New York City’s first-ever multifamily geothermal building is one step closer to welcoming tenants to Coney Island.
Real estate and development firm LOCR announced on Tuesday they had built the top floor of the 471,000-square foot, 463-unit residential building at 1515 Surf Ave.
LOCR partnered with Ecosave USA to design and install the geothermal system, which Ecosave USA says will reduce the building’s carbon emissions by over 60%. he project was funded in part by a grant from the state’s Community Heat Pump System Pilot Program.
“1515 Surf proved that high rise buildings can be built above geothermal well fields, and through its efficient full electrification and the usage of renewable green energy we can run zero carbon buildings today,” said Marcelo Rouco, Ecosave’s CEO.
Designed by STUDIO V Architecture, 1515 Surf Ave. will offer over 20,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor amenities including an outdoor pool, fitness center, landscaped courtyard, indoor handball and basketball court, tenant lounges, co-working space and on-site parking.
Of the 463 residential units, 139 will be designated affordable housing, with the building predicted to finish construction in early 2024, with apartments expected to become available to lease shortly after.
“We’re proud to be celebrating this topping out milestone and to contribute to Coney Island’s resurgence and revitalization,” said Anthony Tortora, Senior Vice President & Principal of LCOR. “We are thrilled to deliver the first residential geothermal project in NYC at this scale.”
The project probably won’t be the city’s last all-geothermal project: a citywide ban on gas hookups in new construction will take effect in smaller buildings next year, and will apply to all new buildings, regardless of size, by 2027.
Buildings are responsible for roughly 70% of New York City’s greenhouse gas emissions, and lawmakers and activists say that forcing new construction to explore other energy sources, like geothermal, will help both the city and the state meet their climate-change goals.
