On March 13, the AIANY Design for Aging Committee was pleased to host Jamar Adams, Founder & Managing Principal at Essence Development, Jonathan Gouveia, Vice-president of Real Estate Development at NYCHA, Manish Chadha, AIA, Principal at ILA, and Ruchika Modi, Principal at PAU, for an engaging and informative panel focused on NYCHA’s Fulton-Elliot-Chelsea Houses redevelopment, moderated by Brian J. Pape, AIA, LEED-AP, Green & Historic Preservation Specialist, President of Brian J. Pape Architect & Consultant PC, and Co-Chair of the AIANY Design for Aging Committee.

NYCHA is the city’s biggest landlord, in all 5 boroughs, for the 400,000 people who call  NYCHA home. Nearly 275,000 families were on the waiting list for a NYCHA apartment this year. Architects and politicians are seeking the expansion of social housing, and prioritizing projects that mass produce substantial, properly sized homes. But funding these endeavors has been very difficult. Finally, the city’s public housing in Chelsea is in the process of a $1.5 Billion plan of revitalization of the Elliott-Chelsea and Fulton House campuses. Panelists discussed the design strategy for NYCHA’s Fulton-Elliot-Chelsea Houses redevelopment, the special considerations that benefit the older population, and how to integrate amenities for a diverse demographic into the urban context, considered the aging population that dominates public housing developments.

Even while the plans are being developed, essence is already adding to the residents’ quality of life by providing private security guards on campus, hiring pest control firms, making entry door fixes, and completing numerous in-unit repairs. Then, a single building will be vacated by moving residents (at developer’s expense) to other vacant campus units. This will allow a new as-of-right building to be constructed, large enough for community facilities on the lower levels, then senior housing units, and other apartments for all who would need to move in from other NYCHA buildings. Once this new facility is settled in, further replacement of other buildings can continue, until 100% of current NYCHA residents are resettled there.

The new NYCHA buildings will differ widely from existing projects. Buildings will be planned for ADA (Americans with Disability Act)- compliant elevators, more than one for each floor so disabled residents aren’t stranded when one fails. There will even be roof terraces on many buildings. The size and quantity of ADA compliant bathrooms will be greatly increased. On a community level, the new campus will have more social services and community activity programming. Buildings will be sited along  the street sidewalks to better connect residents to the surrounding neighborhoods by using ground floor activation with local grocers, clinics, or other services. There will be open space improvements, with programming and cultural displays. Resiliency will be built in to landscaping and utilities.

We know mixed-use buildings and mixed-income neighborhoods produce better health, education, and economic outcomes for residents. That is the goal of this administration and civic-minded New Yorkers, and that is the goal of this Chelsea redevelopment. Nevertheless, it will take a successful completion to convince many that our government is capable of providing caring communities of social housing.