DiGeronimo worked with NYC’s Department of Environmental Protection to achieve a “Silver” LEED rating for this building by designing to take advantage of natural daylighting, energy efficiency, specifying construction recycling, low v.o.c. finishes and material with recycled content.

The Construction Manager’s Office Building will be the second renovation of an existing building. Originally the building served as a sewer treatment facility. It was later converted to a maintenance vehicle storage facility. DiGeronimo’s design recycles the building into office space for the resident plant engineers who oversee everyday construction activity.

The large open garage will become open office area with its high-beamed ceiling left exposed. DiGeronimo‘s design turns the large garage bay door openings into windows with a sustainably-designed sunshade, which has become a major horizontal design element in the facade redesign. The sunshade protects the lower windows from direct sun glare, and redirects daylight to strike the upper portion, bringing light deep into the interior office area to reflect off the high ceiling surfaces.

The design adds new windows set into a blank wall facing the street to provide six private offices with day lighting. The former loading dock will become a small outdoor patio off the conference room.

A raised portion of the building will contain new ADA accessible toilets and showers, a lunchroom, and a large conference room. A hydraulic wheelchair lift located at the edge of the four-foot high separation wall between each side of the building provides barrier-free access.

-Jamaica Water Pollution Control Plant