A new Bronx building will soon have residents going green in more ways than one.
Known as "Arbor House", the nearly $38 million project built on land purchased from the New York City Housing Authority's Forest Houses property in Morrisania boasts a hydroponic rooftop farm for growing fresh vegetables.
The eight-story building located at 770 East 166th Street features 124 units of affordable housing and a variety of green perks like a living green wall in the lobby and "stair music", in the hopes that people will take the stairs and get some exercise."To try to encourage people to think about using the stairs. You can't make them do it but try to encourage them to think it's an option," said Blue Sea Development President Les Bluestone.
But perhaps best of all, residents and the surrounding community will get to enjoy fresh food grown in their very own building.
"We dissolve all the nutrients that plants need for growth - we dissolve them into water and we feed them to the plants and then reclaim all the water nutrients that are not used by plants; so it's a completely closed system," said Master Farmer Joe Schwartz.
"This is cutting edge, we're really leading the way citywide and statewide, and the best is yet to come," said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr.
Sky Vegetables, the company that built the rooftop garden, is also hoping to expand to other residential buildings.
"Local, fresh, nutritious food is what the people of the cities need. And there is no reason why we can't turn all of these rooftops into living farms," said Sky Vegetables CEO Bob Fireman.
Rents at the Arbor House run from $696 a month for a studio to $908 for a two bedroom.
The apartments are being filled through a lottery system.
Tenants will begin moving in during the next several weeks.