Castle III

Organization Name: Curtis + Ginsberg Architects

Project Title: Castle III

Project Location: East Harlem, Manhattan

Project Description:
Castle III is a 15-story supportive and affordable housing complex in East Harlem operated by The Fortune Society, a nonprofit that provides innovative services and advocacy for individuals with justice involvement and promotes alternatives to incarceration. Castle III is located on City-owned land and required a Special Permit through the ULURP process. The 69,000 SF building provides 82 affordable units, a community room, laundry, and supportive service space for the residents and the community. The south-facing street façade is comprised of masonry piers and larger groupings of windows to evoke the older commercial buildings that dot the neighborhood, featuring a sculpted frame for shade. At the street level, planters, trees, and a large awning provide additional shade and a welcoming entry area. The rear landscaped courtyard offers passive and active recreation spaces. Castle III will be an all-electric building designed to Passive House and Enterprise Green Communities standards. All materials and finishes are selected to minimize the building’s carbon footprint. The project includes a large solar array crowning the roof.

Community Impact:
Castle III serves as an important project for creating healthy sustainable communities, with residential units for low-income tenants, offices for supportive services, and community spaces to serve Fortune’s clients, providing previously incarcerated individuals with the means to reenter society. The project promotes resident education and features a teaching kitchen.

Fortune will operate the on-site supportive services space, including a community room for tenant engagement and group services. The energy generated by the building’s solar voltaic power reduces operating expenses. Castle III features a 24-hour attended entry vestibule, staffed by residential aides to provide a personal connection to every resident. Natural light is utilized at the stairs and throughout public parts of the building. A landscaped front entry courtyard provides shade for residents and passers-by. A rear yard with gardening and exercise facilities and multiple seating areas expands the communal spaces for tenants and supports activities that contribute to their well-being.

Organization Description:
Fortune Society has over 50 years of experience serving formerly incarcerated individuals in NYC, with over 16 years of experience managing supportive housing. They are one of the few service providers exclusively dedicated to serving justice-involved individuals including those who are reentering the community from incarceration and are homeless. Curtis + Ginsberg Architects is an award-winning architecture and planning firm with a mission to improve the built environment in a sustainable and socially conscious manner.

Team Members:

Fortune Society: Developer, Social Service Provider. Curtis + Ginsberg: Architects. Bright Power: Energy. Weintraub Diaz: Landscape. Dagher: MEP. De Nardis: Structural. ALC: Development Consultant.