OVERVIEW

At Gotham, our mission is to give back to the communities that we build in. As an industry leader with deep experience in developing and building luxury mixed-income and affordable housing residences, we are committed to creating dynamic and sustainable models for neighborhood growth, and to supporting the people, organizations and businesses that contribute to the diversity and resilience of our city. We achieve these goals through strategic partnerships with public agencies, not-for-profits and cultural organizations; responsive and timely charitable initiatives; and regular employee volunteering opportunities that cultivate a sense of community and strengthen Gotham’s culture of giving.

COMMUNITY PARTNERS

Strong partnerships nourish and sustain our communities. We approach each project holistically, working in collaboration with housing non-profits, supportive service providers, and arts and cultural organizations to create spaces that connect and empower people.

At The Ashland, our full service residential building in Fort Greene, we partnered with Breaking Ground to lease the building’s 118 affordable units. New York City’s largest provider of outreach and supportive services for individuals experiencing street homelessness, Breaking Ground continues to be an important partner; Gotham’s President and CEO, David L. Picket, also sits on the board and continues to support fundraising efforts for the organization.

For our Hunter’s Point South development in Long Island City, Gotham has partnered with Riseboro Community Partnership, a leader in affordable housing and supportive community services. The development will feature 1,132 units across two residential buildings, 75% of which will be affordable housing. It will also include approximately 90 dedicated senior independent living units, with Riseboro providing continuous on-site supportive services including case management, community referrals, benefit assistance and advocacy, and regular social and educational programming.

Hunter’s Point South will also be home to a vibrant new 2,000 square foot gallery and performance space owned by Long Island City-based artist collective FLUX Factory. An exciting addition to the development, the space will support FLUX Factory’s mission of supporting and promoting emerging artists.

Gotham is proud to be working with Covenant House, an international non-profit that provides housing and support services to runaway and homeless youth, to build the organization’s new headquarters in Hudson Yards. The 78,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility will be dedicated to the empowerment of vulnerable young people, providing 160 beds of emergency shelter, a federally qualified health center, and employment and life skills training.

Our upcoming Broome Street Development, developed in partnership with the Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC) and Beth Hamedrash Hagolol Synagogue (BHH), will consist of two mixed-use buildings totaling approximately 400,000 square feet. The first, which integrates existing BHH synagogue remains into its new structure, will serve as a cultural heritage center and be open to the public; the second will house the new CPC headquarters, creating 40,000 square feet of new community facilities. Both partners will own their respective spaces, allowing them to better support their Lower East Side communities. The development will also feature mixed-income intergenerational housing, including 43% permanently affordable units and senior affordable housing.
In collaboration with the Brooklyn Music School (BMS), a treasured cultural institution providing music, dance and performing arts education to traditionally underserved populations, Gotham has envisioned a multi-use development at 130 Felix Street. With 30% of residential units dedicated to moderate-to middle-income affordable homeownership, the development creates mixed-income homeownership in the heart of Fort Greene. The project also includes 20,000 square feet of space to be owned outright by BMS, doubling the school’s instructional space and allowing it to expand programming and grow its capacity to serve the community.

GOTHAM GIVES BACK

With a century-long tradition of building housing for New York City’s working families, promoting equity and sustainability is at the core of who we are. More than a set of philanthropic objectives, Gotham Gives Back embodies our philosophy of revitalizing and enriching the neighborhoods in which we build. Now more than ever, this means harnessing our resources to foster community, engagement and resilience in unprecedented times.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Gotham has swiftly adapted to meet the urgent needs of tenants, essential workers, local businesses and vulnerable members of our communities. With La Palapa, a hospitality partner at Gotham West Market, we have donated weekly meals to hospital workers at Mount Sinai West, New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, and The Brooklyn Hospital; to vulnerable seniors and youth through organizations like Breaking Ground, Covenant House, and Heart of Dinner; and to the essential workers at neighborhood buildings in our market’s Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood. Gotham is also a founding member of Project Parachute, a coalition of owners of market-rate and affordable apartment buildings, housing nonprofits, and service providers that have come together to address tenant hardship arising from the COVID-19 crisis. The program funds an increase in community-based supportive services, including rental assistance counseling for all New York City tenants.

Gotham’s commitment to giving is also reflected in longtime and continuing initiatives. Our Annual Coat Drive, benefitting New York Cares, encourages residents to give back with matching donations, and our 31 Days of Giving campaign awards residents across the Gotham Properties portfolio with gifts that support local businesses.

EMPLOYEE VOLUNTEERING

At Gotham, we believe that a culture of giving strengthens our team, enhances our communities, and amplifies our core values. Employees are encouraged to get involved with causes that matter through regular volunteering opportunities with our community partners. From mentoring at-risk youth at Covenant House, to canvassing parks, subways and other public spaces as part of the annual Homeless Outreach Population Estimate (HOPE) effort, to serving Thanksgiving meals to formerly homeless individuals at Breaking Ground residences, Gotham employees give back in meaningful ways.

In addition to supporting the tremendous work of our partner organizations, volunteer events also offer valuable opportunities for staff to connect with one another outside of the office and to share teamwork-enhancing experiences.