Heritage Homes Developer MacQuesten Development, in partnership with the City of New Rochelle, broke ground on the $1.1 million Heritage Park, the new playground and park coming to the Lincoln Avenue area. As part of the adjacent 288-unit affordable housing complex Heritage Homes, residents of the community will have easy access to a range of modern outdoor amenities including a new playground, basketball court, lawn area, seating, lighting and more.
Heritage Park is the first project to break ground as part of the $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative grant from Governor Cuomo that was awarded to the City in 2018. New Rochelle’s grant supports projects directed at reviving the City’s downtown corridor to serve as a catalyst for community activity and engagement as well as economic investment. The City received $343,000 through the DRI to construct the new playground at the corner of Winthrop Avenue and Brook Street. The DRI award for Heritage Park is being administered by New York State Homes and Community Renewal (NYSHCR), with the City of New Rochelle providing matching funds of $207,000 and MacQuesten providing the balance. Construction is expected to be complete by early summer.
“As New Rochelle makes historic investments in the Lincoln Avenue corridor through the DRI, we are committed to working in partnership with residents to ensure that new amenities reflect community needs and goals. Heritage Park, which will provide children and families with a safe and attractive place to play and enjoy the outdoors, is an outstanding example of this principle,” said New Rochelle Mayor Noam Bramson.
“I am so proud to be a partner on such an important revitalization project in the great City of New Rochelle. The Heritage Homes project created hundreds of transitional high quality housing units for lower income folks. Now we move to the final phase of building much needed recreational facilities for the community. The State of New York and the City have proven their deep commitment to economic development and affordable housing. It is my deep pleasure to partner with them,” said Rella Fogliano, Chief Executive Officer of MacQuesten Development.
“Where there is fresh air and light - things grow,” said New Rochelle Municipal Housing Authority Executive Director Angela Davis-Farrish. “This new playground will provide an opportunity for our Heritage Homes children to play, imagine and grow. What a blessing!”
“I am thrilled to be at the ground breaking. This park will reinforce and support the strong community bonds of the Lincoln Avenue corridor by giving the community more space to be together in a safe and healthy way. I look forward to seeing the ultimate completion of all of the DRI projects,” said Council Member Yadira Ramos-Herbert.
The groundbreaking comes as the City is in the midst of a once-in-a-generation redevelopment to create over 7,000 new units of housing to attract the next generation of residents. Construction on more than 30 projects continues to progress, and no projects were cancelled during the pandemic, as leasing continues to perform above expectations.
The DRI will allow New Rochelle to connect the largely residential Lincoln Avenue corridor to the vibrant city center and the heart of the redevelopment, including the Metro North train station and its proximity to New York City, mixed-use developments, educational and workforce development opportunities and much more. Other DRI projects underway in the City include the creation of a black box theater and art education center to help nurture the City’s growing art and culture scene, along with the transformation of Memorial Highway into public open space known as The Linc. Several traffic and pedestrian improvements are also in the works to create a safer and more sustainable city.
For more information on the City of New Rochelle, please visit www.newrochelleny.com & www.ideallynewrochelle.com.