The Peninsula in the Bronx, N.Y., a mixed-use affordable housing campus, just opened its first phase. The development has a comprehensive plan to reduce waste, separate recyclable materials, and make it easy for residents to collect compostable materials.
The development, which will provide 740 residential units when completed, includes a recently completed commercial structure housing a food incubator and related businesses. This structure contains refrigerated storage and shelf capacity for surplus edible food to preserve it for donations to local partner organizations.
Food waste will be collected and put to good use. “Food waste will be separated by the food businesses, and processed into fertilizer within a dry aerobic bio-digester,” says Miflin, who with partner WXY has created a related new initiative called PutWasteToWork. The bio-digester has a capacity of 0.55 tons of food waste a day, and processes it with microbes and heat to create a fertilizer. The bio-digester reduces weight by up to 90% and eliminates pests and odors.
Infrastructure will be built into residential areas to encourage collection of food waste for composting. Every unit will have undercounter bins for recycling and a caddy for food waste," “They will take these to the refuse rooms on each floor, which also host collections of small items like sharps and batteries,” says Claire Weisz, FAIA, founding principal of WXY.
According to the project team, consultants will help train staff, and provide software for tracking all waste types and measuring progress towards zero-waste operations. This is a radically new idea for an affordable community, according to a news release.
Owner and/or developer: Hudson Companies, Gilbane Development Co., and MHANY Management Inc. (part of the Mutual Housing Association of New York).
Design architect: WXY architecture + urban design and Body Lawson Associates Architects and Planners
Architect of record: WXY architecture + urban design and Body Lawson Associates Architects and Planners
MEP engineer: Skyline Engineering
Structural engineer: Gedeon GRC Consulting and Christie Engineering
General contractor/construction manager: Broadway Builders and Gilbane
Related Stories
Multifamily Housing | Oct 22, 2020
The Weekly show: Universal design in multifamily housing, reimagining urban spaces, back to campus trends
BD+C editors speak with experts from KTGY Architecture + Planning, LS3P, and Omgivning on the October 22 episode of "The Weekly." The episode is available for viewing on demand.
Multifamily Housing | Oct 20, 2020
New multifamily complex completes in Austin
Charlan Brock Associates and Britt Design Group designed the project.
Multifamily Housing | Oct 15, 2020
Miami’s yacht-inspired UNA Residences begins construction
AS+GG designed the tower.
Multifamily Housing | Oct 15, 2020
L.A., all the way
KFA Architecture has hitched its wagon to Los Angeles’s star for more than 40 years.
Multifamily Housing | Oct 2, 2020
Everyone's getting a fire pit!
Skeleton fire pit in Chicago, October 2020
Coronavirus | Oct 2, 2020
With revenues drying up, colleges reexamine their student housing projects
Shifts to online learning raise questions about the value of campus residence life.
Multifamily Housing | Oct 1, 2020
Glass railings installed at 300-unit rental complex in Columbus, Ohio
Vision Communities chose Viewrail railings for the main entrance of The Ave, a 300-unit rental enterprise in Columbus, Ohio.
Multifamily Housing | Sep 29, 2020
Washington, D.C.’s first modular apartment building breaks ground
Eric Colbert & Associates designed the building.
Multifamily Housing | Sep 22, 2020
AIA/HUD Secretary's Awards celebrate affordable, accessible, and well-designed housing
Each year, the AIA and HUD partner to celebrate projects that demonstrate affordable, accessible and well-designed housing, proving that good design is not exclusive.
Multifamily Housing | Sep 16, 2020
8 (more) noteworthy multifamily projects to debut in 2020
An office-to-apartment conversion in Clearwater, Fla., and a modular affordable housing community in Portland, Ore., highlight the latest multifamily developments to open this year.
