FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Heather Schechter
Director of Marketing, Sunrise Management & Consulting
hschechter@sunrisemc.com; (518) 782-0200 ext. 103
DEVELOPMENT TEAM REVITALIZES SCHOOL BUILDINGS WITH MODERN APARTMENTS
– Former Sand Lake school Is Now Homeroom Lofts Apartments in Averill Park, NY & Now Leasing –
– In Partnership with Metroplex, Development Team’s Plan for Draper Lofts in Rotterdam, NY Moves Forward –
ALBANY, NY (May 17, 2016) – The development team of Sunrise Management & Consulting, Design Logic Architects, and JPM Contractors has converted a former Sand Lake school in Averill Park, NY into Homeroom Lofts, a modern and luxurious 35-unit apartment community that has its first tenants and is now leasing. The development team is led by Jesse Holland of Sunrise Management & Consulting and includes Jim Mesko of JPM Contractors and Bob Bucher of Design Logic Architects. The school building had been closed for about five years although it was still owned by the Averill Park School District. The school was listed for sale when the team decided to purchase it.
“We’ve gotten great feedback from potential and current tenants,” said Jesse Holland, President, and Founder of Sunrise Management & Consulting, the company managing the property. “People love the modern kitchens and light-filled space. We’ve had open houses each weekend, showings throughout the week and continue to receive fantastic feedback. There aren’t a lot of rental options in Averill Park, and these apartments are eight miles from Troy, 10 miles from U.S. Route 4 in East Greenbush, and eleven miles from Albany. We had the apartment community 50 percent leased in its first 30 days on the market and we expect to have it fully occupied in the next 60 days.”
The renovation of the old school into an apartment community has created a stunning combination of original detail and modern amenities. Some of the units include an innovative sliding glass wall system designed to maximize space and flexibility as well as natural light. The community features nine-foot ceilings, oversized windows, and hardwood floors. The apartments appeal to modern sensibilities and include stainless steel appliances, stone countertops, period interpretive glass and ceramic tile bathrooms, and solar shade window treatments. Outside, residents will be able to enjoy a garden, courtyard terrace, and 1.75 acres of green space including 10,000 square feet of reclaimed greenery. Inside, residents will have the option of exercising in the fitness room.
“I used to live in Sand Lake and always admired the exterior of this beautiful Beaux-Arts period structure,” explained Bucher. “I envisioned repurposing the building and making use of the large windows and historic exterior to create modern apartments in a country setting. Now the construction is almost complete.”
In the designs for Homeroom Lofts, Bucher was able to keep some elements of the old school intact while creating apartments with fully modern amenities. He explains, “Inside the apartments; you’re greeted with lots of natural light. We maintained the oversized original window openings. Modern elements in the kitchen include hand-glazed accent tile and granite countertops, but the color and feel is period adaptive to the late 1920s. In the bathrooms, the floor tiling and vanities are all new but contain a Beaux-Arts feel. Some of the apartments have features that echo the building’s past such as walls with bead board, reminiscent of an old classroom. In one apartment, you walk out onto what was once the old school stage. We added a mezzanine loft with a spiral staircase and kept the proscenium (arch of the stage). In another apartment, created out of the old gym space, we kept a wall with the original brick. The hallways show more of a nod to the building’s school roots; we kept original bronze plaques that were hung when the school was built. The corridors, trim, and ceilings of the hallway were designed to echo a school building. There is even a row of lockers that residents can use.”
As the development team was in the planning stages of Homeroom Lofts, Holland started looking for other opportunities and learned about the vacant Draper school in Rotterdam. “As our plans unfolded for Homeroom Lofts, we realized that Draper was farther advanced in the construction process,” explains Holland. “Because Draper had been vacant, the building was gutted, including the ceilings and plumbing. I brought the Homeroom Lofts team to look at the Draper building. Through the architect’s expertise, he figured out how to get a rentable number of units into that space. The contractor came up with a construction budget and priced out the project. The vacant Draper school has repeatedly been vandalized and was an eyesore to the community. We presented Metroplex with our plans for an apartment community called Draper Lofts, and they were eager to help. ”
Ray Gillen, Metroplex Chair said, “We are very fortunate that the same team who successfully redeveloped the Homeroom Lofts project is now ready to transform the former Draper school into Draper Lofts, bringing 113 new quality apartments to Schenectady County.”
The public is invited to a ribbon cutting and property tour at Homeroom Lofts on Wednesday, May 25 at 4:00 p.m. at 2910 New York Rte. 43, Averill Park, NY 12018. To RSVP and for details, visit invite.sunrisemc.com and for information on Homeroom Lofts, visit www.HomeroomLofts.com.
On Friday, June 17 at 11 a.m., the public is invited to a groundbreaking ceremony and Draper Memory Lane Stroll Benefiting the Mohonasen Foundation. The event will take place at the future home of Draper Lofts, a modern apartment community to be built in a historical setting. The address is 901 Draper Avenue, Rotterdam, NY 12306. Immediately following the groundbreaking ceremony, retired teachers and Draperians will lead tours through the vacant school while reminiscing about its heyday. The cost of admission will be a suggested donation to the Mohonasen Foundation. Another feature of the fundraiser is that the Mohonasen Foundation will sell architectural salvage items, including classroom doors, wood from gym bleachers, and pieces of the auditorium curtain. Reduce, reuse and recycle and create a unique table from a wood door that was once an entrance to a classroom. To RSVP for the event and for further details, visit www.DraperLofts.com.
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About Sunrise Management & Consulting
Sunrise Management & Consulting provides development consulting, marketing, leasing and property management services for multifamily investors across the northeastern United States. The professionals at Sunrise Management & Consulting utilize innovative management and consulting programs to deliver consistent, dependable results that exceed industry performance standards. The company also provides real estate brokerage services in residential, multifamily, commercial and investment transactions through its subsidiary, Sunrise Realty Advisors. For more information, please visit www.SunriseMC.com.
About Design Logic Architects
Design Logic Architects, PC, is a full-service architectural, planning and interior design firm with clients throughout the United States. Design Logic has delivered outstanding results for clients in hospitality, retail, office, institutional and multifamily residential environments. The company is proud to offer expertise in sustainable and LEED™ Accredited building and design practices. For more information, please visit www.DesignLogicArchitects.com.
About JPM Contractors
JPM Contractors is a construction and remodeling firm with over 20 years of experience. JPM Contractors specializes in green building, new construction, and remodeling for commercial, residential and institutional clients.
About The Schenectady Metroplex Development Authority
Established in 1998, Metroplex enhances the long-term economic vitality and quality of life in Schenectady County. For more in information, visit www.SchenectadyMetroplex.com.
