Bryant School's transformation complete: What to know about new apartments in Hornell

It’s nearly move-in day for the first tenants at the Bryant School Apartments, a new housing development that has transformed Hornell’s former Terry Street elementary school into 39 rental units.

The project is in its final phases, with the finishing touches now being applied to a building that housed generations of Hornell students until the school district elected to close the facility after the 2020-21 school year.

Park Grove Realty purchased the building for $500,000 and launched a $14 million project to turn former classrooms, offices and even the gymnasium into affordable apartments. Park Grove also added a new wing onto the existing building, matching the existing brick exterior.

Now, Bryant School Apartments is just a few weeks away from welcoming its first tenants. Park Grove expects to open the building to new residents in early October.

Here’s what you need to know.

How much is rent at Bryant School Apartments? Who is eligible?

Bryant School Apartments is an affordable housing project supported by a $4.6 million grant through New York State Homes and Community Renewal.

Nineteen of the 39 units are reserved for tenants making up to 60% of the area median income — $33,120 for one person, up to $43,680 for a four-person household.

Twenty units are reserved for tenants making up to 50% of the area median income — $27,600 for one person, up to $38,064 for a four-person household.

The Bryant School features 14 two-bedroom units, 23 one-bedroom units, and a pair of studio apartments. Rents range from $620 to $863 depending on income levels and the size of the unit.

Tim Crilly, of Park Grove, said the units will appeal to young workers just starting their careers as well as older residents looking to downsize.

“Sometimes we see single moms or couples with one wage earner,” said Crilly. “You see a wide range of the spectrum, but a lot of it is people starting their careers and also people at the end of their economic life cycle who may be on a fixed income. The product is a great fit for people in both situations.”

Rent includes heat and central air, high speed internet, water and sewer, trash and recycling, and snow removal. Rental applications are currently being accepted online.

What are the rooms like?

Each apartment at the Bryant School comes equipped with stainless steel appliances, an oven, dishwasher, refrigerator and microwave. The units feature an open floor plan with the kitchen area leading into the living area. The floors have plank flooring, with the bedrooms carpeted. Units typically feature a few closets for storage in addition to the bedroom closets.

One-bedroom units cover around 650-700 square feet, with two-bedrooms around 900-1,000. Layouts vary from unit to unit. Large windows with ample natural light are a staple throughout.

“Every one is a little different,” said Crilly. “It’s not a cookie cutter stacked in here.”

The new wing added to the building houses eight apartments across its 8,500 square feet.

What amenities are available for residents?

Public spaces for residents include laundry rooms on both floors, a community room, exercise room and greenspace on the grounds of the former school. Roughly 80 parking spaces will be available.

“There’s a lot of great amenities that residents will enjoy. We tried to keep some of the landscaping, like a lot of the great trees on the property,” said Crilly. “We tried to keep a lot of the existing features of the building.”

The playground also remains and has been resurfaced. Park Grove and the City of Hornell partnered on preserving public access to the playground, a point of contention when the city weighed approval of the project in 2021.

How do the Bryant School Apartments fit in Hornell’s housing mix?

The Bryant School is Park Grove’s second foray into Hornell; the company also transformed the former Marior Rohr building into high-end apartments now known as the Lofts at Rockland Silk Mill. Crilly said Park Grove’s market rate and affordable housing developments complement one another.

“Obviously there’s a lot happening at Alstom and this is something that’s needed in Hornell,” said Crilly.

In addition to Park Grove’s reuses of historic buildings, other developers have built new housing developments from the ground up in recent years at The Residences and Fairlawn Hills. Park Grove began construction at the school in June 2022 and initially targeted August 2023 for the Bryant School’s debut.

“It’s definitely a challenging time to be building,” said Crilly. “There’s a lot of headwinds with construction pricing and supply chain issues, but we’re very happy with the product and what this is going to provide the Hornell community. These units are very nice.”

This article originally appeared on The Evening Tribune: Bryant School apartments ready for tenants in Hornell. What to know