Webster Green

Project Details

Project Description

The site is located within one block of the Bronx Park and the Bronx Botanic Garden. The site is also located within the Webster Avenue Vision Plan area that is a site identified by the NYCEDC as a potential vibrant mixed-use district that serves the needs of a culturally diverse neighborhood and world-class institutions. The proposed building is “L” shaped, fronting on Webster Avenue and E204th Street with the building creating a recessed area at the corner emphasizing the main entry. It leaves approx. 3,000 square feet of open space to the south at the rear yard which provides maximum southern exposure and views to the southwest. Additionally, the building sets back on the south side on the 8th Floor creating an extensive green roof that can be enjoyed visually by the tenants thru a glazed public lounge located adjacent to the elevator lobby at the 8th floor. The massing allows for a combination of contextual brick facade portions on the north-east side to relate to the beautiful existing art deco buildings on E204th Street and a more modern and lighter composition of glass, Zinc rain screen panels towards the corner and on Webster Avenue breaking the scale to fit nicely in the neighborhood. the project includes a unique series of landscapes with a focus on sustainability and local connections to the larger landscape system of the Bronx Park system. the building has a sidewalk landscape experience that includes bio-swale gardens, connected tree pits and tree selections that extends the existing native tree plantings of the adjacent park. A large internal courtyard provides plots for vegetable gardening, play space for children, open flexible event spaces and smaller intimate spaces for residents to gather. Plantings include canopy trees for shade, planted vines and green wall screening as well as flowering specimen trees and native shrub and grass layers. Water tanks located on one side of the courtyard collect rainwater from the roofs and this water is used for irrigation. Permeable pavers are used for paving as well as areas of gravel and raised deck provides a shaded place to picnic and built in furniture. A large green roof is located on the 7th floor and is planted with native and sedum plants creating a lush foreground for residents to view out onto from the adjacent lounge area. The site is within a ½ mile walking distance of public mass transportation (subway line D, Metro North botanical garden station) and essential services along Webster Avenue and to the North on E204th Street. Several bus lines run on Webster Avenue. Upon completion, the building will feature numerous green initiatives, including a 69.30 KW photovoltaic panel system at the main roof facing south, an extensive green roof on 8th Floor setback, sun-shading devices on the south facing windows of the studio units at the rear yard, generous fenestration to maximize daylight within the corridors and building envelope, a high-efficiency boiler on the roof, high efficiency PTAC units for cooling of the units, central air for common spaces, low-E thermally broken Energy Star windows, continuous exterior insulation (insulated cavity wall), low or no VOC paints, primers and caulks, water saver faucets and shower heads, CFL & LED lamps throughout, and Kone Ecospec elevators. The building also will have a rain water harvesting system for the irrigation of the landscaped areas and a series of bio swale systems for the street trees fronting E204th Street. The Project will apply for the NYSERDA Multifamily Building Performance Program for New Construction, incorporating at least 20 % energy reduction & energy efficiency options into the building’s design to fulfill the ENERGY STAR guidelines and to the LEED for Homes Mid-rise Certification Program with the USGBC.