The greening of Bed-Stuy was halted before it even began, thanks to the financial crisis. The Nzinga Townhouses–modular, environmentally friendly homes–have gone through final stages of design, engineering, and bidding. But since the financial crisis has hit, the developer has been left in the lurch, unable to secure financing to begin building.
Imagine balconies with planting beds through which rain water feeds the plants, which then grow to provide summer shade, privacy, and photosynthesis. Other innovative features include low-temperature condensing boilers, solar thermal hot water systems, and double roofs for increased insulation.
The homes, if they ever come online, are priced at around $1 million or more, “which is a lot of money,” admits architect James Garrison. But “it’s really quite affordable considering what all is available,” he says. For now, the 5,000 square-foot patch of land near the Bedford-Stuyvesant Restoration Plaza, at Herkimer Street and New York Avenue, remains empty.
