Affinius Capital LLC has provided a $226 million refinancing loan for 55 Willoughby, a newly completed multifamily tower marketed as House 55 in Downtown Brooklyn. The financing is secured by a Class A rental property that includes 295 residential units across 43 stories, along with 3,200 square feet of ground-floor retail space.
The loan was originated in favor of a joint venture between Lonicera Partners and Rabina, the sponsors behind the project. According to Affinius executive director Perry Katz, the property aligns with the firm’s investment focus on high-quality assets in supply-constrained submarkets, backed by experienced sponsorship. Katz noted that the structure of the financing is intended to give the sponsors flexibility as they complete lease-up and carry out their business plan.
Proceeds from the loan are expected to bridge the asset to stabilization, which the parties anticipate occurring early next year. This suggests that the property is still in its initial lease-up phase following completion but is advancing toward a fully stabilized operating profile. The refinancing allows the ownership joint venture to secure longer-term capital while the building transitions from delivery to steady-state occupancy.
Located at 55 Willoughby St. on the border of Downtown Brooklyn and Brooklyn Heights, House 55 is positioned near major transportation and employment centers. The property benefits from immediate access to the Jay Street–MetroTech transit hub, which connects residents to multiple subway lines and provides links to broader New York City destinations. This transit access supports the building’s appeal to renters who commute throughout the city.
The location also offers proximity to major employment hubs and entertainment venues in and around Downtown Brooklyn. At the same time, the property is described as providing a relatively affordable alternative to living in Midtown Manhattan, positioning it to capture demand from renters seeking Class A accommodations at a lower cost than prime Manhattan addresses.
With a combination of high-rise multifamily units and a modest amount of street-level retail, House 55 adds density to a core Brooklyn neighborhood that has seen sustained multifamily development and investment activity. The involvement of an institutional lender such as Affinius Capital underscores continued debt capital interest in Class A multifamily product in strong urban submarkets, particularly where transit access and employment proximity support long-term renter demand.
