and low-income housing development now open at 39 Hegeman Avenue in Brownsville. The building houses 161 studio units for formerly homeless and low-income adults. It’s Common Ground‘s second housing development in Brownsville. It’s also a $43 million, LEED-certified design by Cook + Fox Architects featuring green elements like a green roof, solar panels, light and motion sensors, and low-flush toilets. Here are some cool details about the design from Architectural Record: “The architects relied on a non-intrusive aesthetic and lined the exterior of the building with red brickwork. They also installed large, modular windows to facilitate community engagement and reduce energy consumption… Building on the idea that sustainable design is both economically prudent and healthy for residents, the architects created an adjacent garden flanked by concrete paths crafted from permeable pavers made out of post-consumer recycled glass.” The Hegeman actually has two gardens: an enclosed ground-floor garden for building residents and, coming next year, a community garden on Thomas Boyland Street open to the Brownsville community. The building also employs and houses local residents. Check back here later for pictures from today’s ribbon cutting! GMAP