Green Living

As many of you know, the environmental movement is attaching itself to all sectors of the economy including real estate. Yesterday I attended the Toronto Real Estate Board's Realtor Quest Trade Show. Realtor Quest bills itself as Canada's largest Realtor trade show. Well, at the trade show there was an exhibition titled "The Sustainable Condo - Using Less, Enjoying More." It was a very interesting display of technology and nature working together to provide a healthy environment to live in.

Keep your eyes here next week as I will post pictures and a write up on this fantastic vision. In the meantime, here is a very interesting article I came across today.....


New York City Aims to Make Affordable Housing Sustainable

EDC Magazine

NEW YORK, April 12, 2007 -- The Arker Companies, The Domain Companies and Neighborhood Housing Services of Staten Island announced the closing of financing for the rental component of the $60 million redevelopment of Markham Gardens, an affordable housing complex located in the West Brighton neighborhood on Staten Island's north shore.

The redevelopment initiative -- a participant in the LEED for Homes pilot program -- will create a total of 290 new affordable residential units comprising 240 rental apartments and 25 two-family homes. The rebuilding of Markham Gardens is part of Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg's 10-year New Housing Marketplace Plan to build and preserve 165,000 affordable housing units for 500,000 New Yorkers; the largest municipal affordable housing plan in the nation’s history.

Designed with environmentally sustainable, energy-efficient and green building techniques, 150 of the 240 mixed-income rental units will be reserved for Section 8 voucher recipients referred by the New York City Housing Authority, including former Markham Garden tenants wishing to return. The remaining 90 units will be affordable to residents with incomes between $30,082 to $85,080 for a family of four.

The redevelopment also includes 50 units in 25 for-sale two-family homes for moderate-income families, as well as a park, outdoor seating areas with extensive landscaping, and a 6,000-square-foot recreational center consisting of an indoor basketball court, exercise facility, computer center and classrooms.