MacQuesten Development begins construction of 155,000 s/f Brooklyn mixed-use complex: Van Sinderen Plaza

679 Van Sinderen Avenue and New Lots Avenue - Brooklyn, NY

Brooklyn, NY MacQuesten Development, LLC has begun construction on Van Sinderen Plaza, a 155,000 s/f, mixed-use complex in the East New York section of the borough that will feature 130 affordable rental units and more than 20,000 s/f of retail space.

Located at 679 Van Sinderen Ave. and New Lots Ave., the two-building complex is receiving funding from the New York City Housing Development Corp. (HDC) and the New York City Department of Housing Preservation & Development (HPD). MacQuesten is also partnering with East Brooklyn Housing Development Corp. (EBHDC), a not-for-profit, and Best Development Group LLC, an affordable housing consultant and development company founded by Ron Schulman in 2006.

Rella Fogliano, MacQuesten Development

“I am so grateful to the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, HDC, HPD, EBHDC, Best Development Group and Community Board 5 for allowing us to advance the housing needs of East New York,” said Rella Fogliano, president of MacQuesten Development, which purchased the site in January 2015. “We’re thrilled to contribute to the revival of the East New York neighborhood by providing high-end, affordable housing units and expansive retail and community space that will benefit all Brooklyn residents,” she said.

Bill Wilkins, East Brooklyn Housing Development Corp.

“The East Brooklyn Housing Development Corp. believes that our partnership with MacQuesten will create a new blueprint for economic development and affordable housing,” said Bill Wilkins, director at EBHDC. “MacQuesten has shown sensitivity and understanding of the needs of East New York in design and project development.”

“The construction of Van Sinderen Plaza will turn long-vacant lots into 130 new, affordable housing units for the families of East New York and Brooklyn for generations to come,” Schulman said. “It is a permanent, positive change for the neighborhood.”

Van Sinderen Plaza will comprise two seven-story buildings featuring one-, two- and three-bedroom rental apartments. The larger building, on Van Sinderen Ave., will feature 95,037 s/f of residential space, 17,341 s/f of retail space and 3,860 s/f of community space. The smaller building, on New Lots Ave., will have 32,776 s/f of residential space, 3,931 s/f of retail space and 2,049 s/f of community space. There also will be 21 parking spaces available to residents of the two buildings.

MacQuesten recently completed Phase II and broke ground on Phase III of its Heritage Homes development in New Rochelle. When finished, the project will feature 228 affordable apartments and townhouses on the site of a former public housing project. The company is currently developing The Modern, a mixed-use transit-oriented development in downtown Mount Vernon that will feature affordable rental apartments and commercial space. 

Based in Pelham, New York, MacQuesten Development specializes in financing, designing and construction management of multi-family, affordable housing and commercial properties, which are then privately held by affiliated companies. The company has developed 11 buildings and 1,500 units of affordable housing in New York City and Westchester County since 1992. MacQuesten has current development projects in excess of $200 million throughout the five boroughs and Westchester.