Building Homes For The Middle

"Down at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, a 300-acre industrial complex where warships were once made, a company called Capsys has been building prefab houses in a soaring skylit World War II–era foundry. House modules, modest 20-by-40-foot boxes, sit on the floor in various stages of completion, from raw steel frames with concrete floors to Tyvek-wrapped packages outfitted with kitchens, bathrooms, and heating systems. I'm wandering around with Alexander Gorlin, who's best known for his high-end work, such as the apartment tower (named, actually, the "Gorlin") at Aqua, the exclusive Miami Beach development. It's unlikely that any of these Gorlin houses will be named for the architect. They're destined for the Spring Creek development, a new community going up on the edge of East New York, a neighborhood once known for its high murder rate."

The development is targeting lower- and middle- income households seeking a chance at upward mobility -- increasingly difficult to accomplish in cities like New York. Homes in the new community will cost about $200,000, with city subsidies available for buyers who need help.