Former JFK Airport hotel launches lottery for 125 affordable apartments, from $784/month
Rendering of the indoor/outdoor garden planned for residents at Baisley Pond Park Residences. Courtesy of OSD
A former hotel near John F. Kennedy International Airport that has been converted into a housing development launched a lottery last week for 125 affordable apartments. Located at the former JFK Hilton in South Jamaica, the Baisley Pond Park Residences includes over 300 affordable and supportive housing units, a 2,400-square-foot healing garden, and on-site social services. New Yorkers earning 50 and 60 percent of the area median income can apply for the apartments, priced from $784/month for studios to $1,493/month for two bedrooms.
Developed by Slate Property Group, RiseBoro Community Partnership, and the city’s Housing Development Corporation (HPD) and Housing Development Corporation (HDC), the 12-story building has 317 units of affordable housing, with 192 designated for formerly homeless individuals.
The 350-key hotel was the city’s first former hotel to be transformed into affordable housing through the state’s Housing Our Neighbors with Dignity Act (HONDA). Established in 2021, the program incentivizes developers to convert vacant office buildings and hotels into affordable housing.
Work on the project was completed much faster than a typical ground-up development of a similar size, thanks to the building’s existing layout, which required minimal modifications. There were no changes to structural walls, but the hotel rooms were altered to develop a mix of apartment sizes and given kitchens.
Designed by Aufgang Architects, Baisley Pond Park Residences features cutting-edge heating and cooling systems that significantly reduce carbon emissions, along with rooftop solar panels and Energy Star-efficient appliances. It is also expected to receive certification from Enterprise Green Communities.
Amenities include multiple community spaces, a residents’ lounge, a community event room, a gym, a yoga room, a computer lab, laundry facilities, 24-hour security, and an indoor and outdoor garden space designed by the landscape architecture firm OSD.
The hotel’s former dining room and commercial kitchen are being transformed into a 7,000-square-foot space where RiseBoro will operate its Home Delivered Meals program, which provides healthy meals and wellness checks for roughly 3,000 seniors.
The building also features a 5,000-square-foot social services suite where tenants can access on-site case management and care planning, helping residents develop independent life skills and improve their health and wellness, according to the New York Housing Conference. There will also be employment opportunities, including jobs at nearby JFK Airport.
Of the $167 million total development cost, $48 million was funded through HONDA, while the remaining funding was provided through a $50 million senior loan from the NYC Housing Development Corporation and other loans from various city and state agencies, as 6sqft previously reported.
Qualifying New Yorkers can apply for the apartments until May 19, 2025. Complete details on how to apply are available here. Preference for 20 percent of the units will be given to residents of Queens Community District 12.
Questions regarding this offer must be referred to NYC’s Housing Connect department by dialing 311.
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