After Hurricane Sandy in 2012, Haven Plaza, an affordable housing complex, lost all electricity. This left residents, many of them elderly, without elevator service, heat, or water. In an effort to prevent this from happening again, a new $9.89 million natural disaster-resistant infrastructure building has just broken ground and associated resiliency upgrades are being added to the existing housing complex known as Haven Plaza.
Located at 212 Avenue C at East 13th Street, the new building will offer 2,080 sf of space. It will include three gas boilers for heating steam on the second level; electrical meters, domestic hot water pumps, and hot water heaters on the first level; and oil backup storage in the protected sub-grade space. The new building will allow Haven Plaza to be self-sufficient in case of another natural disaster like Hurricane Sandy, as well as during normal operations. The building is being built in a heavily trafficked area in the East Village. As such, it will be aesthetically pleasing and use a glazed façade that allows people to view the equipment within.
The new building, designed by CTA Architects, will incorporate 1,300 sf of glazed curtain wall, 1,500 sf of metal façade panels, and 500 sf of green wall. Poured-concrete floors with poured-concrete walls allow for a column-free space that can accommodate the large equipment that will be housed within. 15 100-ton-capcaity poured-concrete underground pilings will be incorporated into the foundation system due to the low bearing quality of the soil.
“We specified three poured-concrete columns that expand vertically throughout the height of the building, for visual impact. They take the form of ‘fins,’” says CTA Principal Craig Tooman, AIA, LEED AP. These fins will work as columns and will support the concrete slabs, lift the entire structure 5 feet above the flood plain, and allow for the fully glazed facade along the avenue. The location of the site’s underground utilities, which have to be protected, dictated the fins’ size and placement.
The surrounding green space will be landscaped with plants that are both drought-tolerant and capable of surviving in seawater should the area flood again.
Haven Plaza, which is owned by Haven Plaza Square, an affiliate of the Association of New York Catholic Homes and the New York Institute for Human Development, includes 371 affordable rental units across its 460,000-sf complex. Upgrades to these existing buildings include raising many elements of the electrical system, upgrading the elevator systems in the three high-rises with flood sensors, and installing new wiring and platforms for portable power generators in all three buildings.
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Apr 8, 2024
Boston’s plans to hold back rising seawater stall amid real estate slowdown
Boston has placed significant aspects of its plan to protect the city from rising sea levels on the actions of private developers. Amid a post-Covid commercial development slump, though, efforts to build protective infrastructure have stalled.
Codes and Standards | Mar 18, 2024
New urban stormwater policies treat rainwater as a resource
U.S. cities are revamping how they handle stormwater to reduce flooding and capture rainfall and recharge aquifers. New policies reflect a change in mindset from treating stormwater as a nuisance to be quickly diverted away to capturing it as a resource.
Building Tech | Feb 20, 2024
Construction method featuring LEGO-like bricks wins global innovation award
A new construction method featuring LEGO-like bricks made from a renewable composite material took first place for building innovations at the 2024 JEC Composites Innovation Awards in Paris, France.
Sponsored | BD+C University Course | Jan 17, 2024
Waterproofing deep foundations for new construction
This continuing education course, by Walter P Moore's Amos Chan, P.E., BECxP, CxA+BE, covers design considerations for below-grade waterproofing for new construction, the types of below-grade systems available, and specific concerns associated with waterproofing deep foundations.
Concrete | Jan 12, 2024
Sustainable concrete reduces carbon emissions by at least 30%
Designed by Holcim, a building materials supplier, ECOPact offers a sustainable concrete alternative that not only meets, but exceeds the properties of standard concrete.
Roofing | Jan 8, 2024
Researchers devise adaptive roof tile concept that adjusts to ambient temperatures
Scientists at the University of California Santa Barbara published a paper that proposes adaptive roof tile technology that can adjust to ambient temperatures. Using a wax motor, tiles could switch from a heating or cooling state enabling savings on heating and cooling costs.
Resiliency | Jan 2, 2024
Americans are migrating from areas of high flood risk
Americans are abandoning areas of high flood risk in significant numbers, according to research by the First Street Foundation. Climate Abandonment Areas account for more than 818,000 Census Blocks and lost a total of 3.2 million-plus residents due to flooding from 2000 to 2020, the study found.
Sustainability | Jan 2, 2024
Los Angeles has plan to improve stormwater capture and source 80% of water locally
Los Angeles County’s Board of Supervisors voted for a plan to improve stormwater capture with a goal of capturing it for local reuse. The plan aims to increase the local water supply by 580,000 acre-feet per year by 2045.
75 Top Building Products | Dec 13, 2023
75 top building products for 2023
From a bladeless rooftop wind energy system, to a troffer light fixture with built-in continuous visible light disinfection, innovation is plentiful in Building Design+Construction's annual 75 Top Products report.
Codes and Standards | Nov 27, 2023
Hoboken, N.J.’s street design policies are saving lives
Transportation policies enacted in Hoboken, N.J. over the past several years are paying off in the form of fewer pedestrian deaths and injuries. The city has adopted daylighting, bike lanes, lower speed limits, and intersection redesigns to make its roads safer.
