Monthly Archives: July 2019

Case Study Categories, Client Type, Featured, New Building, Property Manager, Work Type

Horace Mann Mixed-Use Community Facility

Horace Mann Mixed-Use Community Facility

A Decade of Service

Founded in 1887 and located on a historic campus, Horace Mann is an independent college preparatory school in the Bronx. As a long-time consultant to the Horace Mann School, EDG provides ongoing planning, architectural design, and structural engineering services. In need of space to accommodate additional parking and athletics programs, EDG was selected to help plan and design a new mixed-use facility at the edge of Broadway overlooking Van Cortlandt Park. We completed zoning, site conditions analysis and selection, current and future needs analysis, layout options, and building design.

Park and Play

Finding the maximum buildable area to optimize the budget, EDG proposed a mixed-use 69,000 sf concrete parking structure with five top-level tennis courts, spectator seating, and a pedestrian sky bridge linked to the heart of campus. Situated on a steep slope overlooking the park, the new three-level deck offers more than 200 parking spots for families, faculty, and staff. With sensitivity to the historic campus aesthetic, the facade features stone and brick configured to match the contextual scale and Collegiate Gothic identity of Horace Mann.

Impact

Working with the facilities director and campus team, EDG created a building on a plot of land previously deemed unusable. The boys and girls tennis teams are integral to Horace Mann’s athletics, community, and history, yet the school struggled for years to find enough space to house the new courts. At the same time, new parking on campus was critical to alleviate street traffic and congestion. EDG’s design offers connections to campus, brand new tennis courts, and reduced vehicular traffic through residential areas – providing a practical solution that addresses multiple needs of the school.

Developer, Featured, Renovation

Madison Avenue Residential Lobby & Entryway

Madison Avenue Residential Lobby & Entryway

Scope

The real estate investment group owning the entire Harlem block at 106th Street and Madison Avenue engaged EDG in a gut residential renovation of two existing entryways as the first part of a larger-scale development project. Our scope was to combine the lobbies of two existing towers, creating a singular entry that provided security and improved management and operations. Closed-off and difficult to navigate, the entire ground floor of the buildings required a full refresh. EDG provided full architectural and structural engineering services, working within a tight construction budget.

Approach

EDG focused on enhancing the entry experience, including wayfinding, lasting materials selection, and contextually-sensitive design. EDG created a single entry to improve circulation and added a new corridor connecting previously disjointed areas. Designing for longevity, the team selected resilient materials, including concrete panels and Duranar coatings. Tying the space together visually, EDG explored multiple aesthetic options. The final design’s overall color scheme complements building tones, creating a seamless shift from outside to inside.

Impact

Designed for longevity, the residential renovation revitalizes an outdated façade and highlights a newly dressed frontage along Madison Avenue. The entryway maximizes transparency and optimizes circulation, adding commercial value to the project with newly created retail space. The entire space fosters a sense of community and increases the quality of life for current and future residents, creating a sense of pride for every tenant.

Construction Cost: $2.5M

Year Completed: Est. 2019