Case Study: DePaul Ebenzer Square Apartments
On the site of a long-vacant big-box store in West Seneca sits one of DePaul’s newest supportive housing communities. SWBR designed Ebenezer Square Apartments, aptly named for the area’s communal society founded by German immigrants in 1842.
The 3-story development, LEED for Homes Platinum certified, incorporates the latest energy-saving solar technology – a 150-kilowatt solar array expected to generate 75% of the building’s electricity. A blend of affordable and supportive housing, there are 100 affordable, energy-efficient one- and two-bedroom apartments – each with private storage, fully equipped kitchens, and full baths. 75 units are part of NYS’s Residence-Single Room Occupancy (CR-SRO) Program, which provides supportive housing in a service-enriched, recovery-oriented setting for adults with psychiatric disabilities. The building has 24-hour security and staff, and provides a full range of health, vocational and human services. Residents share a lounge and laundry room on each floor, computer lab, community room, and outdoor spaces.
Ebenezer Square “enables individuals with disabilities to live fully integrated lives in their home community,” said NYS Office of Mental Health Commissioner Ann Sullivan, a result that couldn’t please DePaul more.
