One of the first projects from the NYC Dept. of Design & Construction’s (DDC) new Design-Build Program has broken ground in the Bronx. Our new maintenance & operations building for NYC Parks will facilitate their care of Orchard Beach, and double as an inter-agency emergency response center. The project is slated for completion in Spring 2025.
Sited on a woodland hilltop overlooking Orchard Beach and the historic Moses-era Beach Pavilion, the new M&O facility draws on its context in new ways. Its siting was designed to minimize critical root zone and sensitive habitat disturbance, while offering panoramic views for the grounds. The new facility’s cladding evokes the bi-level material datum and scalloped plan of the historic pavilion.
The building houses administrative and operational functions for beach staff that expand during the summer and contract in the winter months. It will better serve the park by facilitating NYC Parks’ operations, separating maintenance vehicles from beachgoers, and doubling as a communications and operations center for inter-agency emergency response in the Bronx. Additionally, the project includes a ~33,000 SF maintenance yard, fueling station, ancillary access / service roads and a restored woodland habitat.
As one of DDC’s first Design-Build projects, the nARCHITECTS + Gilbane Building Company’s collaborative partnership has streamlined the design and construction process. For example, by cladding the building with insulated and weatherproofed pre-cast concrete panels, we are able to economize on labor and time. The project was awarded a 2024 Public Design Commission (PDC) Award.
