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New apartment building opens in El Camino with more on the way

Noelle E. C. Evans | WXXI News

More families in northeast Rochester may soon be moving into newly built apartments in the El Camino neighborhood.

The first phase of an affordable housing project called Pueblo Nuevo has just been completed. So far 75 apartments in 16 buildings have been constructed.

Angelica Perez-Delgado with Ibero American Action League grew up here. She joined state and local leaders on Wednesday to celebrate.

“Our children deserve to play outside,” Perez-Delgado said. “We deserve the same quality of life that other people have and we shouldn’t have to choose between our children and our neighborhood.”

Down the block, neighbor Garratt Brannic walks on Joseph Avenue. He says he’s skeptical about the housing development.

“They’re building these places here, is that going to be a good place? Or is it, at the end of the day, turned into a project?" Brannic said. “Will they keep them up? They start good in the hood, but are they gonna stay good in the hood? That's the key.”

Mayor Lovely Warren, who is stepping down from office by December 1st, said on Wednesday that she expects to see revitalization efforts in the area continue under Mayor-elect Malik Evans administration.

“I have spoken with the new mayor and he has made a commitment that he will continue to make the same investments in Northeast Rochester that we started many years ago,” Warren said.

The next phase of the 38-million-dollar housing development will add nearly 30 more affordable houses.

Noelle E. C. Evans is WXXI's Murrow Award-winning Education reporter/producer.