AMSTERDAM — Officials and community members gathered at Veddersburg Apartments in Amsterdam Thursday to celebrate the recent completion of the supportive and affordable housing project by DePaul Properties as the developer wraps up construction of another nearby project.
“It’s a dream come true,” said Mark Fuller, president of DePaul. “We look forward to changing even more lives for individuals in Montgomery County and across New York state by offering housing stability for the most vulnerable populations.”
Tenants began eagerly moving into the 62 units at 251 E. Main St. at the end of February.
“That’s one of the best parts … seeing the smiles on their faces and the happy tears,” said Marissa Bunce, director of operations for DePaul.
The 31-units of available community housing are already filled with another 40 to 60 interested individuals on a waiting list for future openings. The 31-units of supportive housing are still being filled through referrals by the Montgomery County Department of Social Services.
Ground was broken on the $21 million project in July 2021. Site work began two months earlier when crumbling buildings across the project site were torn down to make way for the new construction. The project received federal and state low-income housing tax credits, grants and other financing.
The replacement of blighted structures with a modern apartment building has already had an impact on the city’s East End, according to Darren Scott, upstate east director of development at state Homes and Community Renewal agency, who said the proposal initially faced skepticism due to longstanding disinvestment in the neighborhood.
“Some people were a little bit worried that there wasn’t a lot to build … My argument was this is exactly where we need to be investing $20 million,” Scott said. “This is where the folks are who need it and are living in the housing that they need better apartments, they need more affordable apartments and they need services. It is going to be catalytic for this neighborhood.”
A modernized urban exterior design complements the surrounding neighborhood. Contemporary interiors boast open spaces throughout the fully accessible building with photos from local sites decorating common areas and hallways. Spacious apartments are fully equipped with all utilities included in rent.
“The keys to Veddersburg’s 62 apartments are literally keys to a safer, better, happier way of life for the occupants who will live inside them in this beautifully designed, superbly constructed, amazingly decorated edifice,” Amsterdam Mayor Michael Cinquanti said.
Beyond filling a local need for quality affordable housing, Chris Smith, associate commissioner of adult community care for the state Office of Mental Health, said the project will offer an environment and on-site support services to help community members “live their best lives.”
“People with serious mental illness need housing in order to be able to recover. If you don’t have a stable home, if you don’t have a safe home, it’s very difficult,” Smith said. “The people that we serve live in poverty, they live with so many deprivations, and to be able to allow them to live in beautiful settings anybody would be happy to be able to live in is a wonderful gift.”
Additional affordable housing will come online later this summer as construction wraps up of the Holland Circle Apartments in the town of Amsterdam. The $20 million project features a total of 48-units across five buildings, out of which 27-units will be reserved for supportive housing with on-site services provided by the Mental Health Association in Fulton and Montgomery Counties.
Project planning was initiated by the Mental Health Association before the agency partnered with DePaul to move forward with the development and construction of the facility. DePaul will own and manage the apartment complex at 160 Holland Circle Drive. Tenants are expected to begin moving in later next month or in August.
“This is a wonderful day for our community and the people we serve,” said Janine Dykeman, executive director of the Mental Health Association in Fulton and Montgomery Counties.
Reach Ashley Onyon at [email protected] or @AshleyOnyon on Twitter.
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