Elected offi cials, clergy and community leaders break ground for the Bishop
Philius and Helene Nicolas Senior Residence Project. Francklin Valme
Caribbean Life, Jan. 18–24, 2019 3
By Alexandra Simon
Two local elected officials recently
attended the inauguration of the governor
of the United States Virgin
Islands on Jan. 7.
Bronx Councilman, Andy King
(D–Baychester) and Mount Vernon
City Council President, Andre Wallace,
were present for the swearingin
ceremony of Albert Bryan Jr., and
Lieutenant Governor, Tregenza A.
Roach, on the multi-island territory’s
capital city of Charlotte Amalie on St.
Thomas
“It was a grand moment, witnessing
Albert Bryan Jr. and Tregenza
A. Roach, take the oath of office and
all the festivities that followed,” said
King.
Albert Bryan Jr. is the ninth governor
of the U.S. Virgin Islands. The
democratic official succeeds Kenneth
Mapp, who held the post for four
years.
The inaugural events began with a
mass at Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral,
continued by a lively parade featuring
music and a performance by
military members. The day concluded
with a ball, and was followed by additional
festivities on other islands.
King added that he is hopeful the
new governance of the Virgin Islands
will have a positive outcome for the
future of the territory’s economy and
social services.
“The Bryan and Roach win signals
a bright, new day for the people of the
USVI,” he said. “The new Democratic
leadership will be strong and proactive
in attracting new revenue and
economic resources, reinvest in the
island, implement a unified health
and hospital system for Virgin Islanders
and so much more.”
By Nelson A. King
The Evangelical Crusade of Fishers
of Men, in partnership with community
leaders and residents, broke ground on
Sunday for a new low-income senior
housing development project in East
Flatbush, Brooklyn.
The Evangelical Crusade of Fishers
of Men is a Christian faith-based community
that has served East Flatbush
for 45 years as a place of refuge, retreat,
transformation and restoration for all.
It was founded by Bishop Philius H.
Nicolas and is currently shepherded
by his son and successor, the Rev. Dr.
Samuel Nicolas.
The construction of the $45 million
housing development project has been
financed through discretionary capital
allocations from Brooklyn Borough
President Eric L. Adams of $1,000,000
and Council Member Jumaane D. Williams
of $500,000, the Senior Affordable
Rental Apartment (SARA) program of
the NYC Department of Housing Preservation
and Development (HPD), Bank
of America’s debt and equity financing
programs.
“The Bishop Philius and Helene
Nicolas Senior Residence Project is our
answer to God’s call to serve the community
and meet a fundamental human
need – shelter,” said Rev. Nicolas, senior
pastor. “God has rewarded our faith
by bringing to fruition a project that
we’ve been speaking about for the past
12 years.
“This building will enable us to
expand our capacity to help our neighbors
live a better life,” he added. “We
are grateful for the opportunity to fulfill
our mission on this earth and work
with great partners to strengthen the
East Flatbush community.”
Williams, who represents the 45th
Council District in Brooklyn, said the
Bishop Philius and Helene Nicolas Senior
Residence Project (BPHN), named in
honor of the church’s founding bishop
and first lady, is an 89-unit apartment
building for seniors ages 62 and older
earning less than 50 percent of the area
median income (AMI).
The residence, located at 1488 New
York Ave., will consist of 88 studio
rental units and 1 one-bedroom super’s
unit, Williams said.
He said it will also include a community
room, common area space, laundry
facilities and on-site social services.
Additionally, Williams said there will
be a 10,575 sq. community service facility
located on the first and cellar levels
that the congregation has envisioned
as a medical office suite for geriatric
primary care.
“It is critical that we provide aging
New Yorkers with the affordable homes
they need. I thank the Evangelical Crusade
Christian Church (ECCC) for partnering
with HPD to provide more security
for our seniors,” said Mayor Bill de
Blasio.
Brooklyn Borough President Eric
L. Adams also commended the Evangelical
Crusade of Fishers of Men and
BEL Community Housing LLC for their
“visionary leadership that is creating
much-needed low-income housing for
our senior neighbors in East Flatbush.
“This expansion of ministry to the
realm of affordable housing is a blessing
for our borough,” he said. “My administration’s
Faith-Based Development
Initiative is proud to support efforts
like these that are building meaningful
bridges between houses of worship and
non-profit developers, in the pursuit of
helping Brooklynites to continue living
in the communities they helped make
great.”
Williams said seniors are “among
those most hurt by the affordable housing
and homelessness crisis in our city,
with landlords that take advantage of
them and rents that skyrocket due to
gentrification.
“I’ve been proud to support this
project that will provide much-needed
housing for seniors in my community,
and I want to thank Pastor Nicolas
and ECCC for taking up this cause to
address an urgent problem we face, as
well as Borough President Adams and
all of entities helping to fund this essential
project,” he said.
Assembly Member Rodneyse Bichotte,
representative for the 42nd Assembly
District in Brooklyn, said: “It is with
great pleasure that I stand in support
of the groundbreaking for The Bishop
Philius and Helene Nicolas Senior
Residence Project (BPHN), in Flatbush
Brooklyn and in Little Haiti.”
Bichotte noted that, currently, one
out of every 128 New Yorkers is homeless.
She said that number includes many
displaced tenants “who struggled with
vacancy deregulation and rising rent
costs before losing their dwellings.
“I am continuing the fight to alleviate
these stressors, so that my constituents
can exercise the basic human right
to habitable and safe housing,” Bichotte
said. “I support this project, because it
ensures this right for seniors in New
York, so that they can age in peace and
in place.”
Council Member Mathieu Eugene,
representative for the 40th Council
District in Brooklyn, also lauded the
leadership of the Evangelical Crusade
of Fishers of Men for its “advocacy on
behalf of our community’s underserved
senior citizens.
“The congregation has worked diligently
with community leaders and
residents to make the Bishop Philius
and Helene Nicolas Senior Residence
Project a reality,” he said.
“It is critical that we continue to
invest in projects that will help our elderly
residents maintain a comfortable
quality of life, and I am proud to allocate
funding for this residence that will
provide 89 units of affordable housing
and supportive services to senior citizens
in need of a care,” Eugene added.
The building will be developed by
BEL Community Housing LLC, which
is a partnership between Brisa Builders
Development LLC; Evergreen City LLC,
an M/WBE affordable housing development
group; and Lemle & Wolff Dev.
Co. It was designed by Heritage Architecture
and Rodney Leon Architects.
From left, Bronx councilman, Andy
King (D–Baychester) and Mount
Vernon city council president ,Andre
Wallace, with Albert Bryan Jr.,
the newest Governor of the United
States Virgin Islands.
Offi ce of Councilman Andy King
Brooklyn church breaks
ground for senior housing
NY pols attend
inauguration of
Virgin Islands
governor