Grand Street Guild Rehabilitation

Organization Name: CTA Architects P.C.

Project Title: Grand Street Guild Rehabilitation

Project Location: Lower East Side, Manhattan, New York

Project Description:
The Grand Street Guild rehabilitation is a late-1960’s “super block” on Manhattan's Lower East Side. By 2007, the three towers were leaking, surrounded by protective bridging, and the 600 residential units’ were in need of much more than a “fresh coat of paint.” With the site in serious need of an architectural intervention, CTA was hired to perform a moderate rehabilitation of the complex. As part of the work, the roofs were replaced, each floor’s perimeter masonry was reflashed, and the ground floor cladding was redesigned at all three towers. All the public spaces at the building’s interiors were redesigned, and all 600 apartments received new bathrooms, kitchens, and paint finishes. The apartment renovations were carefully programmed so that no residents were displaced during the rehabilitation. The mechanical systems were replaced, and the site was relandscaped with a newly designed amphitheater. The rehab included the design and construction of a new 3,500 square foot maintenance building with a green roof to store building refuse previously kept in the lobbies. This building, 17 Pitt Street, received a 2016 Design Award of Merit from the New York Society of American Registered Architect.

Community Impact:
This residential rehabilitation program represents a significant commitment on the owner’s part to enrich the lives of their tenants. The leaks that had long troubled the residents were resolved by rehabilitating the residential building envelopes. The long-neglected 600 apartment interiors were aesthetically updated to once again make the apartments feel like homes. By moving the refuse storage from the residential towers to 17 Pitt Street, the main lobbies no longer have a "basement" feel. Instead, the lobbies are now attractive and inviting to both residents and their guests.

The site grounds have been revitalized, and the once abandoned amphitheater has been redesigned, rebuilt and rewired for electricity to allow for public movie screenings and performances. We believe that the addition of green space into the urban environment enhances the benefit of the site for all residents, and by rehabilitating the exteriors and interiors of the Grand Street Guild, we have rejuvenated the environment--and the lives--of these low-income residents in one of New York City’s densest urban areas.

Organization Description:
CTA Architects P.C. (CTA) is a mid-sized firm based in New York City with a staff of fifty-five employees. Each architectural staff member has an extensive knowledge of design, materials, and technology. This is due to our team approach and commitment to training. The firm was established as a DBA in 1987 and incorporated in New York State in 1993. We are licensed in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Vermont, and Hawaii, and we have been recognized by Architectural Record as one of the top 300 architecture firms in the nation for the past three years.

Team Members:

CTA Architects PC-Architecture
SiteWorks LLC-Landscape
Hage Engineering-Structural
P.A. Collins PE-MEP
Geo Tech Consultants-Geotechnical
Sav Enterprises/Institute of Human Development-Owner's Reps