Brook 2

 

455 East 148th Street at Brook Avenue

Architect: Alexander Gorlin Architects
General Contractor: Mountco Construction and Development Corp

2010


This striking six-story apartment building provides permanent, supportive housing for chronically homeless adults, single low-income working Bronx residents, and people with HIV/AIDS or mental illness.  The impetus for The Brook’s construction came from Common Ground, a national organization that aims to end homelessness and provide housing that addresses resident socioeconomic and other needs. This is Common Gound’s first housing site in the Bronx.

 

BronxWorks (formerly Citizens Advisory Board) is Common Ground’s service provider and offers residents on-site support from social workers and other professionals.  Placements to The Brook are made by city agency referrals to BronxWorks, which also screens low income Bronxities who wish to be residents.  BronxWorks has been singularly successful since 2005 in reducing Bronx street homelessness by 80%—the best rate in New York City.

 

Construction costs of The Brook totaled some $43 million and came primarily through public funding, bonds, and tax credit equity. The collaboration that made The Brook possible gave recognition to the importance of helping individuals launch new beginnings in a secure, supportive residence.

 

Architect Andrew Gorlin gave The Brook an edgy, modern look. It is completely faced at the main entry corner with white rectangular aluminum sections set off with red, asymmetrical cut-a-way sections. The building’s window positioning is also unusual; and Gorlin’s daring overall design is a point of pride for residents and the community. 

The Brook was built on a site vacant for many years. Its 190 single-occupancy units have 24-hour security. A large courtyard garden flourishes in the rear, and the building has a computer lab, fitness room, on-site laundry, and a large multipurpose community event space. Staff offices occupy additional space. The building currently has LEED Silver certification. It uses an efficient card key-operated entrance turnstile to monitor motion and control the building’s energy consumption for temperature and light. The Brook uses low-VOC paints and materials. Other environmentally friendly features of the building include a green roof and high efficiency boilers.

 

Janet Butler Munch

 

Brook Photo: Jake Stangel