On October 7, our design team joined Johnson Park Center, Rockabil Development, and state and local officials to celebrate the completion of Johnson Park Green Community Apartments in Utica, NY.
The $28 million multi-site, four-building development is transforming Utica’s Cornhill neighborhood with 62 modern, energy-efficient, affordable homes, half of which offer support services for seniors and people struggling with homelessness. The new community center houses a robust food pantry, classroom space for local pre-k programs and offices for support services for both residents of the Johnson Park Green Community Apartments as well as the surrounding Cornhill community.
Designed to Passive House standards, the project won a NYSERDA Buildings of Excellence Award in 2021.
“The completion of Johnson Park Green Living Community Apartments has greatly enhanced the Cornhill neighborhood of Utica by providing energy-efficient, affordable, supportive housing built to Passive House standards. This ensures exceptional energy performance and comfort,” Rockabill Development Managing Principal Niall Murray. “We are grateful to the finance team and the design and construction team, who all worked collaboratively to bring this vision to life.”
All four buildings have rooftop solar arrays, and the residences buildings are built to Passive House standards and have Energy Recovery Ventilation systems – energy-efficient systems that constantly exhaust and bring in fresh air. They are heated and cooled with high efficiency variable refrigerant flow air source heat pumps and are outfitted with ENERGY STAR® appliances, which will provide climate-friendly homes for residents.
The project was co-developed by Rockabill Consulting and Johnson Park Center, who will operate the community service facility and provide support services to eligible tenants. SWBR provided architectural, landscape architecture, and structural engineering design services.