Built on an underutilized parking lot at the Justice Sonia Sotomayor Houses in the Bronx, this 16-story, affordable senior housing is named for the Justice’s mother Celina Baez. The development offers 204 affordable senior apartments (plus super’s unit) and amenities including a fitness room with an adjacent landscaped rooftop terrace, a second-floor library, laundry room and community room. Incorporating active design principles, the stairs are prominent and have large windows for daylight and views. Lounges, programmed differently on alternating floors, and are located next to the building’s circulation spine, creating a variety of social spaces which helps prevent isolation—a frequent challenge for seniors. Prefabricated brick facade panels clad the articulated massing which catches light differently throughout the day. Windows reflect blues, grays, purples and teals; and angular planes hold shadows at varying lengths and shapes. While maintaining the contextual masonry aesthetic, the bold white color and dynamism of the exterior highlights the forward-looking urban infill ideas of this all-electric development. Ground floor glazing ensures visual connections to the community and illuminates the sidewalk with interior light enhancing safety. The nonprofit development partner offers a variety of social services to eligible community members from the 1,700 square foot community space.
Project facts
Location Bronx, NY
Architect Magnusson Architecture and Planning
Landscape Architect Terrain-NYC
Year 2023
Category Residential
AIANY Recognition
2025 AIANY Design Awards