The Bronx is Modern: Below East 161st Street

Entrance to the Melrose Community Center [Deena Parham]

This year, I've decided to include a few posts dedicated to architectural treasures in the Bronx.  Today's installment is about Bronx modernism.

Recently, I mentioned to friends that I went on a tour of modern Bronx buildings.  I received several quizzical looks, followed by a collective, “Really?” 

As quiet as it is kept, several giants of the modern architectural movement such as Paul Rudolph, and Marcel Breuer had early commissions in the Bronx.  As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, the Bronx is still stuck in the “buildings are burning” narrative, so this fact is not widely disseminated.  This post will venture into territory where most tours fear to tread- celebrating the borough’s modern architectural heritage!

The Melrose Community Center, 286 East 156th Street, Bronx, NY

[Formal name of building: South Bronx Classic Community Center at Melrose Houses]

A mere five minutes from Manhattan are the Melrose, Morrisania, and Jackson public houses in the South Bronx.  It’s a typical Post World War II, superblock, Robert Moses-era assemblage of functional architecture that met basic housing needs, but was miserably low on inspiration.  The formidable brick buildings with small patches of green space were meant to resemble towers of park. Unfortunately, the sheer density of the high-rise apartment buildings makes the community feel closed, like an impenetrable fortress. 

The gym at the Melrose Community Center [Deena Parham]

After walking past several mature trees, I was pleasantly surprised to see the Melrose Community Center.  The 20,000 square foot building was designed by Agrest and Gandelsonas Architects and Wank Adams Slavin (1998-2001) for the New York City Housing Authority.  It’s currently used as a cultural, recreational, and educational center for local teens.

The Melrose Community Center [Agrest and Gandelsonas Architects]

 Agrest and Gandelsonas Architects made the following design statement:

The design of the Bronx South Classic Center reflects a desire to avoid a fortress-like environment and instead provide the community with a building that conveys a sense of openness and accessibility. The symbolic aspect of the project is of major importance in its social function for the local residents who live amongst one of New York City's highest crime rates; it has generated a point of identification and pride for the community. The Melrose Community Center is composed of two main volumes enclosing programs, the bar and the oval gymnasium connected by a link which provides the entry space. The gymnasium, with its strongly recognizable form, is a symbolic element of identification for the entire community.

We chose to make the classrooms building as transparent as possible. Curtain wall glazing along the length of the bar exposes the interior to public view in both directions. The various activity rooms have a glass wall oriented towards the circulation corridor, enabling its users to see the activities of everyone else. This visual exchange creates a great sense of energy and excitement.

The Bronx Criminal Court Building 215 East 161st Street, Bronx, Harrison and Abramowitz

A travertine sculpture by Constantino Nivola at the Bronx Criminal Court Building. [Deena Parham]

This $31 million imposing courthouse was designed by the architectural firm of Harrison and Abramowitz (1973-1977).  It currently houses the Family Court, Criminal Court and their associated offices, the District Attorney, and offices of the Departments of Probation, Human Resources, Corrections, and NYPD.  The bulky limestone clad building is 13-stories tall, and is 600,000 square feet. This building's unwelcoming public presence resulted in a radical design approach when the Bronx Hall of Justice was proposed.  

 The Bronx County Hall of Justice 215 East 161^St Street, Bronx, NY, Rafael Vinoly Architects

The glass facade of the Bronx County Hall of Justice [Deena Parham]

Architect Rafael Vinoly’s courthouse project opened to the public in 2008.  It is two blocks long, and is one of the largest courthouses in the country. The East 161^St Street facade is known for its accordion-fold curtain wall of windows that reflected the brightness of the sunlight.  This building’s facade is a stand-out primarily because its intent was to show the transparency of justice, while maintaining a level of privacy. 

The $421 million, nine-story, 775,000 square foot building was constructed between 2001 and 2007.   The windows were made of translucent glass that was tested at a blast simulator in New Mexico, to ensure that they were resistant to any potential terrorist attack.  Overall there are 47 court rooms for the Supreme and Criminal courts, seven grand jury rooms, as well as offices for the Department of Corrections, the Department of Probation, and the Bronx District Attorney. 

Rear of the Bronx County Hall of Justice where the view of the public plaza is blocked. [Deena Parham]

While the building was supposed to be a shining example of superior public architecture, the courthouse has had its share of detractors since its opening.  Several newspaper accounts have quoted court personnel who have complained that the building is allegedly structurally unsound, has leaking ceilings and sewage pipes, and that overall, it is not very well-maintained. 

In the rear of the courthouse building is a public plaza that was meant to soften the institutional building, which faces a residential neighborhood.  However, the public space has not been open, due to structural problems with the two-story underground garage.  The plaza is currently hidden behind a series of fences that block most of the view.  Others wonder if it will ever be open to the public, due to security concerns in the post 9/11 era.  Apparently there's also a rooftop Zen garden that was intended for community space, but it is currently not accessible to the public.

New Bronx Mall and Golf Course Plans Revealed

Bay Plaza Mall, Co-Op City

Aerial view of the proposed Macy's store on the left, and the Bay Plaza Mall.

Macy’s will soon build a brand new three-story, 160,000 square foot store in the Bronx.  The department store is part of the new Bay Plaza Mall, which will connect to the existing JC Penney’s store.  This will be the second Macy’s in the borough, where there is currently a store in Parkchester.

 

The mall is being designed by Altoon + Porter, a Los Angeles-based architectural firm known for mixed-use retail, and institutional development around the world.   The $270 million mall will be 780,000 square feet, built on land owned by Prestige Properties. The project is expected to attract 2,000 construction jobs, and 1,700 permanent jobs.  It will be conveniently located between Interstate-95 and the Hutchinson River Parkway. Construction is anticipated to begin in the spring of 2012, with an expected completion date in 2014.  It will be the first enclosed mall in the Bronx.

Ferry Point Park Golf Course

Another recent development in the Bronx was the news that the New York City Parks Department has award Donald Trump a 20-year deal to run a public golf course at Ferry Point Park.  The Trump Organization will spend $10 million on designing and building a clubhouse at the 18-hole Jack Nicklaus Signature course.

The NYC taxpayers-funded golf course will be located adjacent to the Whitestone Bridge, with views of the Manhattan skyline.  Additionally, officials are expecting that the public course will attract major golf tournaments.  According to the New York Daily News, this project has been more than 14 years in the making, with any number of false starts and controversy. Many have questioned whether a golf course is the best use of parkland in an area with a high concentration of public housing.  Critics have often referred to as a major boondoggle.

The city took over construction in 2008, a few years after the course’s private developer walked off the troubled lot. Projected to cost $57 million then, the project’s budget has since ballooned to $97 million, said a Parks Department spokeswoman.

Ferry Point Golf Course Routing Plan

The 18-hole, links-style, Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course is being built on 222 acres of a former toxic landfill at the edge of the East River.  “This new public golf course will be a great amenity for the Bronx, for the City, and for visitors,” said Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe. “More than $600 million has been invested in parks around the Bronx during Mayor Bloomberg’s tenure, and now this long-awaited golf course will soon be among them – bringing more people from across the country and around the world to the Bronx. The Trump Organization is known for operating world-class golf courses, and I’m excited to be able to partner with them to build and run the first tournament-quality golf course in New York City.”

The expected completion date of the golf course is the spring of 2014.  It is estimated that it will create 100 construction jobs.  While the project has its (rightful) share of critics who have questioned the recreational usage and the costs, it will hopefully move forward, because there has already been so much public funding already invested.

Truthfully, as a planner, I'm not usually a huge fan of either golf courses or malls.  However, in these economically challenging times, any new construction that can potentially leverage additional economic development is a huge win.  There's no doubt that the new projects underway will continue to boost the borough's profile.  The Bronx is writing its own comeback story, which is welcome news for its 1.4 million residents, and the rest of the region.

More information

• WABC 7 Eyewitness News: A 160,000 Square Foot Macy's Coming to the Bronx
• New York Daily News: Donald Trump Signs 20-Year Deal to run NYC Golf Course
• Altoon + Porter Architects

Via Verde: The Bronx Continues to Rise

Via Verde under construction, May 2011 [Deena Parham]

There are times when I am surprised to find brand new real estate developments in the most unexpected places.  In May 2011, I was in the South Bronx for an event at a community garden, when I noticed the striking building across the street (above photo) under construction.  I later learned that it was Via Verde (700 Brook Avenue), a much-heralded new affordable housing complex.

Fortunately, I do occasionally find myself walking on the streets of the Bronx to witness neighborhood transformation first-hand.  The larger than life historical narratives that I've read about the borough's brushes with urban decay, and abandonment, are usually shattered the moment that I meet residents who are working hard to improve their communities.  The truth is that large swaths of the South Bronx have long-risen from the devastation.

Yes, 2011 was a banner year for the Bronx, as several prominent projects emerged that forced the media to take notice.  The borough continues to make tremendous strides in economic development. Here is a new real estate development on my radar this year:

 Via Verde (“the green way”) the South Bronx

View of Via Verde from the street [Phipps, Rose, Dattner, Grimshaw]

In September 2011, Michael Kimmelman, the new architecture critic at the New York Times, visited Via Verde, a new housing development in the South Bronx.  His first review brought considerable attention to the affordable housing complex.  The innovative environmentally “green” building, starts at three-story townhomes, gradually rising to a 20-story tower, and offers 151 rental and 71 co-op apartments to mixed-income families. Phipps Houses and Jonathan Rose Companies developed it with Dattner Architects and Grimshaw. 

Looking South from the Rooftop Garden [Phipps, Rose, Dattner, Grimshaw]

The building incorporates elements of nature, which includes a 40,000 square foot roof deck that will be used to plant fruit trees, and will have garden plots for tenants to plant their own gardens.  Via Verde is designed to achieve LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, for its innovative environmentally responsible design.  It also promotes physical activity, by placing staircases in prominent locations, to discourage residents from using the elevators, whenever possible.

 The 20-story rental apartment tower [Phipps, Rose, Dattner, Grimshaw]

What was most noteworthy about the New York Times article was the praise for Via Verde’s design.  Over the years affordable housing developments have rarely garnered accolades.   Michael Kimmelman said:

The rebirth of the South Bronx isn’t news. But Via Verde is. And it makes as good an argument as any new building in the city for the cultural and civic value of architecture. The profession, or in any case much talk about it, has been fixated for too long on brand-name luxury objects and buildings as sculptures instead of attending to the richer, broader, more urgent vein of public policy and community engagement, in which aesthetics play a part.

Via Verde helps shift the conversation. Like all good architecture, it is handsome. Unlike too much, it goes out of its way to be healthy. It evolved out of a competition five years ago, organized by Shaun Donovan, then commissioner of the city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development, now President Obama’s secretary of housing and urban development. The idea was to spur developers to team with architects in combining the latest green concepts with high-quality architecture for a public-housing project, a “beacon,” as Mr. Donovan put it to me the other day, that would “re-engage design with the issue of affordable housing.”

 Occupancy is expected in March of 2012.

More information

• The New York Times: Via Verde in the South Bronx Rewrites Low-Income Housing Rules

David Byrne and Janette Sadik-Kahn

 David Byrne and Janette Sadik Khan at the Center for Architecture

Recently, I went to the Center for Architecture to hear a talk by David Byrne, the musician, visual artist, filmmaker and co-founder of the musical group Talking Heads.  In 2009 he released Bicycle Diaries, which chronicled his travels throughout many world cities via bike.  He has owned a fold-up bicycle for more than 20 years, and it is his transportation of choice on the streets of New York. In 2010, Mr. Byrne completed a series of commissioned bicycle racks for the New York City Department of Transportation.

Mr. Byrne gave a brief slideshow of his  travels throughout Latin America.  He raved about the public architecture and transportation projects that have been implemented fairly recently in cities like Quito, Ecuador, and Bogota, Colombia. “There were new libraries in the middle of incredibly poor neighborhoods. It created new public space, which for many neighborhoods it was the first time that they had a dedicated public space.  The architecture of those libraries is something that any major city would be proud of. It gives them a different perspective of themselves, and it connects to the bike lanes, and pedestrian lanes.”

The city has installed nine new bike racks designed by David Byrne. Each has an evocative name. Top row, left to right: MoMA, Olde Times Square and Villager. Middle row, left to right: Coffee Cup, Wall Street and Ladies’ Mile. Bottom row, left to right: Hipster, Chelsea and Jersey. (Photos: New York City Department of Transportation)

Mr. Byrne was later joined by Janette Sadik-Khan, the New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner.  As the NYCDOT Commissioner, Ms. Sadik-Khan has spearheaded a number of ground-breaking roadway projects that have catapulted her into the international spotlight.  She has implemented pedestrian plazas, most famously in Times Square, and in Herald Square.  During her tenure she has also closed off streets on several weekends, exclusively for recreational use in a program called Summer Streets.  However, her most controversial turn has been her tireless efforts to expand the network of bicycle lanes throughout the city.

 

Throughout the evening, Ms. Sadik-Khan cited numerous polls to show that New Yorkers overwhelmingly supported many of the new transportation initiatives.  “Critics who have come out against Mayor Bloomberg’s focus on the pedestrian experience said that it is somehow elitist for us to be doing this work, because the pedestrian plazas, the bike lanes, making buses go faster is only for a small number of New Yorkers. I think that the good news is that a majority of New Yorkers really don’t see it that way, and they see past the rhetoric that has been in some of the newspapers.  I also think that’s a very important message going forward for other cities, particularly for design of our cities, and transportation policy around the world.”

Ms. Sadik-Khan mentioned that she was amazed that human activities such as walking have been neglected within the public policy realm.  Surveys across the city have shown that walking accounts for the highest share of how New York City residents actually get around.  The audience laughed when she said that initially many people had been fixated on the design of the “lawn chairs” in Times Square, but that at least 58 percent of New Yorkers now supported the changes and improvements in pedestrian plaza. 

Overall it was an evening filled with vigorous head nodding in agreement, and rounds of applause from the staunchly converted.  The bicycle advocates came out en masse to make it a standing-room-only crowd in a matter of minutes early on a Monday. I’ve never seen a city official have such a dedicated constituency, and the majority of the audience appeared appreciative of Ms. Sadik-Khan's ongoing efforts. 

In this day and age where people are often jaded about the state of the government, and question the intentions of celebrities, it was refreshing to hear people actually applaud for pedestrian plazas, bicycle lanes, and even David Byrne’s quirky collection of bicycle racks NYCDOT bike racks.  The entire event restored my faith in the possibilities of government, and the effectiveness of campaigns that are endorsed by well-known personalities.   Change will always have its share of challenges, but at least there are still people willing to make the effort to try something new. 

Three of my favorite NYCDOT pedestrian plaza projects:

Dumbo Pedestrian Plaza

In 2007, the DUMBO neighborhood of Brooklyn, received a vibrant pedestrian plaza adjacent to the Manhattan Bridge.  This space once housed a 12-car parking lot at Front and Pearl Streets, and was transformed into a triangular-shaped living room, complete with outdoor furniture.  The Dumbo Improvement District asked the NYCDOT for help in turning this into a pedestrian space.  The Brooklyn Botanic Garden was also summoned, and together they created a space with a green-painted floor, café tables and chairs, umbrellas and planters filled with flowers and trees. Great granite blocks from the Williamsburg Bridge delineate the space, which also showcases a large abstract sculpture.

Madison Square Plaza

While most people venture over to the popular Madison Square Park, there is also a unique plaza that offers an interesting vista to see New York City’s historic landmarks The Flatiron Building and the Empire State Building. Completed in 2008, this space is an unexpected surprise in the heart of the bustling city.

Chelsea Plaza

In 2007, Chelsea Plaza on West 14th Street and Ninth Avenue was transformed from one of the most dangerous pedestrian crossings, into a gracious pedestrian plaza.  Located near Gansevoort Plaza, the Apple Store, and steps away from the High Line, it is one of my new favorite public plazas.  The dynamic public space also offers weekly Salsa and Capoeira classes.  Streetfilms has an excellent documentary of the before and after:

Living with History: The Beacon Theatre

Part II of the report from the  Living with History forum.

The legendary Beacon Theatre was built by theatrical impresario Samuel “Roxy" Rothafel.  Constructed between 1927 and 1928, and designed by Chicago architect Walter W. Ahlschlager, the 2,800 seat theater is located on Broadway and 74^th Street on Manhattan’s Upper West Side.  It was bought by the Warner Brothers in 1929, and remodeled to accommodate vaudeville acts, musical productions, plays, and movies.

The theater’s interior was designated as a New York City Landmark in 1979.  In the Guide to New York City Landmarks, Andrew Dolkhart wrote that, “The lavishly appointed lobbies, stairways, and auditorium of the Beacon, with their eclectic Greek, Roman, Renaissance, and Rococo detail, are characteristics of the great movie palaces built in the 1920s.” The theater is also well-known for its nearly flawless acoustics.

Cleary Larkin, a preservation architect at Beyer Blinder Belle Architects and Planners, gave an excellent overview of the seven-month, $16 million renovation of the storied venue.  Madison Square Garden purchased the theater in 2006.  Beyer Blinder Belle was hired in 2007 to do an infrastructure upgrade and renovation of the Beacon Theatre. 

Ms. Larkin said, “The Beacon Theatre is one of the premiere rock houses in Manhattan. It’s been used as a rock venue since the 1980’s.  The acoustics are superb, but the decoration was not.  Over the years it had been overpainted, and it had a gritty interior that exemplified a rock house experience.  The original intent of the project that was created by Madison Square Garden was to really keep this rock house vibe.” 

The theater was built to give visitors the feeling of entering into another world, a place to escape and engage in fantasy.  Ms. Larkin said that there was always an element of surprise, and that attending a performance was meant to evoke a magical journey.  However when Beyer Blinder Belle surveyed the space before renovation, it had undergone severe years of wear and tear.  The theater had an illustrious history as a “gilded palace” and the “Baghdad on Upper Broadway” but they had no initial idea of what the colors and finishes were.  Part of the extensive renovation process included a thorough examination of the original and decorative painting elements that had been hidden under 10 layers of paint. 

“We did a finishes analysis all throughout the theater, and because it was an interior landmark, we had to go through LPC (Landmarks Preservation Commission) review.”

Madison Square Garden was very interested in the restoration of the theater, and encouraged the team to push beyond “a gritty renovation.  Some locations had sponge-finishes.  Others walls were gilded, glazed, and gold-leafed, and stippled paint. It was really a wild interior.  We decided to do a historic interpretation that brings out the aspect and finish of the original intent.”

Ms. Larkin mentioned that Beyer Blinder Belle worked with Brooklyn-based muralist Mason Nye to recreate a custom mural above the entry doors.  She said that the original mural was designed by Rambusch Studios, and it was an advertisement.  It was removed, and replaced by wallpaper in the rotunda.  Fortunately, they found a color palette that reflected the time period, and recreated the Rambusch mural.

More than 1,000 people involved in the crafts, trades, and other artisans worked on the project.  The entire theater was modernized from its infrastructure to the backstage functions.  Overall, the renovation was deemed a great success, because the client took an interest in revitalizing one of New York's landmark theaters without any hesitation.  The theater reopened in February 2009, and continues to attract major musical acts from across the globe.

All photos: Madison Square Garden

Living with History: Gracie Mansion

Gracie Mansion, New York City

Last weekend, I attended an outstanding program at the Museum of the City of New York entitled, "Living with History: Restoring, Redesigning, and Reviving New York’s Landmark Interiors."  It was a half-day symposium that highlighted several extraordinary projects that have successfully managed to bring historic buildings back to life.  It was presented in conjunction with the New York School of Interior Design.

The museum staff did a superb job of selecting some of the liveliest speakers that I’ve ever heard talk about historic preservation.  From start to finish, the presenters were passionate about their projects.  Each gave solid evidence as to why some of New York’s most iconic buildings are truly incredible gems that must be protected and celebrated.

Donald Albrecht, the museum’s Curator of Architecture, and Design, stated that the museum decided to host a symposium to showcase, “preservation as a living tradition. How do you take interiors and bring them up to date to modern times? How do they change in the broader sense?”

Originally I was going to write a general post. However, due to the depth of each project, I’ve decided to write a series of separate entries that will appear over the next several days.

Jamie Drake's Gracie Mansion

Jamie Drake of Drake Design AssociatesJamie Drake, a celebrated New York City based interior designer, gave an illustrious talk about his work on the renovation of Gracie Mansion in 2002.  The ceremonial residence of the Mayor of the City of New York was built in 1799 by Archibald Gracie, a shipping magnate.  Over the years the house was expanded by Mr. Gracie, and Mr. Drake jokingly referred to it as “the McMansion of its day.”

Overlooking the East River, the 11-acre country estate was appropriated by the City in 1896, and incorporated as a part of the newly built Carl Schurz Park.  The mansion was used for a variety of purposes, including the first home of the Museum of the City of New York, from 1923 until 1932.  

Eventually Parks Commissioner Robert Moses convinced city authorities to designate it as the official mayoral residence.  Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia and his family moved into the home in 1942.  Nine mayors have lived in the mansion.  However, the current mayor Michael Bloomberg does not reside there. For the first time, the building is open to the general public, and about 40,000 people visit annually.

The home had not been renovated since Mayor Edward I. Koch’s administration in the 1980’s by interior designers Mark Hampton and Albert Hadley.  Mr. Drake was hired by Mayor Bloomberg.   There were $7 million secured in private funds to complete the renovation of the four-bedroom, seven-bathroom home which was his first historic preservation commission. While doing the project, Mr. Drake said that he learned what it meant to be a preservationist, by doing in-depth research about the home, and its former occupants.  Mr. Drake said some of the challenges included the fact that there was little information about the Gracie family, and only one room in the house had maintained all of its original moldings to do paint analysis.

Sitting Room, Gracie Mansion

Mr. Drake chose a Brunschwig & Fils striped wallpaper, with an overprinted border, for the foyer, which is furnished with antiques from the collection of the Gracie Mansion Conservancy.  Previously the fireplace had been covered up.  Mr. Drake said that the floor was restored by members of the Alpha Workshops.  The nonprofit organization trains people with HIV/AIDS in a variety of the decorative arts.  Trainees learn gilding, decorative paint finishes and faux finishes, color theory, and wallpaper design and production.  Mr. Drake is currently the chairman of the board.

The Parlor, Gracie Mansion

Mr. Drake showed this photo of the home’s parlor.  The John Boone chairs are upholstered with Green Schumacher velvet.  Brunschwig & Fils rosette-patterned silk on drapery swag, open-arm chair and sofa.

He described the room:

The house is a living, breathing house.  It is open to the public, but it is not a museum.  The furniture arrangements are still contemporary for usage and conversation. We did purchase many pieces for the house’s collection that were period antiques.  All of my decorative schemes were based on historic precedent.  This patent yellow was popular at the beginning of the nineteenth century. The wallpaper borders in this room, and the wallpapers throughout the house were based on documents from the Nancy McClelland historic wallpaper company. The fabrics were woven to order, and those off the rack were all historically correct. The carpets were woven to order from a mill that has been in existence since the 19^th century on original looms.

The Dining Room, Gracie Mansion

The scenic Zuber Les Jardins de Paris wallpaper was installed during the mansion’s 1984 restoration by Albert Hadley.  Most of the lighting throughout the house is either English or French, which would have been typical of the nineteenth century. 

A circa 1810 French chandelier, from H. M. Luther Antiques, was added to the dining room to complement the wallpaper.  There is also Scalamandré trim and silk taffeta drapery.

The foyer of the Susan E. Wagner Wing leads to the ballroom and reception area.

Mayor John Lindsay had a wing added to the home in 1966 that was designed by architect Mott B. Schmidt.  Mrs. Wagner requested the addition to meet the concurrent space needs of entertaining and raising a family.

Mr. Drake decided to use a blue runner to compliment the faux limestone gold walls.   A blue-and-gold wool carpet by Patterson, Flynn & Martin highlights the space.

Gracie Mansion is open to the public on most Wednesdays by reservation. For more information visit their website here.

Additional Links:

Alpha Workshops

Brunschwig & Fils

Jamie Drake

Museum of the City of New York

Photos: Architectural Digest

Touring the Greenpoint Manufacturing and Design Center

The Greenpoint Manufacturing and Design Center’s (GMDC) flagship project is a 300,000 square foot complex of buildings built between 1868 and 1910 for the textile industry. 

New York City is known as a leading destination for artists, and other creative professionals.  I've often been curious where they maintain their businesses, given the high rents, and changes in zoning that have reduced the amount of manufacturing space that is available in the city.  Recently, I visited the Greenpoint Manufacturing and Design Center (GMDC) at 1155-1205 Manhattan Avenue in Brooklyn.  Founded in 1992, GMDC is New York’s premier nonprofit industrial developer.  The organization manages a complex of five buildings, currently home to 100 businesses that employ 500 people. 

The informative tour of the sprawling building complex was led by Cassandra Smith, a GMDC project manager. Historically, the Chelsea Fiber Mills began operations on the site in 1868, where marine rope was manufactured until after World War II. In its waning years of full-fledged production, the building was used for textile manufacturing.

The City took possession of the building in 1974, when the property went into tax foreclosure. Eventually, month-to-month tenancies were extended to an existing group of small manufacturers, and artists. In 1992, GMDC acquired the building from the city, which needed extensive repairs, due to deferred maintenance.  Within a few years, the building was restored by utilizing public and private financing.  As a result, GMDC preserved the architectural heritage of manufacturing buildings in Brooklyn, while creating new urban redevelopment opportunities in the borough.

GMDC fulfills a need, as industrial space becomes a scare commodity

New York City continues to attract a significant number of design professionals.  In June, the Center for an Urban Future released a study, "Growth by Design," which documented some of the gains made in the city’s creative industries:

Between 2000 and 2009, design sector jobs in the New York metro area grew by 75 percent, with especially large jumps in the number of interior designers (which increased by 223 percent), graphic designers (139 percent) and industrial designers (127 percent).  Overall 40,000 new jobs were added. 

However, New York’s manufacturing sector overall has been less than prolific, as more than 64,000 jobs were lost, representing a decline of 46 percent.  According to research conducted by the New York Industrial Retention Network, 

23.4 million square feet of industrial space was lost to approved rezonings between 2001 and 2008, impacting some of New York’s most populated manufacturing districts. Significant portions of Greenpoint-Williamsburg, Long Island City, the midtown Garment Center, and Port Morris in the Bronx were rezoned during this period, mainly for residential development.

Although GMDC is located in a rapidly gentrifying community, it continues to be an invaluable resource because it provides quality, affordable space to a wide-range of creative professionals.  The rent averages $12 to $15 per square foot, and tenants are given a vacant white box space to build-out to meet their specific business requirements.   The GMDC is available exclusively for work-use, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  

During the tour, we visited several studio spaces.  The tenants included:

Barbara Campisi's studio at the GMDC

Barbara Campisi is a studio artist who has been in Greenpoint since 2004.  She specializes in site specific installations, and her work incorporates many different and visual colors.  Ms. Campisi has exhibited in the Fulton Ferry State Park, and has had pieces on display at IKEA in Red Hook.

Janine Sopp in the Clay Space 1205 gallery

Janine Sopp was a textile and clothing designer, before she became a ceramics artist. She has been at GMDC for 17 years.  Her work is sold nationally and internationally and is represented in craft galleries, museum shops, gift shops and Judaica stores across the country and online.   Four year ago, Ms. Sopp decided to have other ceramics artists join her.  She created a Clay Space 1205, with the belief that this art form centers on the strength of community.  The 3,000 square foot space accommodates professional artists, and also offers classes to the public. 

A Clay Space 1205 member at work

Clay Space 1205 has also serves as an informal business incubator program.  "There are not a lot of places that allow you to start from scratch.  Some people don't know how to get it off the ground, and start a business with it.  Here, we are able to support each other’s businesses."   Currently member artists come from a wide-variety of backgrounds and market to interior designers, and galleries.  There is also an onsite gallery space that has rotating exhibitions.

Takeshi Miyakawa 

Takeshi Miyakawa, a Japanese-born architect, has been furniture designer in Tribeca and Williamsburg for more than 10 years.  He studied architecture in his native Japan, and previously worked in the construction business.  After arriving in New York more than 20 years ago, he found a job in Williamsburg, where he specialized in custom design, and fabrication.   Since 1992, he has worked as a model maker at Rafael Vinoly architects. He leased space at the GMDC after desiring additional work space for his practice, Takeshi Miyakawa Design.

Takeshi Miyakawa's studio.

Ronnie Parsons (center) and Gil Akos (right) of Studio Mode/modeLab

Ronnie Parsons and Gil Akos, are both architects and professors, as well as the owners of Studio Mode/modeLab.  Currently they have a design studio, and research collective, and teach workshops around the world.  They told the group that one of their most recent commissions was designing office space for a Mexican football stadium.  They came to GMDC a few months ago, and their light-filled studio had exceptional views of Manhattan.

What’s next? The GMDC will soon expand to Harlem

GMDC has been a recognized nonprofit leader in manufacturing development, and many city officials from across the nation have toured their facilities to see how they can grow an industrial base in their own communities. While GMDC has established a significant presence in Brooklyn, they are about to expand their reach to Manhattan.  The New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYEDC) recently announced that GMDC will be one of the tenants leasing space in the new building, CREATE @ Harlem Green, a proposed $100 million development on 125^th Street in Harlem.

NYCEDC selected Janus Partners LLC and Monandnock Construction, Inc. to redevelop the former Taystee Bakery complex into CREATE @ Harlem Green, providing additional commercial and industrial space to house tenants from creative industries.  If the project is approved, GMDC will be operating 53,000 square feet of manufacturing space to be leased as 1,000-5,000-square-foot spaces for small manufacturing and artisan companies.

Brian T. Coleman, Chief Executive Officer, Greenpoint Manufacturing and Design Center stated, “We are excited about the prospect of bringing our expertise and brand to Harlem, and we look forward to working with Janus to tap the creative energies of Harlem’s artisans and small businesses. New York’s entrepreneurial millworkers, jewelry makers, metalworkers and graphic artists will benefit from a community where their businesses can grow and thrive.”

More information:

• Greenpoint Manufacturing and Design Center
• Barbara Campisi
• Takeshi Miyakawa Design
• Janine Sopp, Clay Space 1205
• Studio Mode/modeLab

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