Press Release Headlines

Simone Development Welcomes AHRC to New Location

Non-Profit Organization Serving the Mentally Disabled Relocates, Consolidates Previous Spaces into New Building on Ferris Place in the Bronx, Developed by Simone; Simone Specs Environmentally Friendly Building Materials Produced by Kingston Block; Recycled Building Block Reduces Carbon Footprint & Reduces Waste

BRONX, N.Y., May 7, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Simone Development Companies today announced that AHRC New York City, the leading non-profit provider of services for the intellectually and mentally disabled, has relocated and consolidated its Bronx programs in a new building at 1420 Ferris Place in the Bronx, adjacent to Westchester Square station.  Simone Development advised AHRC regarding the relocation process, identified the site, and developed the property in accordance with AHRC's needs.  The new building features recycled construction materials that minimize waste and reduce the carbon footprint.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130507/PH08536-a )

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130507/PH08536-b )

"By offering brand new, high-quality space in a great location, this new facility will enable AHRC to better serve the Bronx community," said Joseph Simone, president of Simone Development.  "We're also pleased to develop a building with a reduced environmental impact, because we've incorporated the most advanced recycled materials into its construction."

AHRC had previously occupied several buildings in the Bronx, including its location at 1500 Pelham Parkway South.  That property had been purchased by a third party, who planned to redevelop it as a charter school.  Accordingly, AHRC needed to relocate, and also took the opportunity to consolidate other sites around the borough into a single, convenient location with outstanding access to public transportation. In addition to the #6 train, Westchester Square is served by nearly a dozen MTA bus lines.

James MacDonald, director of leasing for Simone Development, advised AHRC on the relocation process.  "AHRC approached us, seeking suitable space in a good location," Mr. MacDonald said.  "After looking at several sites, we identified a property within the Simone portfolio that met the requirement.  From that point, our team worked with AHRC on the design of the building, and then constructed the property."

AHRC's new facility also has robust "green building" credentials.  In constructing the Ferris Place property, Simone Development specified Kingston Block & Masonry Supply's recycled building block, which incorporates post-consumer recycled glass to reduce waste and carbon footprint.  Kingston Block provides the following analysis of how the use of Pozzotive®, the proprietary recycled supplementary cementitious material manufactured by Urban Mining Northeast, LLC, in its building block yields significant greenhouse gas reductions and promotes re-use of consumer waste:

Greenhouse gas reduction:

  • 21,419 lbs of Pozzotive® were used in manufacturing of the building block (also known as concrete masonry units, or CMU) for the Ferris Place project.
  • For every pound of Pozzotive® used to replace Portland Cement in the concrete design mix of Pozzotive® CMU, a 1-pound savings of CO2 emissions is yielded.
  • 21,419 lbs of Pozzotive® were used in the manufacturing of these CMU, which has yielded 21,419 lbs of CO2 emissions savings that can be directly attributed to this project.

Re-use of consumer waste:

  • For every pound of Pozzotive® used in the replacement of the Portland Cement in the concrete design mix, approximately 2.63 empty Heineken bottle equivalents are saved from being landfilled.
  • 21,419 lbs of Pozzotive® were used in the manufacturing of the CMU for this project, which has saved 56,331 empty Heineken bottles from being landfilled.

About Simone Development Companies

Simone Development Companies is a full-service real estate investment company specializing in the acquisition and development of office, retail, industrial and residential properties in the New York tri-state area.  Headquartered in the Bronx, the privately held company owns and manages more than 5 million square feet of property in the Bronx, Westchester County, Queens, Long Island and Connecticut.  The company's portfolio includes more than 100 properties and ranges from multi-building office parks to retail and industrial space.

The company's largest and most successful development is the 42-acre Hutchinson Metro Center office complex located directly off the Hutchinson River Parkway in the Pelham Bay section of the Bronx.  The first two phases of the complex (1200 Waters Place and 1250 Waters Place), which comprise nearly 750,000 square feet of Class A office and medical space, are fully leased.  Two additional phases totaling 650,000 square feet (the 370,000-square-foot Metro Center Atrium and 280,000-square-foot Tower Two, adjacent to 1250 Waters Place), are currently under development.

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