Project Description:
Signature and Monadnock are transforming a formerly underutilized industrial area in the Mott Haven area of the Bronx into a new mixed-used development that will continue to revitalize the 149th St commercial corridor. The three-building development is comprised of affordable housing and a new, open-plan office building. Completed in 2017, 530 Exterior Street is a 13-story, 157-unit tower at the western edge of the development. The 12-story 491 Gerard Avenue building was completed in 2018 and provides 153 units of affordable housing and a residential terrace. Each residential building is a mix of studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom units. Amenities include a fitness room, bike storage, and shared landscaped courtyard. 110 East 149th Street, the final building to be completed, offers five floors of office space and ground floor retail. Designed to maximize efficiency and functionality, the circulation and mechanical core is placed along the rear wall of the asymmetrical floorplates, ensuring future tenant planning flexibility and access to daylight. Portions of the façade are peeled away and articulated with colored accents and expanses of glass, framing views of the Bronx skyline and Harlem River.
Community Impact:
The East 149th Street Development took an underutilized industrial site and transformed it into 310 units of much needed affordable housing and recreational space. 530 Exterior Street’s 157 apartments include 91 inclusionary zoning units and 32 units dedicated for the formerly homeless. 491 Gerard Avenue also contains a mix of units for low- and moderate-income households as well as units for formerly homeless families.
Designed to exceed Enterprise Green Communities standards, the sustainable residential buildings generate electrical power for common usage through rooftop solar panels. This unique multi-building development has sparked new waterfront development and complementary commercial development to address the changing needs of the local community at large.
Organization Description:
The East 149th Street Development is being developed by Signature Urban Properties, a real estate investment company specializing in transformative development in the New York metropolitan area, and Monadnock Development, a leader in the creation of affordable and market-rate housing in New York. A leading designer of sustainable, affordable housing, helping to shape and rejuvenate urban neighborhoods, Dattner Architects led the project’s design team.
Team Members:
Signature Urban Properties, Monadnock Development, Dattner Architects, De Nardis Engineering, Abraham Joselow, Starr Whitehouse, JM Zoning, Control Point Associates, AKRF
