ROME, N.Y. — The Rome Housing Authority and Boston–based Beacon Communities Development LLC recently celebrated the completion of a project to rehabilitate and modernize the Colonial II Apartments in Rome.

The apartment complex will provide 74 affordable homes for seniors and people with disabilities, according to a news release from Gov. Kathy Hochul. The $40 million project received a $1 million award from the state’s Buildings of Excellence Competition, which works to advance net-zero carbon multifamily buildings in the state.

“The Rome Housing Authority is proud to be at the forefront of improving energy efficiency in public housing, which will help the state meet its clean energy goals while reducing utility costs for tenants,” Rome Housing Authority Executive Director Maureen Birmingham said in the release. “This multi-state renovation project has transformed and modernized Colonial II, making it a model for similar buildings statewide. I greatly appreciate all the work that went into this project and particularly thank the tenants for their patience and flexibility. The results have been worth the wait!”

Originally constructed in 1972 as a school and dormitory, the facility was converted to public housing in 1984. Prior to this project, the building at 310 Cottage St. had not been upgraded in decades and was rendered functionally obsolete.

Work on the project, which began in March 2022, converted 99 units of public housing into 74 apartments for seniors and those living with a disability, a release from Beacon stated. The one-bedroom units are available to residents with incomes at or below 50 percent of the area median income.

Improvements included electrified building systems, installation of geothermal-sourced high-efficiency heat pumps to replace a gas boiler system, a small on-site solar field and connection to community solar. The project also increased unit sizes, replaced the brick façade with a panel system to improve temperature control and reduce energy usage, made structural upgrades to common areas including a new mailroom, and updated community room, created seven ADA-accessible units, and created two hearing and sight-impaired units.

The solar array is expected to provide 98 percent of the building’s energy.

Financing for the project included $2 million in permanent tax-exempt bonds, $16.6 million in federal Low Income Housing Tax Credits, and $12.5 million in subsidy from New York State Homes and Community Renewal. Along with the $1 million through the Buildings of Excellence Competition, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority also provided incentives of $296,000 from the Multifamily New Construction Program and $194,740 from the NY-Sun Program. The Rome Housing Authority provided additional funding.

“This project stands as a testament to our collective commitment to providing safe, modern, affordable, and accessible housing for our residents,” Rome Mayor Jeffrey Lanigan said. “This was a transformative endeavor which will have benefits to this community for many years to come.”