McLean Place

Organization Name: New Destiny Housing

Project Title: McLean Place

Project Location: Bronx, NY

Project Description:
Developed by New Destiny Housing Corporation and designed by Magnusson Architecture and Planning, McLean Place will be a 72-unit, 14-story Passive House-certified building that will provide affordable and supportive apartments to low-income families and formerly homeless survivors of domestic violence. The all-electric development features numerous sustainability measures including a VRF system, energy recovery ventilators, and a rooftop photovoltaic array that powers common areas. Amenities include a lounge, fitness room, laundry room, multipurpose room, landscaped roof terrace, and community room that opens out to a rear yard. Native deciduous trees shade the courtyard, fitted with assorted seating and artificial turf to accommodate exercise, social interaction, and play for people of all ages and abilities. The terrace offers a more intimate experience, featuring built-in timber seating and tables perfect for small groups and independent leisure alike. The building is clad in light gray and copper-colored porcelain panels mixed with dark brick for visual interest, and boxes around windows help mitigate solar heat gain while distinguishing the façade with depth and shadow.

Community Impact:
Domestic violence is the number one reason for family homelessness in New York City, but far too few supportive housing options exist for survivors who need both the housing and support to find long-term stability. McLean Place will provide 43 homes for families who fled from violence, where they will access the support and resources they need to overcome the long-lasting effects of abuse. Onsite program offices accommodate supportive services that help residents maintain housing stability and address trauma, while a variety of indoor and outdoor shared spaces encourage community and provide access to nature. On the roof terrace, ADA-accessible garden beds provide space for residents to grow vegetables, supporting healthy and hands-on shared activities. The lobby design creates a visual connection between the entrance and rear yard, drawing people in and encouraging use of the outdoor area. Planted green roofs topmost setback floors, a biophilic design element that reduces runoff and adds lush, natural accents, contributing to a serene living environment.

At the street level, the building’s perceived bulk is reduced by playful articulations in the massing that break up the façade into smaller volumes.

Organization Description:
New Destiny Housing is a New York non-profit founded on the principle that survivors of domestic violence need safe, permanent homes in which to rebuild their lives. For over 30 years, New Destiny Housing has been creating homes for survivors, as a developer and service provider, pioneering new models of housing assistance, and advocating for greater resources for a historically underserved population, often hidden from view. New Destiny is the largest provider of supportive housing for domestic violence survivors in New York.

Team Members:

New Destiny Housing: Owner
Penta Restoration Corp: GC
Magnusson Architecture and Planning
Terrain-nyc: Landscape
Bright Power: Sustainability
CityScape: Structural
Ettinger: MEP
Galli: Civil