NEW YORK (Map) - NEW YORK, March 31 /PRNewswire/ -- A new urban vision became reality today in Harlem with the opening of David & Joyce Dinkins Gardens. The building, residences for foster care graduates and low-income families, was co-developed by Jonathan Rose Companies and Harlem Congregations for Community Improvement (HCCI) to promote a better quality of life for its residents with community gardens, job training for youth and multiple green building features. Dinkins Gardens, Harlem's first green building that is 100 percent for low-income residents, demonstrates that environmentally responsible design can work within an affordable housing budget, and that residents can reinforce green aspects of the site.

"Dinkins Gardens is the new model for affordable housing," said

Jonathan Rose, co-developer on the project. "Green projects like these are tremendous investments in the future of the community. By integrating social services, job training, affordable housing and green design, we're modeling what the future of Harlem and New York City -- in fact, cities nationwide -- can be."

The green features of David and Joyce Dinkins Gardens promote energy efficiency, conservation and the quality of life, enhance the urban environment, and reduce utility costs for residents. By employing an integrated design approach from the outset with Dattner Architects, Jonathan Rose Companies was able to specify energy-efficient mechanical systems, a high-performance wall and roof system, green building materials such as recycled components, and low-VOC materials at no significant additional cost to the project, all for $19.5 million.

Green features of Dinkins Gardens include: -- Solar Shades on the south façade. Exterior sun shading on the south- facing exposure keeps apartments cooler in the summer, while allowing winter sunlight in. -- A Green Grid Roof system in which a portion of the roof is planted, thanks to a grant from the Home Depot Foundation. -- Individually ventilated apartments reduce the mixing of air between units, for better indoor air quality. Fresh air is drawn in continuously through window trickle vents and expelled horizontally through voids in the concrete plank, as opposed to vertical ducts. -- Energy Star-Rated Appliances and Light Fixtures provide additional savings to both the residents and owner of the building. -- A Rainwater Harvesting System will funnel water from the roof into storage tanks to be used for irrigation, reducing utility costs and stormwater run-off.

"Green building is particularly important for affordable housing because it protects residents from rising energy costs and promotes their health," said Paul Freitag of Jonathan Rose Companies.

David & Joyce Dinkins Gardens is located at 263 West 153rd Street in Harlem. Of the building's 85 apartments, 26 are designated for youth aging out of foster care, with the remaining apartments for low-income households earning less than 60 percent of the area median income. HCCI, a non-profit interfaith consortium of more than 90 different congregations, will maintain ownership and management of the building. David & Joyce Dinkins Gardens will also include classroom space for HCCI's Construction Trades Academy, a training and job placement program that provides Harlem residents with access to careers in the construction industry.

Jonathan Rose Companies: Green Urban Solutions

Jonathan Rose Companies is a leading green urban real estate planning, development, owner's representation and investment company and one of the nation's most respected developers of green affordable housing. Our mission is to create thriving green communities with a strong social fabric.

Global warming and population growth is forcing us to rethink how -- and where -- we build. In the U.S., buildings cause 40 percent of greenhouse gas emissions. When you factor in the transportation needed to get to them, emissions jump to more than 70 percent.

Climate experts agree that we have a three-year window to change our infrastructure investments to avoid the warming crisis. Jonathan Rose Companies is leading this change. We develop transit-linked, walk-able residential and commercial projects nationwide that connect people to where they live, work and play. Our developments are green urban solutions for cities and towns worldwide. www.rosecompanies.com

SOURCE Jonathan Rose Companies