In Long Island City, 21 affordable apartments near Socrates Sculpture Park are up for grabs

The eight-story building also features 82 market-rate apartments

Across from Socrates Sculpture Park, in Long Island City, the city has now launched the lottery on the affordable units at a new development known as Vernon Tower. Located at 1106 31st Drive (or 31-41 Vernon Boulevard), the building stands eight-stories tall and features a total of 103 apartments.

As for the affordable units, there are 21 of them with prices starting at $867 per month. The affordable units come in a mix of studios, one, and two-bedrooms: there are five studios, five one-bedrooms, and 11 two-bedrooms. The one-bedrooms will rent for $931 per month, and the two-bedrooms will ask $1,123 per month. The apartments are open people making between $31,612 to $57,240 annually, depending on the unit size.

Developer Michael Heletz of the Excel Development Group announced the project in 2014. Heletz brought on Pacs Architecture to design the rental building. The building features a terra cotta facade, and many of the apartments here will have views of the Manhattan skyline. Amenities residents can look forward to include a fitness center, a landscaped roof deck, valet parking, and a recreation room, among others. Residents in the affordable units will have to pay additional fees to access some of these amenities.

Prices on the market-rate rentals here have yet to be unveiled, but the building is nearing completion, so that should soon be in the offing.

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