Developer, City of White Plains Cut Ribbon on The Overture at Brookfield Commons

WHITE PLAINS, NY – Trinity Financial joined White Plains Mayor Thomas Roach and the White Plains Housing Authority on July 21 to celebrate the official ribbon cutting for The Overture at Brookfield Commons—which represents the second phase of redevelopment of the former city public housing project Winbrook Houses.

The Overture at Brookfield Commons consists of the new construction of a nine-story, 147,229 square foot mixed-use building with 129 units of affordable housing, including 90 apartments set aside for existing Winbrook residents, financed in part by the federal Low Income Housing Tax Credit program. The City of White Plains provided $1 million in financing from its Affordable Housing Assistance Fund.

“In White Plains we are proud to be a leader in the provision of housing for all income levels. The completion of the Overture at Brookfield Commons, bringing new quality low-income housing to our city, is another step forward in that mission,” said White Plains Mayor Roach. “I look forward to continuing our work with the White Plains Housing Authority and other partners to ensure the city remains a home for all.”

Trinity Financial and the White Plains Housing Authority partnered to undertake redevelopment of the overall 9.3-acre Winbrook Houses site in Downtown White Plains. The Overture at Brookfield Commons features high quality, modern apartments and introduces mixed-income tiers, including the workforce housing units, to promote a diversity of incomes. Phase one of the project, The Prelude at Brookfield Commons, was completed in 2016.

“The Overture at Brookfield Commons tangibly represents the commitment of the White Plains Housing Authority and the City of White Plains to provide quality housing and a welcoming place to live for all people of all incomes in the city. This project started with 450 units of traditional public housing, a tract of land, and the promise of a bold vision to transform the Winbrook community without displacing a single family. We are succeeding and more importantly, we are keeping our promise to our families who are now living in newly constructed state of the art buildings,” said Denise Brooks-Jones, Executive Director of the White Plains Housing Authority. “The continuation of our multi-phased transformative masterplan for the re-development of the Winbrook Houses campus brings to life the shared dream of our families, neighbors, and stakeholders—all without displacing a single Winbrook resident.”

The Overture at Brookfield Commons is the second phase of a multi-phased transformative master plan for the re-development of the Winbrook Houses campus. The revitalization efforts were re-visioned by the WPHA in a partnership with Trinity Financial and the Housing Authority’s development consultants, Terese Walton and Brian Sweeney. The project is supported with funding from federal, state, county, city, and private partners, and will eventually create more than 700 units of critically needed affordable, workforce, and replacement housing in a bustling energetic downtown neighborhood near regional transit.

“This project brings to life the vision we created with neighborhood stakeholders and the entire community for modernizing and preserving affordable housing for the City of White Plains,” said Thomas Brown, Vice President of Development for Trinity Financial, who oversees the company’s New York operations. “We’re proud to have closely worked with the White Plains Housing Authority, the Winbrook Tenants Association, our local elected officials and all of our community partners on this important housing development.”

Other financing included New York State Housing Finance Agency construction loans and funds from the New York Homes and Community Renewal Middle Income Housing Program.

State financing for the development included $15.3 million in permanent tax-exempt bonds, Federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits that generated $21 million in equity and an additional $16.7 million in subsidies from New York State Homes and Community Renewal. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority also provided $97,400 in support.

“The future of housing in Westchester is right here at Brookfield Commons. This transformative project redeveloped the outdated Winbrook Houses into a modernized community,” said Westchester County Executive George Latimer. “I am proud Westchester County can offer new neighbors this opportunity to move into an upgraded, eco-friendly building where families can continue to make a home here.”

The Overture building was designed to achieve Enterprise Green Communities designation for energy-efficiency and healthy environments and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority’s Multifamily Performance Program. The building will reduce projected energy use by 15% and conserve water through the use of low flow plumbing fixtures and a highly efficient refrigerant based VRF heat pump for heating and cooling.

In addition to the 129 apartment homes, The Overture at Brookfield Commons features 2,074 square feet of community facility space and 77 at-grade parking spaces. Amenities include a fitness room, children’s playroom, tenant lounge with terrace, high-speed internet, laundry rooms located on each floor, and bike and package storage. All apartments include a dishwasher, microwave and storage closet. The project has 40 one-bedroom apartments, 63 two bedrooms, 23 three bedrooms, and two four-bedroom units. It also includes an apartment unit for the building superintendent.