The Bedford, located at 211 East 203rd Street in the Bronx was designed by Magnusson Architecture and Planning (MAP) and built by Procida; this 108 unit building will offer a mix of supportive, AIRS and affordable family housing with 68 studios, 21 one bedroom and 19 two bedroom apartments. The newly constructed building will be home to 66 homeless individuals and 41 low to moderate income households, including community referrals.
This housing for special needs and community tenants would not be possible without the generosity of public and private funders, including NYC Department of Housing and Community Development (HPD), the Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH), Hudson Housing Capital, Sterling Bank, HSBC Bank and Bank of the West. An important thank you also goes to Bronx Community Board seven for their support of The Bedford.
Located just off the NE corner of 203rd Street and the Grand Concourse, the 13 storey, approximately 90,000 sq ft structure will include close to 72,000 sq ft of senior housing (AIRS), as well as affordable and supportive housing for families, those that are formerly homeless and veterans.
Resident amenities abound, including a community room, learning centre with computers, a library, laundry room and bike room. There will be 24 hours a day and seven days a week front desk security, and a live-in superintendent. A landscaped rear yard and landscaped roof terrace provide two large outdoor areas for the multi-generational and mixed population of residents to enjoy together.
As an AIRS building with additional communal space requirements, each floor has a lounge area which will be part of an expanded elevator lobby. These spaces, full of natural light will offer views and a serene spot to sit. The large window walls in this vertical line of lounges combined with those in the apartments increases exposure to daylight throughout the building. This expansive glazing helps provide attractive common areas in an effort to promote socialisation and improve the mental health of the residents.
The health of residents is a vital component of this transit-oriented project which is designed to achieve LEED Platinum certification. Sustainability measures include a photovoltaic array, ultra-high-efficiency, all electric, HVAC systems, high-efficiency domestic hot-water system, Energy Recovery Units for ventilation systems, high-efficiency UPVC windows, LED lighting (with occupancy sensors in common areas), Energy-Star appliances, low flow plumbing fixtures, monitoring of water usage, and Building Management System for HVAC, lighting, hot-domestic water systems and water heaters and two non-accessible green roofs.
The mass of the building has been broken by setbacks and variations in façade materials. Glass and metal panels help to emphasise the visual separation between the two brick volumes, and the reflective surfaces of those materials also help to bring light down to the street, an important means of mitigating the impact of the structure’s height.
We wanted to reference and embrace the architectural heritage of the Grand Concourse around the corner. So we included subtle designs in the brick of the exterior walls. At the same time, we also used newer materials and a more modern aesthetic, so you have a stylistic transition from old to new.