Hunter's Point South will officially spring to life this week as residents begin settling into their apartments and more than 13,000 honeybees get to work pollinating the new residential community's organic garden. Created in partnership with GrowNYC, which is considered the sustainability resource for New Yorkers, the Urban Farm and Apiary at Hunter's Point South will engage and educate residents of the 925 permanently affordable and moderately priced rent-stabilized apartments and provide inexpensive access to healthy foods. The rooftop amenity offers the potential to yield up to 1,000 pounds of fresh, seasonal produce and delicious honey. Life on the Long Island City Waterfront has never been sweeter.
"The honeybees, the garden and the partnership with GrowNYC as a whole are the essence of our vision for Hunter's Point South," said Frank Monterisi, senior vice president at Related Companies, co-developer of Hunter's Point South along with Phipps Houses and Monadnock Development. "We wanted to create a welcoming, friendly living environment that will not only improve residents' quality of life, but their health, and have a positive environmental impact as well. The Urban Farm is an important part of the truly special community already being realized at Hunter's Point South."
Comprised of two LEED Silver and Enterprise Green Community-designed buildings—Hunter's Point South Crossing and Hunter's Point South Commons—Hunter's Point South sets a new standard for sustainability in not only its design, construction and energy-efficiency, but also the greener, healthier lifestyle it promotes. Related Companies sought the expertise of GrowNYC, a nonprofit organization with a 45-year history of making farming and gardening accessible to urban communities, to create and program the Urban Farm on the 13th-floor terrace of Hunter's Point South Commons.
The 2,300-square-foot organic garden has 13 raised planting beds—including two mini-beds designed for the community's youngest members—and will be pollinated by the gentle honeybees. The apiary is protected behind a six-foot-tall fence and will be cared for by the experts at Berkshire Bees. Spring through fall, the garden will provide fresh seasonable vegetables, fruits, beans and herbs for residents.
GrowNYC will engage the resident community through a wide range of programs including cooking demonstrations in the terrace's outdoor kitchen and sustainable gardening workshops. Residents will have the chance to learn easy and fun recipes and cooking tips, so they can easily cook with fresh produce in their homes. Residents can also enroll in GrowNYC's Fresh Food Box, a unique CSA-type program that will provide weekly deliveries of locally grown fruits and vegetables from July to October for just $12 (EBT accepted).
"Just like food brings people together, gardening cultivates sense of community," said Gerard Lordahl, director of gardening at GrowNYC. "GrowNYC is proud and excited to be involved with the Urban Farm at Hunter's Point South and we look forward to working with the residents and families that will eventually sustain the farm and truly make it their own."
Residents of Hunter's Point South will enjoy 27,000 square feet of luxury-caliber amenities, including sprawling outdoor terraces, fully-equipped fitness facilities, tech centers, bike storage, party rooms, laundry rooms, a parking garage and a pet amenity. Both buildings will be fully staffed with 24-hour lobby attendants and, as part of Related Companies' commitment to impeccable service, residents will also enjoy an on-site resident manager. All apartments have dishwashers and each of the two- and three-bedroom apartments have in-unit washers and dryers. Designed by SHoP Architects with Ismael Leyva Architects, Hunter's Point South offers a mix of spacious studio to three-bedroom apartments with high-quality finishes, energy-efficient systems and appliances and breathtaking Manhattan views.
Hunter's Point South is conveniently located near multiple subway lines (7, E, G and M lines), the Long Island Rail Road and East River Ferry, offering an easy commute to Midtown Manhattan. Hunter's Point South Commons and Crossing will offer a smoke-free living environment for all residents and will be managed by the Related Management team. For more information about the buildings and available apartments at Hunter's Point South, please visit www.HuntersPointSouthLiving.com.
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About Related: Related Companies is the most prominent privately-owned real estate firm in the United States. Formed over 40 years ago, Related is a fully-integrated, highly diversified industry leader with experience in virtually every aspect of development, acquisitions, management, finance, marketing and sales. Headquartered in New York City, Related has offices and major developments in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, South Florida, Washington, D.C., Abu Dhabi, London, São Paulo and Shanghai and boasts a team of approximately 3,000 professionals. The Company's existing portfolio of real estate assets, valued at over $20 billion, is made up of best-in-class mixed-use, residential, retail, office and affordable properties in premier high-barrier-to-entry markets. Related has developed preeminent mixed-use projects such as Time Warner Center in New York and CityPlace in West Palm Beach and is currently developing the 28-acre Hudson Yards project on Manhattan's west side.
Related also manages approximately $3 billion of equity capital on behalf of sovereign wealth funds, public pension plans, multi-managers, endowments, and family offices. Related is staunchly committed to sustainable design with over $10 billion in green development underway or completed. The firm developed one of the first green residential buildings in the nation, Tribeca Green in Battery Park City, New York and Chicago's first green residential building, 340 on the Park. Related recently completed a collection of new LEED-certified residential buildings, The Brompton, The Harrison, MiMA and Superior Ink in New York City, The Clarendon in Boston and The Century in Los Angeles, as well as several green mixed-use and retail projects.
About GrowNYC: GrowNYC is an environmental nonprofit organization and the sustainability resource for New Yorkers, providing free tools and services anyone can use in order to improve our City and environment through four program areas: " Greenmarket: Through their network of farmers markets, Youthmarkets, fresh food box pick-ups and Greenmarket Co., GrowNYC ensures that all New Yorkers have access to the freshest, healthiest local food. " Recycle: GrowNYC blankets the five boroughs with resources like textile and food scrap collection, Stop 'N' Swaps, and free training to make waste reduction easy for all. " Garden: They build and support community and school gardens through tool loans, volunteer days, technical assistance, training, school garden grants and more. " Education: GrowNYC fosters future environmental stewards by providing 30,000 children each year with programs that provide meaningful interactions with the natural environment.
Related Companies: (212) 801-1000 communications@related.com
