Downey, Calif. – Grand Opening will be held Dec. 1 for the highly anticipated Downey View Apartments, a cornerstone for the redevelopment of the city's downtown and a powerful example of affordable housing as an economic catalyst.
Downey View features 50 two- and three-bedroom units for residents earning 30 percent, 45 percent or 50 percent of the area median income for Los Angeles County. The six-story, state-of-the-art complex is a central element in the Downtown Downey Specific Plan, designed to create a lively urban community of affordable and market-rate housing, office space, retail establishments and restaurants.
More than 700 applications were distributed during a two-day pre-opening last month, with 271 of them returned the first day alone. Of those early returns, 62 percent came from people who live or work in Downey.
The Downey View Apartments are a partnership of National CORE, its Hope through Housing social services subsidiary, the City of Downey, the County of Los Angeles and the Community Development Commission of Los Angeles County (CDC).
The Community Development Commission of Los Angeles County provided more than $2 million in former redevelopment funds toward construction of the project.
"We are proud to partner with National CORE on the Downey View, which will help to address a crucial need for affordable supportive family housing for County residents," said Sean Rogan, Executive Director of the CDC.
Downey View will feature a community room, a rooftop garden and a private patio for each unit. The project is highly energy efficient, exceeding the standards set by the U.S. Green Building Council under its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. Sustainable landscape elements include drought-tolerant plants, large box trees for shading and a planted green wall (instead of bare walls) around the sides and rear of the building.
Downey View is designed in an L-shape around a common courtyard. Balconies, landscaping, recessed openings and variations of the exterior wall plane break up large masses and add visual interest. Each unit has been designed to be as open and efficient as possible.
Additional partners include the City of Downey Community Development Commission, the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee, Hudson Housing Capital, JP Morgan Chase & Co., the architecture firm of Togawa Smith Martin Inc., and DCI Engineering Inc.
When: Monday, Dec. 1, 2014, 2 p.m.