Elected offi cials and city
agencies celebrated the
groundbreaking of Casa Celina,
a new senior housing
development on Tuesday.
Located on the city Housing
Authority’s Justice Sonia
Sotomayor campus in the
Soundview neighborhood of
the Bronx, the 100% affordable
project, named after
Justice Sotomayor’s mother,
Celina Báez, will provide 204
units for seniors, plus one
superintendent’s apartment.
“Our team is excited
to celebrate today with
NYCHA, HPD and HDC. This
construction start is the beginning
of an impactful project
that demonstrates the vision
of the agencies’ ‘Seniors
First’ program and their ongoing
commitment to providing
high-quality, sustainable
and elegant affordable
housing for seniors,” said
Andrea Kretchmer, principal
of Xenolith Partners.
“Our joint venture team of
veteran developers, ELH
Mgmt. LLC, The Kretchmer
Companies and WBE developer
Xenolith Partners, is
excited to continue our work
with the resident and community
leadership at Sotomayor
Houses as construction
gets underway. Crucial
services for seniors provided
by our partner JASA will be
complemented by new landscaping,
improved drainage,
and playground upgrades,
features that will benefi t all
Sotomayor residents.”
The 204 senior-led households
consist of 46 one-bedroom
units and 158 studios,
and the apartments are reserved
for individuals and
families making up to 50%
the Average Median Income
(AMI) or $47,750 for a family
of two. The building will set
aside 62 of the units, or 30%,
for formerly homeless older
adults and one superintendent’s
unit.
JASA, the largest nonprofi
t manager of senior
housing in New York City,
will manage the property
and provide supportive services
and programming for
older adults.
Healthy, Ethnic Cuisines for Our City’s Diverse Older New Yorkers
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, O 32 CT. 22-28, 2021 BTR
The building will also offer
a range of amenities, including
a 1,725 square-foot
community senior space
staffed by JASA with support
from DFTA, a fi tness
room, laundry room, lounge
spaces on each fl oor for residents
and a landscaped roof
terrace where yoga classes
and gardening will be available.
“This is an incredible
project that shows New York
City’s commitment to providing
Seniors with safe, affordable,
and quality housing,”
said Deputy Mayor for
Housing and Economic Development
Vicki Been. “The
Casa Celina honors the legacy
of Justice Sotomayor’s
family, all while prioritizing
the health and wellness
of our City’s most vulnerable
populations. I congratulate
all of the leaders who
stepped up to the plate on
this critical achievement
and thank them for continuing
to work for a strong Recovery
for All.”
-Bronx Times
A rendering of the senior afforfable housing building, which will be located
in the Soundview section of the Bronx. A groundbrekaing ceremony
was held on Oct. 19, 2021. Image courtesy Magnusson Architecture
Senior housing development
breaks ground in Soundview
New York City is back in full swing! After
more than a year of a broad shutdown of
businesses and public gatherings, we can
now enjoy the things we love to do such as
going to restaurants, sports events, and even
Broadway shows. And for older adults, the
reopening of older adult centers is certainly
one of the most exciting news to celebrate.
These centers are community hubs that bring
older New Yorkers together for socialization
and engagement.
When centers were physically closed
during the pandemic, we heard from many
older adults that they missed the centers’
fun activities such as chair yoga and music
workshops, seeing their friends, and the
sense of community that dining together
brings.
Congregate meal service at centers not
only provide comradery, they also provide
good, nutritious food. And in many of
our centers, these meals reflect our City’s
diversity.
From traditional Chinese fish congee to the
flavorful Caribbean oxtails, these culturally
aligned dishes are served at centers that are
located in neighborhoods with large ethnic
and immigrant populations. Just to name a
few examples: the Krakus Luncheon Club
Neighborhood Senior Center in Greenpoint,
a traditionally Polish neighborhood, serves
cheese pierogies with sour cream. In Queens,
the Korean Community Services Corona
Neighborhood Senior Center serves bean
sprout and kimchee soup.
New York is a multi-cultural city and, over
the years, our older adult population has
become more diverse. Since 2000, the City’s
Latino population nearly doubled, African
Americans increased by 59%, and the Asian
population nearly tripled – growing more
than 180%. Having services and meals that
reflect these changing demographics is
important for our agency.
Food is an important part of culture and it
also represents who we are. Every culture has
a unique cuisine characterized by distinctive
ingredients and cooking techniques. Being
able to enjoy the food of our cultural heritage
holds a personal value. My mother used to
cook arroz con gandules (Puerto Rican rice
with pigeon peas) on special occasions. That
delicious dish is something that immediately
brings happy memories.
Meals at older adult centers are not only
culturally aligned, but are also healthy and
nutritious. The Department for the Aging’s
Nutrition Unit works closely with centers to
review meal recipes and ensure that they are
nutritious and meet dietary guidelines and
standards, such as filling half of the plate
with fruits and vegetables. Meals are also
certified by registered dietitians and provide
a minimum of one-third of the necessary
daily nutrients of vitamins, minerals,
proteins, fat, and carbohydrates. Today,
nearly all our centers have reopened and
are serving more than 62,000 meals a week.
As many of us know, healthy eating
promotes longevity, vitality, and good
health. To help older adults eat healthy at
home, our dietitians also regularly conduct
a variety of nutrition education workshops
and healthy cooking classes. For those who
enjoy cooking, be sure to watch our healthy
cooking demonstrations on our Facebook
channel. Our recent demonstrations feature
delicious Summer Rolls (presented in
Cantonese) and Avocado Toast.
For older New Yorkers who haven’t visited
an older adult
center since
they reopened,
I invite you to
stop by the
center nearest
you and say
hello. Come
and enjoy a hot
meal and meet
s ome new
friends along
the way.
The City’s older adult centers are open for indoor activities and meal services. Meals served at centers are
healthy, nutritious, and culturally aligned with their neighborhood’s population.
NYC Department for the Aging
Commissioner Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez