Bronx Restoration Project to Serve as a Creative Hub for its Recently Invigorated Economy
A former South Bronx Union Standard Warehouse, built in 1916, has been renovated into a mixed-use neighborhood center. Port Morris, a manufacturing, waterfront neighborhood in the northernmost New York borough, has recently gained attention as a center for economic growth—especially for artists and creators. To provide for this oncoming transition, and still hearken back to its industrial roots, the project will offer office spaces, local business shops and event spaces while using its original structure to guide its overall aesthetic.
Talk to Amanda Stanaway about Workplace Architecture
Through a series of reformations, the seven-story warehouse has been tailored to serve as a center for innovators and creators within the historic neighborhood. A publicly accessible internal retail market is integrated on the ground level to continue the already established shopping destination within the community. Outside, public seating and landscaping are incorporated to link these two areas.
The spacious interiors feature generously spaced columns with iconic flared capitals, providing flexibility to the creation of new interior spaces. The sandblasted concrete is complemented by blackened steel frames and reclaimed wood ceilings to create a material rich interior palette. Adjacent to the internal thoroughfare is a new core which will include new elevators, egress stairs, bathrooms and back of house services for restaurants. This centralized core connects the upper-level office spaces from the second to seventh floors with retail on the ground level and first floor.
New windows punctuate the building’s brick exterior with consistent sizes and subdivided window lights have modernized the space for office use. The exterior of the building has been imagined as art walls. A series of interior and exterior walls that will rotate different artists’ compositions, will highlight featured artists’ work and enliven the building within the Port Morris community.
Sydney, Australia
Hong Kong, China
Los Angeles, California
Shenzhen, China
New York, New York
Nanjing, China