An affordable housing lottery for a new 22-story luxury tower overlooking the East River just south of the Williamsburg Bridge has debuted. The building is one of what will be five that make up the Naftali-developed complex dubbed Williamsburg Wharf, which includes a mix of luxury rentals and condos.
The lottery for Williamsburg Wharf A1, aka 482 Kent Avenue in Williamsburg, includes 75 studio, one-, and two-bedroom apartments. They are all rent-stabilized, income-restricted, and set aside for families earning 80 percent of the Area Median Income, or between $68,812 and $140,000 a year for households of one to five people, according to the listing. There are 24 studios priced at $1,880 a month, 35 one-bedroom apartments for $2,006, and 16 two-bedroom apartments renting for $2,394 a month.
The building itself, which was developed by Naftali Group and designed by Brandon Haw Architecture and Ward + Gray, includes a total of 249 apartments, according to permits. New York Yimby reported all the units in the building will be rentals. Those units include washers and dryers, dishwashers, air conditioning, balconies and patios, and high-end appliances, according to the listing. Tenants have to pay for electricity, which includes heating and cooling, but gas and hot water are included in the rent. Tenants are allowed one pet under 30 pounds, the listing specifies.
The building boasts a wide range of amenities, including a rooftop pool, indoor basketball court, dog park, electric vehicle charging, parking, a gym, and yoga studio. The listing says fees apply for some of the perks.
The five-building project spans 3.75 acres and includes 525 feet of waterfront access, including a promenade, walking paths, and landscaped green spaces, according to the development’s website. Plans call for retail space on the lower floors of the new structures.
Renderings show two of the buildings — including 482 Kent Avenue — rise from six-story podiums. The 16 stories above that include setbacks at the penthouse levels. The facades are finished in bronze-colored paneling with floor-to-ceiling windows with mullions. Rectangular mechanical bulkheads crown the structures.
StreetEasy shows that unregulated apartments started leasing in April, and there are currently 16 available. Studios start at $3,550 a month, one-bedrooms at $4,575, and two-bedrooms at $7,950.
The site was previously home to a lumber yard operated by Abraham Rosenberg. In 2020, Naftali Group bought the property for $51.19 million, city records show. That same year, the new owners applied for a permit to demolish the three-story structure on the site and in 2021 filed for new-building permits.
Before selling the site, Rosenberg secured a zoning certification in 2010 that allows for a mixed-use residential development and also requires public access to the waterfront, according to City Planning docs. In addition to falling under the Inclusionary Housing program, which mandates 80 percent of Area Median Income, the project is also expected to qualify for the 421-a tax incentive, the listing says.
The Williamsburg Wharf A1 aka 482 Kent Avenue lottery closes on July 28. To apply, visit the listing on New York City’s Housing Connect website.
This story first appeared on Brooklyn Paper’s sister site Brownstoner
