“Stability, Dignity, And Opportunity”Grace’s
Place Senior Apartments opens in Far Rockaway
Project leaders and community partners gather together to cut the ribbon on Grace’s Place Senior Apartments. Photo courtesy of QBP Richards’ Office
Grace’s Place Senior Apartments officially opened in Far Rockaway on Thursday, May 7, bringing 82 new units of affordable housing for seniors at 13-04 Nameoke Avenue.
The grand opening was marked with a special, ribbon-cutting ceremony outside the new building, which will be home to low-income and formerly homeless seniors at least 62 years of age.
Financed through the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development’s Senior Affordable Rental Apartments (SARA) program, the development serves residents earning at or below 50% of the Area Median Income. Notably, 30% of the units are dedicated to formerly homeless seniors, providing stable housing and on-site supportive services for the city’s most vulnerable populations.
“Grace’s Place represents more than a new building; it represents stability, dignity, and opportunity for older adults who deserve safe and affordable homes,” Brisa Builders Development LLC Chief Housing Development Officer Nathaniel Montgomery said in a statement. “We are proud to celebrate this milestone with the Far Rockaway community and are grateful to the many partners whose support made this development possible.”
Designed by Paul Castrucci Architects and built by Mega Contracting Group, with Brisa Builders Development LLC and Sydney Capital Group LLC as the development partners, the project balances modern aesthetics with environmental responsibility.
Constructed to the 2020 Enterprise Green Communities standards, the building features sustainable design practices, including an 18.06 kW, 42-module hybrid solar canopy system designed and installed by Brooklyn SolarWorks. The solar system, which utilizes all workable roof space, addresses compliance requirements under Local Laws 92 and 94 while significantly improving the building’s energy efficiency. By offsetting the power needed for common areas and essential building systems, the installation acts as a foundation for the development’s energy sustainability, contributing to healthier indoor living conditions and long-term operational cost savings.
“Solar is more than an environmental choice; it is a foundational investment in the long-term resiliency of our urban infrastructure,” said Cait Eggers, a senior project manager at Brooklyn SolarWorks. “By utilizing every workable inch of roof space at Grace’s Place, we are ensuring that clean energy supports the building’s operations from day one, creating a sustainable model for affordable senior living in New York City.”
To ensure long-term wellness, RiseWell (formerly Federation of Organizations) will provide on-site service coordination. Through the 15/15 supportive housing initiative, residents will have direct access to case management, benefits counseling, and health resources aimed at promoting independence and quality of life.
Aside from bringing more affordable housing to a vulnerable population, the project bears extra significance for Brisa Builders, specifically Development Managing Member Erika Keller.
“The project is named after my grandmother Gracie [Grace] Mae, who worked as a housekeeper and then tirelessly as a home attendant for senior citizens,” Keller said. “She was a humble, kind, and gentle soul, who I believe, from above, is honored to know that her kindness and service to so many seniors is being recognized in such a grand way.”
For last week’s ribbon-cutting ceremony, Brisa Builders executives joined with local elected officials and other community leaders, including Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr., who praised the new development as a model for future projects.
“No group feels the housing and affordability crises more than our seniors, who deserve to age with grace in their communities,” Richards said in a statement. “At Grace’s Place…that’s exactly what they’ll be able to do,” he added. “Grace’s Place is delivering more than 50 units of high-quality, deeply affordable senior housing, with apartments set aside for formerly homeless older adults. And it’s projects like these that we must continue to replicate across the city in service of the seniors who built it.”