Magnusson Architecture and Planning has recently completed Webster Green, a $30 million affordable and supportive housing development in the Bronx. The mixed-use development provides apartments and supportive housing for formerly homeless individuals and families.
The 77,000-sf building is located on a grayfield site and comprises 82 apartments ranging from studio, one-, and two-bedroom layouts, and 41 supportive homes. The ground floor includes several administrative and program management offices for The Doe Fund, a non-profit developer and service provider; two community spaces; and the laundry room. A landscaped courtyard on the ground floor features native and drought resistant/tolerant plants and shrubs, seating areas, permeable pavers, and a drip irrigation system. A seventh floor lounge looks out onto a landscaped roof and the Bronx Botanical Gardens.
See Also: Affordable, senior development rises in the Bronx
A glazed front entrance and lot bring natural light into the public corridors while the building’s fenestration breaks the massing into two volumes. One side of the building features a brick exterior to tie in with other brick facades on the same block, while the other side is clad in metal, offering a design vision for the neighborhood’s future.
The building was designed to achieve LEED Gold status and includes high efficiency PTAC heating and cooling in the apartments and VRF heating and cooling in amenity and social service areas; LED lighting throughout; low-E thermally broken Energy Star windows; low VOC paints, primers, and caulks; and water-saver faucets and showerheads.
Related Stories
Multifamily Housing | Jan 29, 2015
5 predictions for the multifamily sector in 2015
Brian Carlock of PwC expects more younger adults to get into the game, despite continuing affordability issues.
Multifamily Housing | Jan 27, 2015
Multifamily construction, focused on rentals, expected to slow in the coming years
New-home purchases, which recovered strongly in 2014, indicate that homeownership might finally be making a comeback.
Multifamily Housing | Jan 22, 2015
Sales of apartment buildings hit record high in 2014
Investors bet big time on demand for rental properties over homeownership in 2014, when sales of apartment buildings hit a record $110.1 billion, or nearly 15% higher than the previous year.
Modular Building | Jan 21, 2015
Chinese company 3D prints six-story multifamily building
The building components were prefabricated piece by piece using a printer that is 7 meters tall, 10 meters wide, and 40 meters long.
| Jan 19, 2015
Four Seasons tower will be Boston's tallest
On Jan. 14, 2015, developer Carpenter & Company and executives from the Four Seasons broke ground on the Four Seasons Hotel & Private Residences, which will become the tallest building in Boston at 699 feet.
Smart Buildings | Jan 7, 2015
Best practices for urban infill development: Embrace the region's character, master the pedestrian experience
If an urban building isn’t grounded in the local region’s character, it will end up feeling generic and out-of-place. To do urban infill the right way, it’s essential to slow down and pay proper attention to the context of an urban environment, writes GS&P's Joe Bucher.
| Jan 6, 2015
Construction permits exceeded $2 billion in Minneapolis in 2014
Two major projects—a new stadium for the Minnesota Vikings NFL team and the city’s Downtown East redevelopment—accounted for about half of the total worth of the permits issued.
| Jan 2, 2015
Construction put in place enjoyed healthy gains in 2014
Construction consultant FMI foresees—with some caveats—continuing growth in the office, lodging, and manufacturing sectors. But funding uncertainties raise red flags in education and healthcare.
Sponsored | | Dec 30, 2014
Case studies: Engineered wood brings cost savings, design flexibility across commercial project types
For commercial architects facing increasing pressure to design innovative structures while simultaneously cutting costs and accommodating tight deadlines, engineered wood systems are providing a welcome solution.
| Dec 28, 2014
Robots, drones, and printed buildings: The promise of automated construction
Building Teams across the globe are employing advanced robotics to simplify what is inherently a complex, messy process—construction.
