Grace West Community Center

The design of GWCC transformed a dilapidated multi-purpose building at the center of an existing affordable housing complex into a hub of community revitalization. Located at the center of a pedestrian greenspace running the length of the site, with parking and road entrances flanking its east and west sides, the original building had ceased being used as a community asset, and had defaulted to storage space for the maintenance staff. Obstructing pedestrian flow across the site, and with shuttered windows and perennially broken lighting, the structure had become a dangerous place at night and a functional wasteland and eyesore during the day.

 

The renovation began with assessing new services and programs that the community needed and wanted. Residents identified exercise, afterschool tutoring, career counseling, computer skills training, nutritional and cooking education, gardening, and a space for community social events as top priorities. Increasing the security of the greenspace was also a primary concern, along with creating a visual connection to the surrounding complex, and improved pedestrian flow.

 

Large windows were placed on all four approaches to welcome the community, making the heart of the building nearly transparent. This was conceived to also enhance site security and advertise the activities going on inside. A floating plane perched on slender steel columns was created to reinforce the connection between inside/outside, and shade the windows on the east, south, and west facades. This canopy also serves to catch rainwater from the existing roof and collect it into cisterns for use in a vegetable garden as part of a nutritional education program.

 

 

Design for Integration

  • Increased glazing enhances daylighitng and natural ventilation, creates visual connection with community, and improves site and facility security day and night.
  • Canopy provides shading for increased glazing, creates inviting informal gathering spaces at edge with pedestrian flow and adjacent greenspace and basketball court; enables rainwater harvest for re-use supporting community gardening while mitigating stormwater run-off

 

Design for Community

  • Created new space for community events and revitalized use of existing greenspace, increasing interaction between residents; social services on-site reduces transportation-related emissions while supporting personal and overall community development; community members and facility staff participated in programming and analysis of needed services;

 

Design for Water & Ecology

  • Rainwater storage of 600gal for use in the community garden reduces negative impacts of stormwater run off, decreases water consumption, and supports more biodiversity on the site

 

 

Design for Economy, Resources and Change

  • Adaptive re-use of existing building retained > 75% of existing embodied energy and economic value of the original construction, and new high-efficiency and high-performance systems and components such as HVAC, lighting and windows carries the useful life of the building into the next 20-25 years.
  • Support of new services that increase the future economic and social viability of the local residential community helps extend the useful life of the entire housing complex.
  • Form, structure and systems were designed for spatial adaptability to a variety of functions and configurations in the future, including expansion.
  • New Materials have high recycled/recyclable content, > 75% on average

 

Design for Energy and Wellness

  • Maximized daylighting with shading based on solar orientation that takes advantage of passive heat gains enhances the quality and thermal comfort of the interior space while minimizing energy use.
  • Active systems include LED lighting with daylight-harvesting controls, high-efficiency mini-split heat pumps, radiant hydronic heating, and ERV
  • New finishes meet GreenGuard Gold standards for indoor air quality; millwork and cabinetry use FSC wood; new flooring is Marmoleum; Acoustic ceiling is Armstrong “Ultima” with Suprafine suspension system

 

Architecture or A/E Firm Name

Steve Hoffman RA

Architect

Steve Hoffman

Team

NONE

Consultants

Steven Winter Associates, MEP

Location

Newark, NJ

Client

The Jonathan Rose Companies

General Contractor

FAST Construction, Newark, NJ

Photos