All Work

FOUND Study Midtown East and Turtle Bay (525 and 569 Lexington Avenue)

C+GA transformed two historic hotels into vibrant student community and education spaces, complementing higher education apartments and dorms in the heart of midtown Manhattan. Reflecting collaborator FOUND Study’s mission to offer furnished, low-cost housing to students, C+GA approached each site with a focus on maximizing education and shared programming, livability, comfort, and affordability. With communal amenities such as 24-hour security, high-speed internet, study lounges, and on-site laundry, students and interns from both public and private institutions, including CUNY Hunter College and Baruch College, NYU, New York Institute of Technology, and LIM Fashion and Business College, occupy various floors. Classrooms are also provided to support specific higher education programs.

At Midtown East, the landmarked 1960s Summit Hotel by Morris Lapidus was adapted for student housing and common areas. The Miami Modern exterior is preserved, while the lower levels are reinvented with flexible classrooms, lounges, and open-concept communal kitchen and dining areas. A total of 763 former hotel rooms have been transformed into 307 student apartments, with added amenities such as rooftop terraces, bike storage, and laundry.

At Turtle Bay, the landmarked 1923 Hotel Shelton, originally designed by Empire State Building architect Arthur Loomis Harmon, is reimagined for contemporary student living. The design preserves Romanesque Revival details while introducing 30,000 SF of communal space and 1,355 beds. Historic interiors are updated with technology-enabled amenities, including study lounges, screening and game rooms, virtual golf, a performing arts studio, communal kitchens, and a fitness center.

Across both sites, C+GA navigated the challenges of landmarked buildings by pairing innovative design with code and zoning expertise, tailoring each property to its context to deliver student housing that supports academic life and community in one of New York City’s most dynamic neighborhoods.

• Size: Midtown East: 383,700 SF and Turtle Bay: 359,000 SF
• Client: FOUND Study
• Photographer: Travis Mark