Earlier this year, I shared the news of the first building at Essex Crossing nearing completion. Now, residents have moved in.

Aerial of Frances Goldin Apartment Building, Essex Crossing

Read more about the new residents of Frances Goldin—A Homecoming 50 Years in the Making, New York Times

 

The building, named for local activist Frances Goldin, is a 100% affordable senior building with priority given to those previously displaced by the Seward Park Urban Renewal development that began in the 1960’s. Frances “Fran” Goldin is a legend to many in the area who have fought for years for both equity in housing as well as marriage equality for the gay and lesbian community. In fact, she is a champion of the annual pride parade here in NYC. Fran is beloved in the community and it is an honor for L+M and partners to name the building in her honor.

 

 

Employees at the Grand Lo Café opening event, March 2018

The building is also the new home for Grand St. Settlement, a  NYU Langone Medical Center and the newly-opened Grand Lo, a social enterprise café and the first retail open at our nine-site project to the Lower East Side community.

Celebrating the Grand Lo opening, March 2018

The Grand Lo Café is unique for it provides not just jobs but career-pathing through skills training to New York City youth who are out of work and out of school. Employees operate the café and event space, with all proceeds going back to the business in support of its mission. Managed by Grand St. Settlement, the program is one of many workforce partnerships that L+M has been a part of over the years, and I’m excited to share updates later this year.

 

Under Construction: from left, Essex Crossing Site 2, future home of The Market Line; Site 3; and Site 4, which recently broke ground— via Time-Lapse video

When complete, the Essex Crossing project will create 1,079 apartments over nine sites, more than 50% of which are affordable. Today, we have two completed buildings (Frances Goldin and The Rollins); four under construction (Sites 1,2, 4 and 8); only three more sites yet to break ground; and four housing lotteries complete. You can check out a time-lapse video of sites currently under construction (above) and read more news about the project on the Essex Crossing website.