The Bedford offers a mix of supportive, senior and affordable housing, comprehensive onsite services, and numerous indoor and outdoor common spaces to promote community.
This transit-oriented, 108-unit development embraces daylight, plants, fresh air, and natural materials to support residents’ well-being; while its photovoltaic array, two non-accessible green roofs, and energy recovery system help achieve LEED Platinum performance.
Echoing the craftsmanship of surrounding Deco-era apartments, The Bedford is clad primarily in long, slender brick, with three-dimensional corbelled patterns on the west-facing elevation and the entrance. With subtle gray-blue hues, iron spotting and opalescent sheen, the brick seems to change color with the weather. Metallic exterior accents include an angled entrance canopy and cheerful blue façade panels overlooking the Grand Concourse that reflect the varying tones of the sky.
The accessible, inclusive design takes advantage of the sloping site to create a single, welcoming approach. Protected from the elements, the gentle ramp and entrance are set slightly back from the street, screened by low planters. A double-height vestibule opens to a light-filled lobby paneled in charred, salvaged wood. Glass partitions allow daylight to pass through the six office and meeting spaces of the social service area, while light metal mesh screens afford privacy from the street.
The landscaped courtyard includes built-in and movable seating and perimeter rain gardens. This outdoor sanctuary is visible through the glass wall of the community room and directly accessible from the laundry room and staff lounge. The 20-seat learning center, with computer workstations and study tables, also overlooks the garden.
Sun-drenched lounge areas are available on each floor, the largest, occupies a glass-wrapped corner of the 13th floor, overlooking a green roof and a southwest vista of Manhattan. A windowed library and open-air terrace on the 11th floor offer views of the New York Botanical Garden.
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