Two new Grand Street Guild towers will bring 400 all-affordable units to the Lower East Side

Housing organization Grand Street Guild has announced plans to build two 15-story towers as part of a 100 percent affordable housing project that will bring 400 new apartments–including over 150 reserved for seniors–to the Lower East Side. The not-for-profit group, which was formed by the Archdiocese of New York, is the owner of the 26-story Grand Street Guild towers, built in 1973 and home to over 1,500 residents, that surround St. Mary’s Church on Grand Street. According to The Lo-Down, one of the proposed sites for the new towers is the corner of Broome and Clinton streets (now a parking garage) and another is 151 Broome Street, currently housing the Little Star Daycare Center.

3.75 acre Grand Street Guild apartment complex at 408-410 Grand Street. Image via Google Maps.

The organization is working with New York City Housing Preservation and Development, the New York City Housing Development Corporation and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development on the new project on the site bounded by Grand, Broome, Clinton and Pitt Streets. The new towers are to be developed as-of-right, meaning that they comply with all applicable zoning regulations and do not require any special city approval beyond the usual building permits. The organization announced the project on Friday and has been reaching out to the community and holding meetings with elected and government officials.

Grand Street Guild owners’ representative Tony Savarese said in a press release, “For over four decades we have thoughtfully managed this 3.75-acre complex on the Lower East Side. Given our city’s urgent need for affordable housing, we felt that now was the right time to explore how we could do more.”

“Day in and day out New Yorkers struggle to meet a basic human need and right – a decent place to live,” said Monsignor Kevin Sullivan, Executive Director of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York. “Now Grand Street Guild’s plan to add 400 new affordable apartments for individuals, families and seniors will continue, and add to this legacy for the betterment of the Lower East Side community.”

Grand Street Guild has proposed that one of the towers be entirely designed for the specific needs of seniors. Architecture firm Handel Architects has been tapped to design the plans for the new development.

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