Native structure studio CookFox Architects has unveiled plans to renovate a former girls’s jail in Chelsea into “100 per cent” reasonably priced housing.
Situated simply blocks away from the One Excessive Line luxurious residential towers by BIG, the constructing as soon as served service provider marines because the Seamen’s Home YMCA earlier than it was transformed into the Bayview Correctional Facility.
Accomplished in 1931 by structure agency Shreve, Lamb and Harmon, it options art-deco stylings with a facade of brown brick, caste concrete and terra cotta, acknowledged for its distinctive chamfered nook entrance inlaid with tiles.
Within the Nineteen Seventies New York State transformed the constructing right into a girls’s jail, which was closed and deserted in 2012 following injury from Superstorm Sandy, and in gentle of a historical past of mistreatment of inmates.
CookFox Architects plans to transform the constructing into “100 per cent” reasonably priced housing, which is able to embrace restoring the facade to its unique YMCA state, together with nautical detailing, including an extension to the again of the constructing, and changing the inside into flats. The challenge is tentatively referred to as Liberty Touchdown.
Renderings present the restored nine-storey constructing topped with a tiered quantity of further flats.
“The constructing will probably be completely reconfigured to create protected, comfy, residences inside the historic construction,” CookFox affiliate accomplice Bethany Borel informed Dezeen.
“Our strategy is meant to revive the facade and sure inside areas to their unique design when the constructing was accomplished as [the YMCA], and adapt the construction to accommodate the design of latest fashionable, environment friendly residences, and develop the constructing to attain its full capability as very important housing for New York’s cities most susceptible households.”

Liberty Touchdown will include 146 whole reasonably priced and supportive housing items, in addition to a transitional housing shelter, operated independently.
88 of the items will probably be supported by way of New York’s Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative (ESSHI), whereas the remaining will service households making not more than 80 per cent Space Media Revenue (AMI), outlined as low-income households or beneath.
The challenge’s addition will embrace extending flooring slabs with the intention to create area for a hall and flats whereas changing the rear brick wall into an inside partition.
“Current rear home windows will probably be expanded to grow to be doorways into residential items, permitting the complete depth of the present floorplates for use for contemporary, environment friendly residential flats,” stated Borel.
CookFox Architects provides tiered extension to historic New York house constructing
“Expansive, environment friendly home windows” will probably be fitted into every house.
Historic inside supplies may also be restored and relocated the place applicable, and rooftops and terraces will probably be transformed into gardens for residents.
The challenge additionally consists of increasing the foyer right into a double-height area and eradicating window and roof guards to welcome extra gentle into the constructing.
“Window and roof guards will probably be eliminated and the enduring artwork deco entry will probably be returned to its unique design, permitting the constructing to breathe once more,” stated Borel.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul just lately introduced the challenge, though CookFox architects famous they don’t have a projected completion date.
In 2015, the state introduced a redevelopment plan to transform the constructing into non-profit workplaces centered on offering help for girls, in keeping with the New York Instances.
Different just lately accomplished tasks within the space embrace a showroom for french designer Pierre Yovanovitch.
The pictures are by CookFox Architects