New ROEM $27 Million Transit-Oriented, Sustainable Apartments Celebrate Grand Opening in Baldwin Park
Mixed-use 70-unit residential community for low-income families opens in Los Angeles County
BALDWIN PARK, Calif. – (RealEstateRama) — On Thursday, October 13, 2016, the City of Baldwin Park and ROEM Corporation celebrated the grand opening of Metro Village. Located at the northeast corner of Ramona Boulevard and Maine Avenue, Metro Village is a new construction, mixed-use, affordable multifamily apartment community on a 1.01-acre site. Metro Village offers one, two, and three-bedroom apartments affordable to families making 60 percent or less of the Los Angeles County Area Median Income and 5,500 square feet of commerce retail space.
The grand opening celebration was held at Metro Village, which is located at 4428 East Ramona Blvd., Baldwin Park, CA 91706.
“The Metro Village represents the beginning of a new era in the history of Baldwin Park,” said Mayor Lozano, City of Baldwin Park. “It, along with the Metrolink Station, will serve as the catalyst that will remake our downtown area into the vibrant and dynamic centerpiece to our City that we all envisioned it could be. The positive impacts of this project are already being felt, including the enticement of new businesses and developers seeking to establish other projects in this area. Metro Village will continue to propel this transformation and soon will serve as an example of what can be accomplished through focused long-term planning and collaboration.”
This $27 million, 70-unit, four-story community intertwines contemporary architecture with a solid foundation that further enhances the downtown scene. In addition, the new public plaza at the transit-oriented Metro Village links Baldwin Park’s historic City Hall to retail and transit activities along Ramona Boulevard. With its close proximity to the Cruz Baca Transit Center station, Metro Village residents can choose between riding the transit with the transit passes provided to each unit at Metro Village or bike to the station or downtown retail. Resident amenities include a community room with an entertainment and lounge area, kitchenette, computer room, fitness room, laundry room, secure bike storage area, private patio space with a play area, and barbeque area.
“As Los Angeles County continues growing its transit system, it’s critical that cities plan for new housing to be located near those transit stations,” said ROEM Executive Vice President Alex Sanchez. “Many transit riders want easy access to public transportation near the place they call home. With Metro Village, the City of Baldwin Park has ensured they can.”
Continuing its focus on its commitment to build green, ROEM integrated sustainable building methods and materials in the development of Metro Village. These include energy conservation features such as water and energy-efficient appliances and fixtures. To save water, Metro Village has also used only drought-tolerant plants, used no turf, and installed low-flow drip sprinklers and water-saving fixtures. High-efficiency lighting and Energy Star appliances ensure less energy is used property-wide. In addition, a solar PV system converts energy from the sun to fulfill residents’ energy needs thereby reducing the property’s dependence on energy. To increase the air quality, Metro Village applied low VOC paints and adhesives on the walls. With this focus on sustainability, Metro Village is pursuing USGBC LEED-H Gold certification.
“The solutions to providing high-quality affordable housing are as diverse as the communities they serve and Metro Village is an excellent example,” said Withee Malcolm Principal Dirk Thelen. “The contemporary architecture coherently addresses the mix of uses—residential, retail, a public plaza and connections to transit—and the urban context to support a welcoming, environmentally-friendly neighborhood and to serve as an important catalyst for revitalization.”
Metro Village is receiving 9 percent Low-Income Housing Tax Credits and is made possible through the investment and lending support of AEGON and Citi Community Capital. ROEM and Pacific Housing, Inc. have partnered with Citi Community Capital, AEGON USA Realty Advisors, LLC, and the City of Baldwin Park for financial support on this project. This project also utilizes the U.S. HUD HOME Program funds and a loan from the City of Baldwin Park. The architect is Withee Malcolm Architects, LLP and the general contractor, ROEM Builders, Inc.
“This mixed-use development will provide much needed affordable housing for families that would otherwise struggle with finding quality housing at affordable rental rates in Baldwin Park,” said Jay Abeywardena, Director at Citi Community Capital. “Citi is committed to investing in quality affordable housing like Metro Village and we will continue this effort to benefit those communities that desperately need the investment.”
Guest speakers included: Congresswoman Grace Napolitano, 32nd Congressional District of California; State Senator Ed Hernandez, 22nd Senate District of California; Assemblymember Roger Hernández, 48th District of California; Supervisor Hilda Solis, County Board of Supervisors, County of Los Angeles; Mayor Manuel Lozano, City of Baldwin Park; Mayor Pro-Tem Monica Garcia, City of Baldwin Park, California; Council Member Cruz Baca, City of Baldwin Park, California; Council Member Ricardo Pacheco, City of Baldwin Park, California; Council Member Susan Rubio, City of Baldwin Park, California; Jay Abeywardena, Director, Citi Community Capital; Gary Howe, Director, AEGON USA Realty Advisors, LLC; Robert Emami, CEO & President, ROEM Development Corporation; and Alex Sanchez, Executive Vice President, ROEM Development Corporation.
About ROEM Corporation
ROEM Development Corporation, ROEM Builders, Inc., and their affiliated entities are a full-service development and construction organization that has specialized in the acquisition, planning, financing, new construction, renovation and asset management of market-rate and affordable housing throughout California for more than 30 years. Ranked in Affordable Housing Finance magazine’s Top 50 Affordable Housing Developers of 2015 list and a registered member of USGBC and Build It Green, ROEM is dedicated to creating wholesome communities that are not only sustainable but also designed smarter to ensure that residents are healthier, happier and safer. ROEM has completed more than 3,000 affordable housing units with more than 1,000 units currently under construction. For more information, visit www.ROEMcorp.com.
