Though groans about gentrification in the Big Apple echoed off the island of Manhattan into the surrounding boroughs years ago, the inclusion of an elementary school with the footprint of an approximately 300,000-square-foot Greenwich Street, Manhattan, address signals something of a sea change for the city’s approach to development — especially in Lower Manhattan, which continues to be one of the city’s premier development sites. The project also includes the adaptive reuse of the landmarked Robert and Anne Dickey House as well as 7,500 square feet of street level retail space and construction of a new handicapped accessible subway entrance on Trinity Place, in addition to the school and 90 luxury condominium homes.

TPHI and New York City School Construction Authority (SCA) entered into an agreement that provides for the design and construction of the core and shell of a pre-kindergarten through 5th grade school. The elementary school will occupy the first eight floors of the project, including the landmarked Dickey House, “a Federal-style mansion built from 1809 to 1810, making it one of the city’s oldest houses, even predating the New York City street grid of 1811,” according to the blog Ephemeral New York, which chronicles the changing face of the city.

TPHI invests in, manages, develops and/or redevelops real estate assets beyond New York City. It also owns a shopping center in West Palm Beach, Fla., and big box retail locations in Paramus, N.J., as well as a 50 percent interest in The Berkley, a multifamily property located in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg.

“Under this agreement, the SCA will purchase a condominium interest in the project and at substantial completion will finish the interior construction,” a TPHI spokesperson indicated in a statement.

To that end, the planned condominium homes, along with the subway improvements, are likewise scheduled to be completed by 2020.

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The 140,100-square-foot building underwent a $26 million overhaul, adding a state-of-the-art simulation suite and laboratories, technology-rich classrooms and lecture halls, welcoming gathering spaces and an updated faculty office building. The upgrades were the first significant improvements made to the building since its construction in 1966.

Kahler Slater, with offices in Milwaukee and Madison, Wis., was the architecture firm of record, providing planning, architecture and interior design services. The general contractor was Miron Construction Co. Inc., with a head office in Neenah, Wis.

Among the facility’s notable space, the 3,260-square-foot simulation suite will allow nursing students to gain hands-on experience working in environments that closely mimic those in which they will ultimately practice. Replica hospital spaces — including an inpatient room and a large space that can serve as a single trauma room or two exam rooms — are outfitted with equipment, furnishings and other features similar to those found in area hospitals. A simulation apartment will allow students to practice providing in-home and hospice care. Across the hall are two debriefing rooms where students and faculty can review their performance and progress.

Additionally, a new psychology lab will provide expanded research opportunities, while a foreign language instructional drop-in lab will enable students to study at their convenience. New active learning classrooms will facilitate collaboration among students and faculty, while numerous gathering spaces — from the atrium furnished with tables and comfortable seating to a window bench looking into the simulation center — will encourage interaction and spontaneous meetings.

All classrooms are equipped with modern technology such as touchpad controls for lighting and audio-visual equipment and electrical outlets at each seat in the lecture halls to accommodate student laptops. The original steeply raked lecture “pits” have been replaced by wheelchair-accessible spaces. The center’s faculty office building has also been updated with remodeled conference spaces and new lighting, plumbing fixtures, flooring, paint and ceilings.

Clow Social Science Center is located in a busy part of the campus, along a pedestrian mall that leads to two neighboring buildings. As such, the building’s main entrance was reconfigured to offer better circulation around and into the building and to provide a dynamic connection between the interior and exterior.

The building has been designed to USGBC LEED Silver standards.
 

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