Parkedge Townhomes in Utica completes $47 million in renovations

UTICA, N.Y. — Parkedge Townhomes, a 184-unit affordable-housing development in Utica, recently completed renovations at the 50-year-old complex to upgrade the units and add a new community building, two playground areas, and sustainable-infrastructure improvements.

Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office on Wednesday announced the completion of the renovation project. The Greater Utica Chamber of Commerce also held a ribbon cutting at Parkedge Townhomes on Wednesday.

The state’s Mitchell Lama Program provides housing affordable to the middle class. New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) plays an oversight role for existing developments, which are privately owned and managed, and works with owners as they near the end of their 20-year affordability requirements, according to Hochul’s office.

Parkedge, based at 116 Parkedge Drive and constructed in 1973, includes 27 two-story and three-story townhouses with a mix of two-bedroom, three-bedroom, or four-bedroom apartments affordable to households earning at or below 60 percent of the area median income.

As part of the $47 million project, all units received new kitchens, bathrooms, and flooring. Each townhome was upgraded to meet criteria for certification from Enterprise Green Communities with hot-water system upgrades, added insulation, Energy Star appliances, and LED lighting.

The new community building includes a computer center, and additional work included replacement of all sidewalks and parking areas, along with improvements to the drainage system.

Liberty Affordable Housing, Inc. of Rome is the developer. Funding for the project included $8.3 million in permanent tax-exempt bonds, $9 million in federal low-income housing tax credits, and $14 million in subsidies from New York State Homes and Community Renewal.

In the last five years, HCR has created or preserved more than 1,000 affordable homes in Utica.