Three Arts
New York County
Investigating Optimizing Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Through a Coordinated Approach to Trade Design and System Integration
View Project Info View Project Info
Three Arts
340 West 85th Street, New York, NY
8 Stories
62 Affordable units
51,520 Total sq ft.
- Curtis + Ginsberg Architects LLP
- Gut Rehabilitation
- Anticipated Completion: 2026
- EDS Award: $90,200
- PHI EnerPHit
- Enterprise Green Communities
Key Scope Items Studied:
- Integrate Passive House design in an adaptive reuse, historic preservation project
- Evaluating the use of green roofs, permeable pavers, and a rain garden in the rear yard and other stormwater management strategies
- Embodied carbon analysis
- Exploring community resiliency measures
- Active resilience such as emergency generator and solar PV
- Energy modeling
- Economic assessment
Project Description
The Three Arts project, located at 340 West 85th Street in the Upper West Side of New York, is an 8-story, 58-unit multifamily development designed by Curtis + Ginsberg Architects, LLP in collaboration with the West Side Federation for Senior and Supportive Housing (WSFSSH). Spanning 51,520 square feet, the project focuses on providing permanent supportive housing for seniors aged 62 and older, with 30% of the units (18 units) set aside for unhoused seniors. The rehabilitation of this 1927 building will meet Passive House International (PHI) retrofit standards, achieving 50-70% energy savings through improved air sealing, insulation, thermal bridge mitigation, and window replacements. Technical features include an all-electric, energy-efficient system with a VRF heat pump, ERV, and wastewater heat recovery. The building will offer superior indoor air quality, individual temperature control, and enhanced accessibility, while common areas will serve both tenants and potentially the wider community. The project is carbon-neutral ready, meeting Enterprise Green Communities standards and exceeding NYC Local Law 87 requirements for 2050. With construction scheduled for completion in September 2026, Three Arts reflects a historic adaptive reuse project committed to energy efficiency, low carbon and social impact, providing resilient housing for New York’s senior population.
Design Team Lead
Curtis + Ginsberg Architects, LLP (opens in new window)
Project Team
Owned/operated by West Side Federation for Senior and Supportive Housing (WSFSSH), an affordable housing nonprofit
Early Design Support Project Scope
Key early design support studies for the Three Arts project focused on integrating Passive House principles into the adaptive reuse of a historic building, ensuring both energy efficiency and preservation of its architectural integrity. The team evaluated stormwater management strategies, including the use of green roofs, permeable pavers, and a rain garden in the rear yard. An embodied carbon analysis was conducted to measure impact through the adaptive reuse approach, while exploring community resiliency measures to support both residents and the broader neighborhood. Active resilience strategies, such as the installation of an emergency generator and solar photovoltaic panels, were also explored. Energy modeling was utilized to optimize performance and ensure energy savings, and an economic assessment was conducted to evaluate the project's feasibility, balancing cost-effectiveness with long-term sustainability and resilience goals.
The Buildings of Excellence Early Design Support Program
Buildings of Excellence Early Design Support (EDS) Partners are qualified design firms that are elevating new design approaches for a zero emission future in New York’s multifamily buildings that prioritize occupant health, safety, and comfort. Partners are eligible to receive up to $1.50/square foot in direct funding per project, up to a cap of $150,000 per project, to complete carbon neutral research, modeling, early-stage applications for third party standards, economic analyses, integrated project delivery meetings, and more robust marketing and promotion plans to disseminate information out to the market.
Become an Early Design Support Partner