1760 3rd Avenue

Organization Name: Dattner Architects, Breaking Ground

Project Title: 1760 3rd Avenue

Project Location: Manhattan, NY

Project Description:
1760 Third Avenue began as the Florence Nightingale Nursing Home 50 years ago. The 19-story building was designed in the Brutalist style, and in 2008 it was rehabilitated to serve as a college dormitory. Purchased by Breaking Ground 15 years later, the building is now dedicated to serving vulnerable New Yorkers. Dattner Architects designed the 250,000-sf transformation of the building to include 434 permanent supportive and affordable apartments – roughly half of which are set aside for those exiting homelessness. The substantial rehabilitation reconfigured apartment layouts, upgraded systems, and transformed public and amenity spaces. The design approach for the public and amenity spaces was framed by consideration of the building's strong massing, materiality, and identity in the neighborhood. The refreshed interiors recall the original Brutalist style, while infusing it with a contemporary and sustainable sensibility; exploring design cues that use strong geometric forms, carved 'portal' spaces and volumes, clean lines, modular elements, and patterns focusing on repetition and texture.

Community Impact:
1760 3rd Avenue exemplifies an impactful, sustainable strategy of repurposing underutilized buildings for urgently needed affordable and supportive housing. The project supports those most vulnerable New Yorkers by providing 434 permanent supportive and affordable housing units, with 261 units reserved for individuals exiting homelessness, including 40 units for young adults aging out of foster care or who have experienced homelessness. 172 units are set aside for households with incomes at 60% AMI or less. The reconfigured apartments include kitchenettes and furnishings such that residents exiting homelessness will have a home from day one. On site supportive services include case management, medical and mental health care, and benefits and employment counseling.

As an adaptive reuse project where exterior amenity space was in short supply, opportunities were created to engage the residents and inform the public streetscape. The exterior area within the building setbacks were reimagined to redefine the street edge and knit together disparate existing elements by introducing green space, forming transitional zones between the public and private realm, and providing passive recreation opportunities.

Organization Description:
Dattner Architects is a mission-driven, women-owned design firm creating engaging and impactful architecture. Our foundation is civic architecture. We proudly take on the planning and design of the region’s most essential projects, creating architecture that enriches the urban experience, transforms environments, and strengthens communities. We have earned a strong reputation for leading complex projects and developing innovative, implementable solutions. Our projects are recognized for creating livable density and environmental equity.

Team Members:

Dattner Architects, Breaking Ground, EP Engineering, Loop Lighting, Severud Associates, Weintraub Diaz Landscape Architects, Accessibility Services, Archstone Builders