conifer llc | Ithacating in Cornell Heights

Poet’s Landing Phase II Construction Update, 9/2017

1 10 2017

It looks like the first units are coming onto the market. Conifer Realty has the application up for the first apartments, as do third-party websites like apartments.com. Oddly enough, the apartment.com listing says 16 3-bedroom, 16 2-bedroom and 16 1-bedroom units. This is incorrect. There are 8 3-bedroom, 16 2-bedroom, and 24 1-bedroom units. One can tell from sight alone because Conifer uses the same three building plans in all of its suburban apartment clusters. One design consists of eight 3-bedroom units, the second design is eight two-bedroom units, and the last design is eight one-bedroom units. For units on each floor, mirroring each other in layout. Keeps things simple and materials costs down.

Keeping with the blog-only nomenclature, buildings “A” and “B”, the two that are basically complete from the outside, are the one bedroom-units. “C”, “D” and “E”, which are receiving exterior lighting rigs, trim and architectural features like balconies and patios, are the 2-bedroom clusters. Building “F”, which is still at the housewrap stage and the building that is least furthest along, is the three-bedroom cluster. For proof, consider the building that was badly damaged in this summer’s fire – it was reported that 31 people were left homeless. That would most likely imply it was the three-bedroom design, which would have 24 bedrooms.

The general rule of thumb is one person for bedroom for basic planning purposes. Affordable housing family units, for whom these three-bedroom apartments are intended, may average more than that because of income guidelines, and that two adults or multiple children may share a bedroom. Likewise, on the other end of the scale, properties with empty nesters or more affluent owners/renters may have numbers average less than one person per bedroom due to guest bedrooms, or conversion of bedrooms to home offices or hobby rooms. Owner-occupied single family homes often fall in this category, where the typical home is three bedrooms, but the average owner-occupied household size is 2.5. There are a number of companies dedicated to studying the number of people likely to live in a unit based off its location, size and intended market, and applying those figures to calculations like the number of students expected to be added to a district, or the number of car trips generated.

Curbing has been laid, the parking lot is paved and striped, streetlamps are in place and the concrete sidewalk is being poured. The process to build sidewalks is pretty similar to the work for foundations – excavate the path, build the formwork to keep the concrete in place as it cures, lay down some steel rebar to provide additional strength to the concrete, pour, level and smooth, and run a finishing trowel to create an edge so that the concrete has an expansion joint to help expand and contract without cracking the sidewalk. The steel plugs are to keep the forms in place.

The building that was damaged by fire is under reconstruction. The east wing was destroyed by the flames and was torn down. The only thing being reused for those four units is the slab foundation. The four west wing units were salvageable, but they did need an extensive renovation. Damaged trim and siding sections will be replaced, and on the inside, drywall damaged by water has been removed and new sheets are being hung. It looks like some of the appliances were saved; peering through the windows, a refrigerator was sitting in the middle of the floor in an upstairs unit. Closer to the fire, it’s more of a gur renovation, with only portions of the exterior salvaged, while the inside is replaced from the stud walls out. Taking a guess for the typical construction length of units so far, the renovated and rebuilt units probably won’t be ready for tenants for another five to six months.

According to the advertisement on Conifer’s website, amenities and feature include

Dishwasher
Garbage disposal
Wall to wall carpeting
Patio or balcony available
Walk-in closets
Discounted cable package
Central air conditioning
Smart card laundry center
Fully equipped Fitness room
Computer lab
Clubhouse with great room
Controlled building access
Key fob hardware
Professional on-site management
24 hour maintenance
Ample parking
Beautifully landscaped grounds
Accessible for people with disabilities
Close to shopping, schools & medical facilities

1-bedroom units are 716 SF, 2-bedroom units are 950 SF, and 3-bedroom units are 1,150 SF. Lease are 12 months with a month’s rent as security deposit. Three units will be adapted for mobility-impaired residents, and a fourth unit will be adapted to individuals who are hearing or vision-impaired.

According to a filing with the state as part of the grant application, the gross rents (rent plus utilities) will range from $724 to $1,070 a month, to be occupied by households with incomes 50% to 60% of area median income.

2017 AMI in Tompkins County is $53,000 for a single person, and $60,500 for a two-person household, and $68,100 for a three-person household. Therefore, the income limits are $26,500-$31,800 for a single person, $30,250-$36,300 for a two-person household, and $34,050-$40,860 for a three-person household.

Conifer and contractor partner LeChase Construction will be delivering the $10.8 million project over the next few months, and that should wrap up Conifer’s Ithaca work for the time being. The programmatically similar Milton Meadows project in Lansing is being developed by a competitor, Cornerstone Group. The two firms’ Rochester headquarters are about six miles apart; their apartment projects are about twelve miles apart.

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Tags: affordable housing, conifer llc, construction, dryden, photos, poet's landing
Categories : affordable housing, construction, news, photos, Tompkins County

Poet’s Landing Phase II Construction Update, 7/2017

16 07 2017

Over at the Poet’s Landing construction site, it looks like two of the buildings, previous dubbed “E” and “F” since I have no actual documentation of individual address, are pretty close to completion. “F’s” exterior work is almost complete, waiting for a few more trim pieces such as balcony and porch railings. It’s difficult to tell how far along the interior is; what looks like a gaping hole in the front at first glance, is actually a covered vestibule that leads to front doors, some of which appear to have been left open in photos seven and eight below. A typical build-out usually involves the interior being fairly far along by the time exterior trim is being attached – rough-ins complete, drywall hung, and probably the painting, utilities finish work and counters/cabinetry are underway. Building “E”, which is a little further behind on the trimwork, appeared to have some unpainted drywall visible just beyond the open front doors.

Stepping further back in the construction process, building “D” is in the midst of Certainteed vinyl siding attachment, and Building “C” has been shingled and fully wrapped in DuPont Tyvek, its balcony frames and porch columns just naked beams for now. Building “B” has yet to be fully wrapped, and “A” isn’t even fully framed yet. It looks like some of “A’s” roof trusses are sitting near Building “F”.

Although unsure offhand, if Conifer is planning to do a phased move-in, they could have Buildings “F” and “E” occupied by Labor Day, “D” and “C” before Halloween, and “B” and “A” before the end of the year. Building “F” was just getting its second story framed back in February, so another six months for “A” doesn’t seem unreasonable.

When finished, there will be 16 1-bedroom units, 24 2-bedroom units, and eight 3-bedroom units. Units will be rented to households making 60% of area median income or less, so less than $32k/year. Tenants will have an interview with management, and have to pass a background check. Given the dearth of affordable housing, not everyone interviewed and qualified will be offered a unit, but in that case, they will be offered a spot on a waiting list if desired. Those interested in units in the $10.8 million project can sign up for an “interest list” here, which will notify them as management interviews commence, giving them the chance to sign up and start the process.

So, this is something I’d like to expand on a bit, given some of the recent talk about Hamilton Square in Trumansburg. Some folks have cited Overlook at West Hill as an example of the crime and degeneracy that “these people” will bring to the village. This reminded me of the West Village piece I did for the Voice last year, where I argued successful affordable housing involves community engagement and respect, access to services, and proactive tenant management.

With any group of landlords, you have good ones, mediocre ones and bad ones. Overlook’s management leaves something to be desired, as has West Village’s. Omni Development, which manages West Village, seems to be taking a greater, more proactive role, although its history of hands-off behavior leaves many wary. Overlook is managed by Domain Companies, which is based out of New York City and New Orleans, and was developed in partnership with the Arker Companies. Back when it was proposed in 2003-04, INHS did advocate for the project during the town’s review process and obtain affordable housing loans. However, they are not and have never been Overlook’s property managers.

I can honestly say I have never heard of systemic issues with anything INHS or Conifer manages in Tompkins County. Rarely if ever is there a criminal complaint about the people who occupy Conifer’s Linderman Creek, Poet’s Landing I, The Meadows, or any of their other Tompkins County properties. That goes for the general affordable housing as well as the senior housing. I can say the same thing about INHS – through the Voice, which wouldn’t hesitate to cover crime since it drives clicks so well, there’s nothing I’ve seen about Stone Quarry’s residents being an issue, or the Henry St. John Apartments, Breckenridge Place or TowerView. I can come up with complaints for both (Conifer’s unfortunate choice of auto-centric sites with cookie-cutter units, INHS’s care-worn older stock), but neither of those has to do with tenant management.

If it were Domain/Arker or Omni pushing Hamilton Square, There would be reason for concern. But given that’s it’s INHS, mixed-market with owner occupied units, moderately sized and has convenient access to Trumansburg village, I strongly doubt management of the rentals is going to be a problem.

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Tags: affordable housing, conifer llc, construction, construction (planned), dryden, photos, poet's landing
Categories : affordable housing, construction, construction (planned), ithaca, photos, Tompkins County

Poet’s Landing Phase II Construction Update, 5/2017

26 05 2017

Continuing the theme of affordable housing from Conifer, here’s their other current local project, the $10.8 million second phase of the Poet’s Landing apartment complex in the village of Dryden. Six buildings, eight units per building – it looks like Conifer utilizes three unique two-story designs from NH Architecture with differing unit configurations.

Going counterclockwise, one sees the slab foundation of the latest building (which we’ll call “A”) to begin construction. The next building, “B”, is still being framed, its roof trusses nearly finished, while “C” is further along, roofed in sheets of plywood sheathing. All structures make use of a Tyvek-like housewrap for a vapor and moisture barrier. Building “D”, furthest from the road, is being papered and shingled, and windows have been installed in some of the rough openings. Building “E” and “F” are being sided (probably Saint-Gobain CertainTeed vinyl siding, if it’s like other Conifer projects). Taking a guess at what’s going on indoors, it’s bare stud walls in “B” and “C”, utility rough-ins (plumbing, electrical) in “D”, and drywall, paint priming and perhaps interior fixtures/trim in “E” and “F”.

As with most of Conifer’s affordable housing projects, LeChase Construction serves as general contractor through a joint venture partnership called Conifer-LeChase. Expect the units to come online building-by-building from September 1st through the fall. Information on income limits can be found in the summary post here, and rental inquiries can be sent through the contact page here.

Side note, it’s going to be really nice when they put the new sidewalk in – walking along Freeville Road is a bit of a harrowing experience.

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Tags: affordable housing, conifer llc, construction, construction (planned), dryden, photos, poet's landing
Categories : affordable housing, construction, construction (planned), news, photos, Tompkins County

Cayuga Meadows Construction Update, 5/2017

25 05 2017

For the purposes of this blog, Cayuga Meadows is essentially finished. Interior finish work, landscaping, curbing/stripping and lawn seeding have yet to be completed, but the scope of that is only a small component of the overall project. Income-qualified mature readers who are interested can send inquiries here, and the income limits can be found

As a final thought, my feelings on this project are mixed. On the one hand, affordable senior housing is a critical need in Tompkins County. 68 units for seniors on modest, often fixed incomes is a welcome addition to the local housing market. With that being said, the location leaves a lot to be desired. While it is close to Cayuga Medical Center, it is a drive to virtually everything else, and seniors will now feel compelled to incur the expense of maintaining a personal vehicle, making it less affordable than it appears on paper. Its isolated location may also leave seniors cloistered as their ability to drive degrades and they become reliant on the occasional bus service on West Hill. Conifer had their reasons to choose this site, to be sure: land costs, Cornell was accommodating, and relatively few neighbors to contend with during the review and permits process. But its remote location and conventional suburban approach is somewhat self-defeating towards its goal of affordability, and impacts the quality of life of its residents. Kinda hard to believe their ad starts with “located in the heart of Ithaca“.

Still, something is better than nothing. Kudos to Conifer for sticking with it the past few years, and to LeChase Construction for a smooth buildout.

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Tags: affordable housing, cayuga meadows, conifer llc, ithaca, senior housing, west hill
Categories : affordable housing, ithaca, news, senior housing

Cayuga Meadows Construction Update, 3/2017

23 03 2017

Another project is on the final stretch towards completion. Conifer LLC’s Cayuga Meadows affordable senior housing project is largely finished from the outside, with only some minor trim and landscaping left. Most of the work has transitioned to the interior, fitting out the units and finishing them out in time for their late summer occupancy. Leasing is underway. Here’s a copy of the rental ad:

Located in the heart of Ithaca, Conifer Village at Cayuga Meadows is a brand new senior apartment community offering energy efficient one and two bedroom apartments homes for individuals 55 and older. Cayuga Meadows has set aside nine units for those with disabilities and an additional three units for hearing and visually impaired. The community will offer many amenities along with breathtaking views of Cornell University and the hills of Ithaca. Occupancy by Summer 2017.

Qualified Hurricane Irene or Tropical Storm Lee impacted residents will be given priority for the first 90 days of rent up.

That last part might seem a little odd, but it was a stipulation of their state grant funding, which was source from the Storm Recovery Act (not so much Ithaca, but the Southern Tier did receive substantial damage from the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee back in 2011).

Advertised features and amenities include:

Fully equipped kitchens with Energy Star rated appliances & fixtures
Dishwasher
Elevator
Great room with kitchenette
Laundry center
Fully equipped fitness room
Computer lab
Controlled building access
Professional on-site management
24 hour emergency maintenance
GREEN building (don’t think LEED certified though)
Accessible for people with disabilities (7 for mobility impaired, 3 for visually impaired)
Ample on-site parking (72 spaces offhand)
Community vegetable garden
Easy access to public transportation

Rents will go for $779 for a 1 bedroom, 1 bath (59 units available, 654-689 SF), and $929 for a 2 bedroom, 1-2 bath unit (9 units, 905 SF). Applicants must be 55+ and be income eligible, which at 60% of area median incomes means seniors making ~$30,840/year or less for a single person, or ~$35,280/year or less for a couple. If any readers here are on the cusp and unsure, it never hurts to ask – the general inquiry email is cayugameadows@coniferllc.com.

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Tags: affordable housing, cayuga meadows, conifer llc, construction, photos, senior housing, town of ithaca, west hill
Categories : affordable housing, ithaca, photos, senior housing

Poet’s Landing Phase II Construction Update, 2/2017

23 02 2017

Poet’s Landing is moving along. Framing for the first eight-unit building is underway; the slab foundation has been poured for two more. The other four buildings in the 48-unit project will come along as the weather warms up – it’s possible that LeChase may have the sites cleared forms ready for the rest of the foundation pours, but they may be buried under the snow (this was the first place I visited last Saturday morning, so the unseasonable heat had yet to do its melting magic).

According to an article published just yesterday, Boston Capital has bought the Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTCs) awarded to Conifer Realty to help finance the project. The Boston-based real estate investment firm paid $7.6 million. Boston Capital can apply those credits to the taxes on its holdings, and Conifer gets the money it needs to pay for hard and soft development costs (which total $10.8 million, the rest coming from federal/state grants and equity). Boston Capital is a frequent partner of Conifer, having bought their LIHTCs many times in the past, including those awarded to the 72-unit first phase of Poet’s Landing that opened a few years ago.

Quoting Housingfinance.com, which also had the first actual render of the project shown above:

“Located on 10 acres, Poets Landing II will feature 16 one-bedroom, 24 two-bedroom, and eight three-bedroom units in six two-story buildings. Units will include central heating and air conditioning, dishwashers, patios/balconies, and storage. Residents at Poets Landing II will have access to the community amenities at Poets Landing I, which feature a leasing office, a great room, a computer workstation, a laundry center, and a playground. The apartments will be available to families earning 60% or less of the area median income.”

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Tags: affordable housing, conifer llc, construction, construction (planned), dryden, news, photos, poet's landing
Categories : affordable housing, construction, construction (planned), photos, Tompkins County

Cayuga Meadows Construction Update, 1/2017

12 01 2017

It looks like there’s been a modest deviation from the original plans for Conifer’s Cayuga Meadows project. Double-checking my notes, it looks like that instead of Certraineed Cedar “Cypress Spruce” shingle siding, they’re going with a red color – most likely “Autumn Red“. Not a big deal, and as a matter of taste, I prefer the red over the grey-green that was initially planned. It looks like some of the trim boards are going up as well. The circular vents on the gable projections are purely decorative. You can see a little bit of the Certainteed “Savannah Wicker” lap siding beginning to appear on the ground floor below the porches; that’s going to be the primary facade on the upper floors.

Most of the work has shifted inside at this point. LeChase Construction and their subcontractors probably past rough-ins, and onto things like drywall hanging and bathroom and kitchen installations. The front drive (“Aster Lane”) and curbing is in place, but the rear parking area and driveway will have to wait until the project is closer to completion. It looks like marketing for the 68 affordable senior units is going to start soon.

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Tags: affordable housing, cayuga meadows, conifer llc, ithaca, senior housing, west hill
Categories : affordable housing, construction, ithaca, photos, senior housing

Cayuga Meadows Construction Update, 11/2016

30 11 2016

At the Cayuga Meadows site on West Hill, LeChase Construction has fully framed the new 68-unit apartment building. Windows and doors have been fitted into the wood stud walls. The roof looks to be pretty much complete, with the exception of trim pieces.The first floor is getting a brick veneer, and the balconies are built out but are also lacking their trim for the moment. The Tyvek waterproof housewrap will be covered over with Certainteed fiber cement “Savannah Wicker” Dutch Lap Siding and “Cypress Spruce” cedar-like shingle siding. Basically, beige and grey-green. Looks like the new access road has also been paved.

It might not be the most exciting design, but it’s one of Conifer LLC’s tried-and-proven approaches – an L-shaped structure with bumpouts, typically hosting small private balconies. One need only go a couple miles south to Conifer Village at Ithaca to see a similar example, albeit with some different material finishes. While Cayuga Meadows might not be especially unique, it does have its advantages – LeChase, who does nearly all of Conifer’s work through a partnership, has extensive experience with the design, and that familiarity should help with producing a high-quality and on-time product.

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Tags: affordable housing, cayuga meadows, conifer llc, construction, ithaca, photos, senior housing, west hill
Categories : affordable housing, construction, ithaca, news, senior housing

News Tidbits 10/8/16: No Rain, But the Money’s Flowing

8 10 2016

1. The Sleep Inn project at 635 Elmira Road went back to the town of Ithaca planning board last Tuesday. The initial write-up looked good – town planners were very pleased with the proposed changes, and the developer, local hotelier Pratik Ahir, proposed two different concepts to the board to see which one they were more comfortable with. The one that the board likes would be finalized in the plans and submitted for final approval later this year. No media were at the meeting, so I do not know which concept they preferred.

Both concepts by HEX 9 Architects attempt to maintain the rustic character that the town seeks to maintain for its part of the Inlet Valley Corridor. Concept one at top uses stone veneer (Elderado Stone), timber trusses, Hardie plank lap siding, and asphalt shingles. This design features balconies on both the front and rear of the building. Concept 2 incorporates a more varied roofline and building face, metal roof panels, stone veneer and a couple different types of Hardie Board. Concept 2 has less timber and no balconies. The town planning department felt that both concepts were unique enough and rustic enough to get its benediction in the SEQR analysis they sent over to the board. The concepts are a big improvement over the rendition we saw in August.

2. Looks like the Canopy Hilton is a go. The project secured a $19.5 million construction loan from ESL Federal Credit Union on Friday September 30th. ESL is a new face to the local market – “Eastman Savings and Loan” was founded in Rochester in 1920 to serve employees of former photography giant Eastman Kodak. The 7-story, 131-room hotel is expected to open in Spring 2018.

3. Also funded this week – the second phase of Poet’s Landing out in the village of Dryden. Citibank is lending $7,702,326 to Rochester-based Confier LLC to build the 48 affordable apartment units across the street from Dryden High School, just west of 72-unit phase one. The documents were filed on Tuesday the 4th. The design of the second phase’s will be the same as phase one’s, an eight unit per building design by NH Architecture that is one of Conifer’s standard designs. The total project cost is $10.8 million, with the balance come from state affordable housing grants and tax credits. The build-out is expected to take about a year.

201_college_v5_1

4. So a few news bits about 201 College. The partially-deconstructed house at 201 College is now getting torn down, which had nothing to do with approval, and everything to do with break-ins and safety issues – there was evidence of squatters taking up residence, and the expense of a tear-down is worth avoiding a lawsuit or tragedy. Speaking of which, although a ruling on 201 College has yet to be issued and won’t be for a few weeks, Neil Golder’s lawsuit has already been re-filed. The court hearing is scheduled for December. According to an exchange with my colleague Mike Smith, Fox is planning rowhouses along Bool Street, within a 45-foot height limit but spanning the block, as it seems he has a purchase option on neighboring 202 Linden.

20161007_131502

5. According to Nick Reynolds at the Times (yes, he jumped papers), the buildings to be deconstructed for the Harold’s Square project are to be vacated by the end of October. Developer David Lubin plans to start the deconstruction process, which is a little more intensive and lengthier than a typical demolition, in November. Things have been complicated by the city’s decision to forego the project in the Restore NY grant application, where the $500,000 was allocated to pay for demolition, and must now be sourced from elsewhere. Once secured, the plan is to file for the permit, and by law they have up to 30 days to start deconstruction from the day the permit is issued. Construction should go for about 18 months, once the site is cleared.

6. The 8-unit 607 South Aurora project will be seeking “Declaration of Lead Agency” at the Planning Board meeting, and materials have been filed with the city. Project narrative here, SPR application here, drawings here. The big changes since sketch plan were sidewalk and parking lot revisions, and rotating Building D to establish harmony with Hillview Place. The project is estimated to cost $1.5 million and aims for a construction timeline of March to September 2017. This is the next incremental step up for Charlie O’Connor of Modern Living Rentals, whose M.O. is to quietly pursue modestly-sized infill projects in less dense parts of the city (ex. the two duplexes planned for 312-314 Old Elmira). In a change of pace, the staff of Sharma Architecture are the designers this time around.

123_eddy_street_2

7. From the Board of Zoning Appeals meeting, the new two-family house at 123 Eddy Street has been granted zoning variances. Expect the Sharma-designed two-unit, six-bedroom rental property to start construction next year in time for the 2017-18 academic year.

6. House of the week. Instead of one underway, this week will show two recent completions. Leading off is this house on West Hill’s Campbell Avenue, built by Carina Construction. This project came up in a weekly roundup back in late May – it’s a $320,000 project per the permit filing with the city, with $280,000 lent by Tompkins Trust. The contrast between the wood siding and the ~~(fiber cement?)~~ vinyl siding is a nice touch, as is the two-story porch. Definitely a unique house, and a showcase of just what kind of variety one can do with modular pieces if they’re willing to get creative.

Now for house number two. This isn’t a new build, but a very thorough renovation. Every time I take photos, I run into the owners, and normally I try to be as unobtrusive as possible. But, given that I’ve run into him twice, he’s familiar enough with me that we’ve had a conversation about his work.

This is in Fall Creek on North Aurora. The couple who own this place moved in from Pennsylvania, they were just starting retirement when the wife’s father was no longer able to take care of it. It had been a duplex, but the other unit was more workshop space. The building was in good shape, but these folks wanted to modernize and refresh it, so they decided to do a to-the-studs renovation, basically turning it into a new home within an existing shell. Fiber cement, wood shingles, a few modern touches (the south bumpout, the unusual gable/shed hybrid dormers), a carriage house, a lot of work went into it over the past year and a half and it shows.

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Tags: 201 college avenue, 607 South Aurora, affordable housing, canopy hilton, collegetown, conifer llc, Cornell, downtown, dryden, hotels, inlet valley, ithaca, maplewood, news, poet's landing, south hill, student housing
Categories : affordable housing, collegetown, construction (planned), Cornell, general housing, hotels, ithaca, news, student housing

Cayuga Meadows Construction Update, 9/2016

22 09 2016

LeChase Construction is making good progress on Conifer LLC’s 68-unit Cayuga Meadows apartment project off of West Hill Drive in the town of Ithaca. The wood frame is topped out on the north side of the L-shaped building, where they’re starting to nail plywood (the decking) to the roof trusses – later they’ll be covered over with tar paper or a similar material, followed by the shingles. It also looks like they’ve started attaching a little Tyvek housewrap to the second floor of the structure. As you go southward, framing is only up to the second floor, with rough openings in the plywood for doors and windows. At the rear of the property, a trench has been dug for a new water main, which is being routed below what will be the building’s parking lot.

The apartment units, which are intended for seniors with limited incomes, are expect to be ready for occupancy next fall. More information about the project can be found here.