Omni breaks ground on $10.4 million phase 3 Liberty Gardens project; Joined by commissioner Collins and mayor Fusco

Omni Housing Development COO Duncan Barrett and mayor Joseph Fusco, Jr. joined local residents, tenants and state and local dignitaries to break ground for the third and final phase of the Liberty Gardens Revitalization Project. Liberty Gardens phase 3 will have 52 units and is the final phase of a three phase project to serve low and very low income families. Phase 3 entails: * Rehabilitation of two masonry, two-story buildings on a 3.25 acre site, a total of 46 family units and are located at 200 N. Levitt St. * Construction of three new buildings, two-family homes (duplex units) creating six family units on four parcels located across the street from the Liberty Gardens apartment complex. The unit break down for this phase of the project includes:44 2-bedroom and 8 3-bedroom units; Three units (2 2-bedroom and one 3-bedroom) fully accessible and adapted for the mobility impaired; 2 units (one 2-bedroom and one 3-bedroom) fully accessible and adapted for the hearing and vision impaired and 9 units (2 2-bedroom and 7 3-bedroom) visit-able. Phase 3 of the project includes two masonry two-story buildings and the construction of three new buildings, consisting of 52 of the 180 total units. Omni and RHA have followed Energy Star homes guidelines in the design and construction of the project with the goal of producing healthy, energy-efficient, locally economic and affordable housing for the community. The project strives to achieve Energy Star Homes Certification, in addition to overall enhanced quality of life for tenants and the community at large. Omni teamed-up with Charles A. Gaetano Construction for this first renovation of the affordable housing property in 60 Years. The groundbreaking was attended by the following: NYS Homes and Community Renewal assistant commissioner Lorraine Collins; mayor Joseph Fusco, Jr.; Housing Authority CEO and executive director James Baldwin; NYS assemblyman Anthony Brindisi; Oneida County executive Anthony Picente, Jr.; Common Council member Ramona Smith; Housing Authority chairperson Anne Hawkes; Gansevoort Elementary School principal Kathy Bragan; Hudson Housing Capital vice president Kimmel Cameron; Omni CEO I. David Swawite and Omni COO Duncan Barrett. Total construction cost for Phase 3 amounts to $10.4 million. The project will be financed with funding from the following services: * LIHC and SLIHC equity provided by Hudson Housing Capital; * A commitment of NYS Modernization grant of $2.0 million; and * A construction loan from M&T Bank of $5.5 million.