flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

Bronx residents get LEED Platinum public housing complex, rooftop farm

Bronx residents get LEED Platinum public housing complex, rooftop farm

$37.7 million affordable housing development combines local/recycled materials and a 'green wall' in the lobby.


By BD+C Staff | February 27, 2013
Residents of energy-efficient complex will reap the benefits of hydropon farm.
Residents of energy-efficient complex will reap the benefits of a hydroponic farm.

The New York City Housing Authority has opened Arbor House, a 124-unit complex in the Morrisania neighborhood of the Bronx. The LEED Platinum building includes energy-efficient HVAC, a "green wall" lobby feature, and a 10,000-sf hydroponic farm on the roof.

Designed by ABS Architects, the $37.7 million facility is the result of a collaboration between the NYCHA, the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development, and Blue Sea Development. The public-private initiative was part of a city program to recruit private companies to develop dilapidated and vacant NYCHA land. About 2,000 units in the program are currently under construction or in pre-development in Manhattan, the Bronx and Brooklyn.

Arbor House, an eight-story building, contains 16 studios, 33 one-bedroom apartments, and 75 two-bedroom apartments, plus superintendent quarters. Residents must earn less than 60% of the area median income ($49,800 for a family of four). Residents will start moving in during the next few weeks. HPD spokesperson RuthAnne Visnauskas says the city is pushing for more sustainable design in its public housing facilities. The rooftop farm, a first for the agency, will be operated by third party Sky Vegetables and is expected to generate money by selling produce commercially, with some of the yield set aside for building residents and other local families.

About $37 million of the project cost was subsidized via local, state, and city subsidies, Reso A funds, tax credit equities, and tax-exempt bonds. 

(http://observer.com/2013/02/an-arbor-in-the-forest-green-affordable-housing-development-opens-in-the-bronx/)

Related Stories

Multifamily Housing | Oct 9, 2017

6 new products for the multifamily construction market

Bamboo wall panels, an adaptable prep sink, and a two-tiered bike parking system are among the product innovations geared for multifamily buildings.

AEC Tech | Oct 6, 2017

How professional bias can sabotage industry transformation

Professional bias can take the form of change-resistant thinking that can keep transformational or innovative ambitions at bay. Tech consultant Nate Miller presents three kinds of bias that often emerge when a professional is confronted with new technology.

Giants 400 | Oct 6, 2017

Top 90 K-12 architecture firms

Stantec, DLR Group, and PBK top BD+C’s ranking of the nation’s largest K-12 sector architecture and AE firms, as reported in the 2017 Giants 300 Report.

Giants 400 | Oct 5, 2017

On wings of gold: Alternative financing schemes are propelling the high-flyin’ air terminals sector

The $4 billion renovation of New York City’s LaGuardia Airport is the first major U.S. aviation project delivered using a public-private partnership (P3) model.

Giants 400 | Oct 4, 2017

Top 40 airport construction firms

Hensel Phelps, Turner Construction Co., and Skanska USA top BD+C’s ranking of the nation’s largest airport sector contractors and construction management firms, as reported in the 2017 Giants 300 Report.

Giants 400 | Oct 3, 2017

Top 30 airport architecture firms

Jacobs, Corgan, and Gensler top BD+C’s ranking of the nation’s largest airport sector architecture and AE firms, as reported in the 2017 Giants 300 Report.

Multifamily Housing | Sep 27, 2017

Pickleball, anyone?

Two-and-a-half million Americans are playing the game with the funny name.

Architects | Sep 25, 2017

Blending past, present, and future at a research center

The four-part mission of a garden of scientific research helped drive the design for the Beijing New Material Research & Development Center.

Architects | Sep 22, 2017

Design giants merge: FKP joins CannonDesign

The deal strengthens CannonDesign’s pediatric healthcare expertise, establishes presence in Texas and Ohio.

40 Under 40 | Sep 22, 2017

Meet the 40 Under 40 Class of 2017

These AEC stars are making their mark in business, philanthropy, and in their communities.

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category


Urban Planning

Bridging the gap: How early architect involvement can revolutionize a city’s capital improvement plans

Capital Improvement Plans (CIPs) typically span three to five years and outline future city projects and their costs. While they set the stage, the design and construction of these projects often extend beyond the CIP window, leading to a disconnect between the initial budget and evolving project scope. This can result in financial shortfalls, forcing cities to cut back on critical project features.



Libraries

Reasons to reinvent the Midcentury academic library

DLR Group's Interior Design Leader Gretchen Holy, Assoc. IIDA, shares the idea that a designer's responsibility to embrace a library’s history, respect its past, and create an environment that will serve student populations for the next 100 years.

halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021