Castle Gardens

New York, NY

A new 11-story mixed use building adjacent and connected to the not-for-profit Fortune Society’s historic “castle” building along Riverside Drive in West Harlem. With input and support from the local community board, the project received funding to develop 114 units of supportive and affordable rental housing, including units for formerly incarcerated residents, offices, meeting and community spaces. The building fits within the local context to the east, and embraces the “Castle” (on the National Historic Register) to the west through the Mixing Bowl, a transparent transition from old to new. The metal panels create a backdrop for the “Castle”, reflecting its stone and the sky, and the building top crenulations create a “modern castle”, with the Community Room and green roof overlooking the Hudson River.

Castle Gardens grew out of the C+GA’s study for a sustainable development on a vacant lot along Riverside Drive in West Harlem that would support both the Fortune Society and the local community. Castle Gardens reduces the utility usage and costs by a minimum of 20% over a standard building.

• Sustainability:
  – LEED Gold Certified
  – NYSERDA Multifamily Performance Program
  – Enterprise Green Communities

• Awards:
  – Project of the Year 2010 NYSAFAH
  – John M. Clancy Award 2011 – Socially Responsible Housing from Boston Society of Architects
  – Charles L. Edison Tax Credit Excellence 2011 – Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition

• Size: 113,000 SF

• Client: Fortune Society