1325 Jerome is a 15-story mixed-use, multi-family residential building located in the Bronx. The 187,000 SF building designed by GF55 Architects provides state-of-the-art transitional, supportive, and affordable housing. The Doe Fund, a non-profit organization, provides on-site supportive services to residents which include comprehensive case management, linkages to health care, and other critical services such as employment training. Additionally, a 19,000 square foot charter school catering to 300 students between Pre-K and First grade, is located on the ground and cellar floors.
Jerome Avenue located the Southwestern Bronx neighborhood, functions as a service corridor providing parking and commercial services. Contextually, Jerome Avenue has been shaped by the various highways that run through the Bronx. It is also located alongside and underneath the elevated number 4 line of the NYC subway. In 2015 the NYC Department of City Planning focused on Jerome Avenue as a pivotal site for rezoning, with the goal to increase affordable housing, revitalize existing retail businesses, support workforce development, and improve the quality of living for the community. 1325 Jerome was one of the first new structures to be built because of the Jerome Avenue Neighborhood Re-Zoning Plan and is an example of public policy transformed into physical form for a desired outcome.
Along with the complex program of the building, several site-specific challenges influenced the design. Jerome Avenue is a clutter of one-story structures such as gas stations, auto repair shops, and tire shops. The building façade is composed of stucco, brick, glass, and metal panels arranged asymmetrically along the length of the building along Jerome Avenue. The asymmetry is a nod to the movement of the train as it rushes past the building. The vibrant palette of materials allows the building to visually compete in a cacophony of visual clutter.
The site is a rock ledge making excavation difficult. Any construction had to respect the location of the sub-surface foundation of the subway bridge. Due to the proximity to the train and the difficult logistics of accessing the site with a crane or building equipment, the construction schedule had to be limited and more efficient. The final design solution utilized a steel structure with truss like brace frames. Floors were made of precast concrete and the fundamental structure of the building was made off-site.
From the playful charter school anchoring the corner of Clarke and Jerome, to the high quality affordable and supportive residential units, 1325 Jerome engages and extends the energy of this Bronx community.
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