Construction Milestone: Topping Off At 2050 Grand Concourse

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Published on February 05, 2021, 7:44 pm
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Development partners Unique People Services (UPS) and Robert Sanborn Development recently topped off 2050 Grand Concourse in the Bronx.

Designed by Magnusson Architecture and Planning (MAP) and built by Bruno Frustaci Contracting, Inc., this sustainable, mixed-use, 96-unit building will offer a mix of supportive and affordable housing with 63 studios, 26 one-bedroom and 7 two-bedroom apartments. Located at the NE corner of E. Burnside and Grand Concourse, the 13 story, 86,195 square foot structure will include an on-site laundry opening onto a landscaped outdoor terrace in the rear yard and a community room on the 13th floor which will open onto two landscaped roof decks. The building will also house the relocated headquarters of Unique People Services.

Financing for this development comes through public and private sources including New York State agencies HFA, HCR, HHAC and NYSERDA, as well as Bank of America, Richman Housing Syndicators and LISC. Additionally, this project would not have been possible without the support of funding agencies HRA, OMH, Bronx Community Board 5, along with state and local partners.

“We are appreciative of our tremendous group of funders for helping us make this building a reality and gratified by the way the community has received us. We are excited about the future here at 2050 GC and look forward to welcoming its’ new residents and community members for essential programs and services.” Yvette Brissette-Andre, MPA, Executive Director, Unique People Services said.

The 10,000 square foot community facility below the residential portion of the building will be the headquarters of Unique People Services. In addition, the space will offer community amenities for area residents and organizations including access to free Wi-Fi and conferences, training, and both indoor and green event space. The community space and nonprofit headquarters will activate a vacant section of East Burnside Avenue adding to the otherwise vibrant commercial corridor.

“Because the services provided by UPS are integral to the community, architecturally the building needed to reflect this important relationship. The large window walls facing E. Burnside evoke feelings of transparency, openness and welcoming. They also give light back to the neighborhood in the evening.”, Fernando Villa, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Principal, Magnusson Architecture & Planning said.

With a residential entry right on Grand Concourse, the design of this development pays homage to the thoroughfare’s rich, Art Deco context by reinterpreting some of the main ideas of the style for contemporary affordable housing. Brick and metal, which are both prominent materials in the Art Deco movement, are used across the exterior; and corner windows, a distinct feature of apartment buildings of the 1930’s, have been included as well. Bold geometric forms which were characteristic of the period were introduced through details such as angled planes at the window openings and varied base heights accentuated by contrasting materials.

A NYSERDA Buildings of Excellence Award winner, 2050 Grand Concourse is slated to achieve LEED Platinum certification. Sustainable design measures will improve energy efficiency, decrease the building’s carbon footprint, reduce the heat island effect, improve occupant and community health, manage water responsibly, generate on-site power and ensure resiliency. Specific features include a high-performance building envelope, a photovoltaic array, heat pump heating and cooling, Energy Recovery Ventilators for common areas, and electric stoves for better indoor air quality, high-efficiency UPVC windows, LED lighting, Energy-Star appliances, low-flow plumbing fixtures, monitoring of water usage, advanced building system monitoring, a landscaped rear yard and planted roofs with stormwater retention systems. In addition, the building will have a solar PV array on the roof to offset electric usage in the community facility portion of the building.

“Sustainability is critical because not only will the building be highly efficient, improving operations, but these measures are also tightly connected to the health of residents and community members, and in that way this building will do everything it can to better serve those most in need.”, said Robert Sanborn, Principal of Robert Sanborn Development.

Rendering by Nightnurse Images.
Photograph courtesy of Magnusson Architecture & Planning.

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About Unique People Service

Unique People Services, Inc. (UPS) is a Bronx-based nonprofit which offers transitional and permanent housing for formerly homeless persons with special needs, services for adults with developmental disabilities and affordable housing. 2050 Grand Concourse’s 96 unit mixed-use, mixed-population and mixed-income supportive housing building will further the UPS mission to offer compassionate services and quality housing for those in need. To learn more, please visit here.

About Robert Sanborn Development

Robert Sanborn Development: Expert developer with decades of affordable housing finance and project management experience. Specializing in affordable and supportive housing, Robert Sanborn Development strives to produce state-of-the-art buildings that elevate the surrounding neighborhood, and enable residents to achieve success in their lives. To learn more, please visit here.

About Magnusson Architecture and Planning

For over three decades, Magnusson Architecture and Planning (MAP) has worked with non-profit groups, municipalities, and for-profit developers to produce award-winning housing and neighborhood revitalization projects at the forefront of quality design and sustainability. MAP offers comprehensive architectural and planning services, and specializes in affordable, supportive, senior and workforce housing, as well as buildings with a range of affordability including market-rate or integrated supportive units. MAP’s expertise extends to community-based planning and urban design, resident-in-place renovations, mixed-use development and sustainable design for Passive House, LEED, NYSERDA, Energy Star, and Enterprise Green Communities certification. To learn more, please visit here.

About Bruno Frustaci Contracting

Bruno Frustaci Contracting, Inc. is a Brooklyn based full-service Construction Company providing site development, project management, and cost control to the public and private sectors. We have a background covering a wide range of residential, commercial, public, institutional, and infrastructure building projects throughout all of the New York City five boroughs. To learn more, please visit here.

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