flexiblefullpage -
billboard - default
interstitial1 - interstitial
catfish1 - bottom
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

MFPRO+ New Projects | Mar 18, 2024

Luxury apartments in New York restore and renovate a century-old residential building

COOKFOX Architects has completed a luxury apartment building at 378 West End Avenue in New York City. The project restored and renovated the original residence built in 1915, while extending a new structure east on West 78th Street. 

Multifamily Housing | Mar 18, 2024

YWCA building in Boston’s Back Bay converted into 210 affordable rental apartments

Renovation of YWCA at 140 Clarendon Street will serve 111 previously unhoused families and individuals.

Healthcare Facilities | Mar 17, 2024

5 criteria to optimize medical office design

Healthcare designers need to consider privacy, separate areas for practitioners, natural light, outdoor spaces, and thoughtful selection of materials for medical office buildings.

Construction Costs | Mar 15, 2024

Retail center construction costs for 2024

Data from Gordian shows the most recent costs per square foot for restaurants, social clubs, one-story department stores, retail stores and movie theaters in select cities.

Architects | Mar 15, 2024

4 ways to streamline your architectural practice

Vessel Architecture's Lindsay Straatmann highlights four habits that have helped her discover the key to mastering efficiency as an architect.

Healthcare Facilities | Mar 15, 2024

First comprehensive cancer hospital in Dubai to host specialized multidisciplinary care

Stantec was selected to lead the design team for the Hamdan Bin Rashid Cancer Hospital, Dubai’s first integrated, comprehensive cancer hospital. Named in honor of the late Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the hospital is scheduled to open to patients in 2026.

Codes and Standards | Mar 15, 2024

Technical brief addresses the impact of construction-generated moisture on commercial roofing systems

A new technical brief from SPRI, the trade association representing the manufacturers of single-ply roofing systems and related component materials, addresses construction-generated moisture and its impact on commercial roofing systems.

Sports and Recreational Facilities | Mar 14, 2024

First-of-its-kind sports and rehabilitation clinic combines training gym and healing spa

Parker Performance Institute in Frisco, Texas, is billed as a first-of-its-kind sports and rehabilitation clinic where students, specialized clinicians, and chiropractic professionals apply neuroscience to physical rehabilitation. 

Market Data | Mar 14, 2024

Download BD+C's March 2024 Market Intelligence Report

U.S. construction spending on buildings-related work rose 1.4% in January, but project teams continue to face headwinds related to inflation, interest rates, and supply chain issues, according to Building Design+Construction's March 2024 Market Intelligence Report (free PDF download). 

Apartments | Mar 13, 2024

A landscaped canyon runs through this luxury apartment development in Denver

Set to open in April, One River North is a 16-story, 187-unit luxury apartment building with private, open-air terraces located in Denver’s RiNo arts district. Biophilic design plays a central role throughout the building, allowing residents to connect with nature and providing a distinctive living experience.

boombox1 - default
boombox2 -
native1 -

More In Category




MFPRO+ Special Reports

Top 10 trends in affordable housing

Among affordable housing developers today, there’s one commonality tying projects together: uncertainty. AEC firms share their latest insights and philosophies on the future of affordable housing in BD+C's 2023 Multifamily Annual Report.

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