Metro North Plaza & Gaylord White Houses

LOCATION: East Harlem, NY

PROGRAM: Moderate Rehab and Energy Retrofit

TOTAL AREA: 455,063 SF

CLIENT: The Community Builders & Ascendant Neighborhood Development

PARTNERS: Urban Architectural Initiatives (UAI), MDG Design and Construction

Paul A. Castrucci Architects is proud to serve as sustainability consultants for the moderate rehabilitation of four NYCHA residential buildings (8–16 stories, brick-clad) in East Harlem, totaling 2,087 dwelling units. Located across R7-2, R8A, and C1-4 zoning districts, this resident-in-place retrofit prioritizes energy efficiency, resident comfort, and long-term building durability, all within a constrained budget.

Sustainability Features:

Working closely with the design and development team, we analyzed cost-benefit trade-offs to identify high-impact improvements, including:

  • Insulation upgrades across the campus, yielding 13–25% energy savings (with larger buildings achieving the highest reductions).

  • A cost-optimized retrofit strategy projected to reduce site energy use by 63%.

Community-Centered Partnerships

NYCHA has partnered with The Community Builders and Ascendant Neighborhood Development to deliver comprehensive repairs, enhanced property management, on-site social services, and preserved affordability and resident protections.

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