Embracing and capitalizing upon the unique social, ecological, and physical contexts of the site and Morrisania neighborhood of the Bronx, the mixed-use Melrose North provides approximately 170 new units of supportive and affordable housing and 7,200 square feet of community facility space and is designed to meet Passive House standards and LEED for Homes. Melrose North expands on the Master Plan Curtis + Ginsberg Architects provided twenty years prior for the adjacent Morrisania Air Rights House. This project will meet the community goals of developing vital and meaningful ground floor use with the development of a community facility space, improving security, increasing access to and visibility of the Metro-North Melrose Station, and updating the accessible Metro-North pathway.
The modern brick façade is broken into a series of three masses intended to contextually blend into the neighborhood, with one standout exception: a 100-foot mural wall as a symbol of the neighborhood’s diversity and vitality. The project also proposes to activate the large blank wall of the adjacent New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) tower via projection of artwork. The development will provide a healthy living environment utilizing passive house strategies, rainwater harvesting, and implementing Active Design principles.
