The Prospect Street project consists of ground-up construction of a single-family home and aims to achieve the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Platinum certification
Schenectady, N.Y., October 20, 2017 – YouthBuild Schenectady (operated by SEAT Center) today announced that it is working with Saint-Gobain, one of the world’s largest building materials companies and manufacturer of innovative materials solutions, and the Capital Region Land Bank to build a new home on Prospect Street in Schenectady, N.Y. Over the next six months, approximately 32 YouthBuild Schenectady students and staff and representatives from Saint-Gobain and the Capital Region Land Bank will construct a single-family home that aims to achieve the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Platinum certification.
“We are pleased to have partners like Saint-Gobain and Capital Region Land Bank invest in this project and the future of our YouthBuild students,” said Jennifer Lawrence, Executive Director of the SEAT Center. “By working alongside building science experts on a new construction project, our students will receive invaluable training and education that will make them more competitive when they graduate from the program and pursue careers in the manufacturing and construction industries.”
The Prospect Street project is the first new ground-up construction project to be completed with support from the Saint-Gobain Corporation Foundation under Saint-Gobain’s national partnership with YouthBuild USA, which provides former out-of-school young adults with the opportunity to build sustainable, affordable homes in their neighborhoods and gain green job skills and industry-recognized credentials while earning their high school equivalencies. The Saint-Gobain Corporation Foundation will donate sustainable building materials from the Saint-Gobain family of companies as well as building science expertise to support the new construction project. The Capital Region Land Bank will provide funding to construct the project from Enterprise Community Partners, Inc. made possible by bank settlements negotiated by the NYS Attorney General Eric Schneiderman. Upon project completion, the Capital Region Land Bank has also committed to marketing the home to potential owner-occupants interested in living in the revitalized Eastern Avenue neighborhood.
“The Capital Region Land Bank aims to strengthen Schenectady’s neighborhoods by mitigating blight, which can be seen through our efforts to acquire properties that are foreclosed, vacant, abandoned or distressed,” said Richard Ruzzo, Chairman of Capital Region Land Bank. “The Prospect Street project, located on a site where we previously demolished two homes, provides the perfect opportunity to engage YouthBuild students as well as the community in a renovation project that will truly help to improve the Eastern Avenue neighborhood.”
The new construction project, located at 99 Prospect St., will result in a modern, single-family home with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, dining room and living room as well as a first-floor laundry room. The project team has partnered with Northeast Green Building Consulting to achieve LEED Platinum certification. The new home will also feature Energy Star® appliances and Universal Design® concepts that promote accessibility for all.
“Saint-Gobain is committed to investing in the communities where our company operates,” said Tom Kinisky, President and CEO of Saint-Gobain Corporation. “Through the launch of the Prospect Street project, we look forward to working alongside our partners at YouthBuild and the Capital Region Land Bank to create a model of affordable, sustainable living that engages YouthBuild students and serves as an example of the progress that can be made when partners come together to elevate a community.”
Upon completion, which is projected for the spring of 2018, this project will join the LEED Gold certified 843 Emmett St. renovation project as the second LEED certified project completed in Schenectady through Saint-Gobain’s national partnership with YouthBuild USA.
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About YouthBuild Schenectady at SEAT Center
YouthBuild Schenectady will provide a Full-Time Construction Trainer and 21 YouthBuild Trainees (young people ages 17-24) who are OSHA and LEAD certified to work on this project. In addition to learning construction through building affordable housing, students are completing their high school diploma with YouthBuild Instructors at the Schenectady Community College Campus. YouthBuild is an intense six month program for out of school youth seeking a second chance to complete their education and gain job skills. The program provides life skills, social work services, leadership development, job and college placement, and retention services.
About SEAT Center
Our mission is to provide transformative educational and workforce experiences that create a sense of purpose and hope in our communities and connect businesses to real-time solutions. SEAT offers a growing branch of social enterprise services that support academic and workforce development of underrepresented young people, who are underemployed, unemployed and/or have dropped out of high school. SEAT provides access to career development and academic support services, including project based, high school equivalency classes and workforce training in Green Construction, Energy Efficiency, and Healthcare.
About YouthBuild USA
YouthBuild USA leads an international network of 360 local YouthBuild programs in the USA and 21 countries that help youth transform their own lives while transforming their communities. YouthBuild programs address critical issues facing low-income communities – housing, education, employment, civic involvement and leadership development.
In the United States, local YouthBuild programs are sponsored by local community- and faith-based organizations, and local government agencies. In other countries, YouthBuild programs are sponsored by NGOs, government agencies, international development institutions, and global companies.
About Capital Region Land Bank
The Capital Region Land Bank was established in 2012 as one of the first land banks formed in New York State. The Land Bank’s mission is to strengthen neighborhoods within Schenectady and Amsterdam by mitigating blight. More information and a list of Land Bank and City of Schenectady owned properties for sale can be found at www.capitalregionlandbank.com.
About the Saint-Gobain Corporation Foundation
The Saint-Gobain Corporation Foundation is committed to putting the power of its people and its products into the communities in which its employees live and work. The Foundation believes Saint-Gobain can do well by doing good – and supporting non-profits that share a commitment to community development, energy conservation and environmental stewardship is central to that belief. Programs such as YouthBuild that engage youth and communities in green building and renovation align closely with Saint-Gobain’s mission to help professionals and communities around the world build and renovate comfortable, healthy, cost-efficient and durable buildings. Through the Foundation’s support, Saint-Gobain is helping to educate future generations about sustainable building and environmental preservation through its own example. For more information about Saint-Gobain Corporation Foundation’s partnership with YouthBuild USA, please visit: http://www.saint-gobain-northamerica.com/people/YouthBuild.asp
About Saint-Gobain in North America
Saint-Gobain, one of the world’s largest building materials companies and manufacturer of innovative material solutions, helps create great living spaces by combining comfort and sustainability. For more than three-and-a-half centuries, Saint-Gobain has been enhancing the wellbeing of people everywhere, whether it’s by addressing climate change, delivering true sustainable development, advancing the information revolution, participating in medical breakthroughs or playing a vital role in space exploration.
In North America, Saint-Gobain has approximately 150 locations and more than 14,000 employees. In the United States and Canada, Saint-Gobain reported sales of approximately $5.8 billion in 2016. Learn more about Saint-Gobain North America by visiting www.saint-gobain-northamerica.com and connect with Saint-Gobain North America on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
Media Contacts:
Shari Rosen
Brownstein Group on behalf of Saint-Gobain in North America
Office: 267-238-4132
Cell: 609-230-7561
srosen@brownsteingroup.com
Jennifer Lawrence
Social Enterprise and Training Center (SEAT)
Work: (518)372-4100 work
Cell: (518)337-8301 cell
jlawrence@seatcenter.org
Joe McQueen
Capital Region Land Bank
Schenectady County
518-388-4772
joe.mcqueen@schenectadycounty.com