KeyBank Provides $10.8M Loan to Convert Public School in Upstate New York into Affordable Seniors Housing

VERONA, N.Y. — KeyBank Community Development Lending & Investment (CDLI) has provided a $10.8 million construction loan to convert a public school into affordable seniors housing in Verona, located just off Interstate 90 between Syracuse and Utica. Named the Jason Gwilt Memorial Senior Apartments, the project will feature 50 units and a senior center. Apartments are reserved for seniors making up to 50 percent of the area median income, with 15 units specifically set aside for homeless and frail residents. Services for those frail and homeless residents will be paid for using Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative funds made available through New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR). In addition to KeyBank’s construction loan, HCR provided Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) that will generate more than $10 million in equity for the project, and $5.2 million in low-interest, long-term mortgages. The City of Oneida Housing Authority provided $430,000 in project funds and the New York State Energy Research and Development Agency (NYSERDA) provided $50,000 in energy saving equipment. Joseph Eicheldinger and Gregory Kiger on KeyBank’s CDLI team arranged the financing.