Construction started last week on a large solar system (the “Project”) for the Georgetown Mews Owners’ Corp. (“Georgetown Mews” or the “Co-op”) in Kew Gardens Hills, Queens, NY. The Co-op, advised by the renewable energy experts at Sol Alliance, selected Green Street Solar Power to install the ambitious Project.
Georgetown Mews, already known for its leafy, meticulously maintained campus offering “country-in-the-city-living,” will continue to differentiate itself by delivering clean energy and significant electric utility savings to its residents. When completed, the Project will be among the largest rooftop installations in the New York City area, and the largest solar system to date in Queens. Added to the remarkable $425,000 in annual electric savings, Georgetown Mews is receiving a NYSERDA grant, as well as city and federal tax credits valued in excess of $1,600,000, translating to a Project payback of less than 2.5 years.
The driving force behind the Project was the Board of Directors. “I’ve been an advocate for green energy from the earliest days of solar,” says Co-op President, Mary Fischer. “I’ve been to countless ‘green’ seminars in an effort to fight for cleaner energy. And when New York City began to aggressively promote solar, it was clear to me the time to install solar panels at Georgetown Mews had arrived. I couldn’t be more excited to get this project underway.” The Board of Directors places a strong focus on environmentally friendly initiatives. This is the Co-op’s 4th large energy saving project in the last seven years, and its operation will have the equivalent environmental benefit of removing 285 cars from the road each year.
Sol Alliance worked closely with Georgetown Mews throughout the Project to select an installer and maximize Project value. “This is an incredibly complex solar project that will provide long-term benefits to the families living in these 930 garden apartments. We’re implementing solar on 32 buildings and more than 90 separate roof surfaces, and all the work is happening in the middle of New York City. With Green Street added to the team, we aligned Georgetown Mews with a combination of technical excellence, deep experience building solar in NYC, and a commitment to customer service that gave us total confidence in a successful outcome,” said Stephen Owen, Sol Alliance’s founder and President.
“I applaud Georgetown Mews for going solar,” said Dave Kane, CSO and Director of Community Solar at Green Street. “This is a pioneering project, and certainly one of the largest Co-ops to employ solar in New York City. To give you an idea of the size of this job, we’re installing more than 4,500 solar panels on the roofs of Georgetown Mews’ buildings,” Kane noted, “but it’s our team’s incredible work behind the scenes to even get us to this point that sets us apart. We have to connect to ConEd’s grid at 32 separate locations, secure building permits, make the FDNY happy—it’s extremely complex. We just cut the ribbon on the largest rooftop solar project in New England, and we’re honored to be part of this groundbreaking project as well.”
This solar installation is expected to be complete by July of 2017, with residents utilizing clean energy by the end of 2017.
About Georgetown Mews
Georgetown Mews is a residential cooperative located on nearly 60 acres in Kew Gardens Hills, Queens. It features 930 garden apartments, each with an entrance off of the lush grounds. It is close to shopping, transportation and the campus of Queens College.
About Sol Alliance
Sol Alliance is an owner’s representative. They are solar energy experts and provide project development services to property and business owners. They are committed to delivering reliability, from initial service to final product, and are devoted to complete customer satisfaction. For information or help planning and implementing your project, please contact Stephen Owen at (516) 967-2988, or visit www.SolAlliance.net.
About Green Street Solar Power
Green Street Solar Power provides solar energy systems to homes and businesses throughout the northeast. Headquartered in the Bronx, NY, Green Street consistently provides the best available solar technology coupled with an unwavering commitment to customer service. To find out more about Green Street Solar Power please contact Scott Kerner at 917-254-4344, or visit GreenStreetSolarPower.com.
About Mark Greenberg Real Estate
Mark Greenberg Real Estate is a full-service property management company that specializes in the management of Co-op and Condominium properties in the New York Metropolitan Area. Founded in 1980, Mark Greenberg Real Estate currently manages over 7,000 residential units.
Source:PRN
