A 2-phase senior supportive housing project in Inwood neighborhood of Manhattan developed by RiseBoro and Coconut Properties. Phase I is a 112,000 SF 9-storey building comprising of 156 studio and 1-bedroom apartments, as well as community engagement spaces. In addition, the ground floor will be a new 9,000 SF home to Rocky Mountain Baptist Church. Founded in 1973, RiseBoro Community Partnership is a non-profit organization based in Bushwick, Brooklyn that offers housing and family services. RiseBoro has been responsible for the development of over 3,000 units of affordable housing, ranging from single-family homes to scattered site rehabs to large mixed use developments. Through various home ownership programs, RiseBoro has been responsible for the sponsorship and marketing of over 1,200 units to first-time home buyers. Currently, RiseBoro manages over 1,800 affordable units that provide permanent housing for low to moderate-income families, senior citizens, and a host of special needs populations including formerly homeless families, veterans, physically disabled, and victims of domestic violence. 37 Hillside Avenue is being designed to meet US Passive House Institute standards for energy efficiency. Passive House standard emphasizes air-tight, continuously insulated building envelope without thermal bridges, high performance windows and balanced heat and moisture recovery ventilation. Passive House buildings are expected to consume 75-90% less energy than traditional buildings. The building is cooled and heated with a variable-refrigerant flow heat recovery system. Packaged rooftop energy recovery ventilators supply filtered and conditioned fresh air directly into each apartment and exhaust from kitchens and bathrooms in a continuous ventilation cycle. Hot water for domestic use is generated by high efficiency gas-fired water heaters. Home / Multifamily 37 HILLSIDE AVE, NEW YORK, NY ARCHITECT . Architecture In Formation & SLCE PROJECT SIZE . Phase I: 111,000 SF . Phase II: 154,440 SF PROJECT COST . SCOPE . HVAC, sprinkler, plumbing and electrical power, fire alarm design and construction administration Go Go A 2-phase senior supportive housing project in Inwood neighborhood of Manhattan developed by RiseBoro and Coconut Properties. Phase I is a 112,000 SF 9-storey building comprising of 156 studio and 1-bedroom apartments, as well as community engagement spaces. In addition, the ground floor will be a new 9,000 SF home to Rocky Mountain Baptist Church. Founded in 1973, RiseBoro Community Partnership is a non-profit organization based in Bushwick, Brooklyn that offers housing and family services. RiseBoro has been responsible for the development of over 3,000 units of affordable housing, ranging from single-family homes to scattered site rehabs to large mixed use developments. Through various home ownership programs, RiseBoro has been responsible for the sponsorship and marketing of over 1,200 units to first-time home buyers. Currently, RiseBoro manages over 1,800 affordable units that provide permanent housing for low to moderate-income families, senior citizens, and a host of special needs populations including formerly homeless families, veterans, physically disabled, and victims of domestic violence. 37 Hillside Avenue is being designed to meet US Passive House Institute standards for energy efficiency. Passive House standard emphasizes air-tight, continuously insulated building envelope without thermal bridges, high performance windows and balanced heat and moisture recovery ventilation. Passive House buildings are expected to consume 75-90% less energy than traditional buildings. The building is cooled and heated with a variable-refrigerant flow heat recovery system. Packaged rooftop energy recovery ventilators supply filtered and conditioned fresh air directly into each apartment and exhaust from kitchens and bathrooms in a continuous ventilation cycle. Hot water for domestic use is generated by high efficiency gas-fired water heaters.

621 WEST 55TH STREET SCOPE . full MEP design and construction administration services PROJECT COST . Home / Commercial 621 WEST 55TH STREET ARCHITECT . PROJECT SIZE . 22,000 SF PROJECT COST . SCOPE . full MEP design and construction administration services Go Go A 22,000 square foot ground up high rise commercial office building in New York city. This boutique building contains 8 full floor offices above a 3-level parking garage. 621 West 55th Street is being designed to meet US Passive House Institute standards for energy efficiency. Passive House standard emphasizes air-tight, continuously insulated building envelope without thermal bridges, high performance windows and balanced heat and moisture recovery ventilation. Passive House buildings are expected to consume 75-90% less energy than traditional buildings. The biggest challenge for MEP systems was to minimize the impact of the high rise MEP system requirements on an relatively small floor plate (2,400 SF). A fire protection tank, standpipe, generator, ventilation systems all eat up valuable floor area and the project becomes less financially viable. The Altera Engineering team worked closely with the architect to optimize MEP systems to achieve the largest possible usable area. The building is cooled and heated with a variable-refrigerant system. Packaged rooftop energy recovery ventilator filtered and conditioned fresh air directly into each office in a continuous ventilation cycle. MEP systems include a 150-kW emergency generator with a diesel tank, an underground suction tank for fire protection, and reversible air-flow parking garage exhaust system with post-fire smoke purge functionality.

Timbale Terrace is located on the parking lot of the NYPD 25th precinct and within the confines of the Special East Harlem Corridors District, which was designated for rezoning in the 2017 East Harlem Rezoning plan to bring 4000 affordable homes to the 96 block area, roughly bounded by East 104th Street to East 132nd Street, between Fifth Avenue and the East River Timbale Terrace will be a 19 story residential building featuring 340 affordable units, including 99 supportive housing units. The development will be constructed on a lot currently used for parking by the 25th Precinct. The building's affordable units will serve households earning between 30% and 80% of the area median income (AMI), while the supportive housing units will be designated for formerly homeless individuals and families. Lantern will provide on site supportive services. Residents will have access to a range of amenities, including rooftop terraces, a fitness and cycling room, community spaces, meeting rooms, and a community pantry. The ground floor will house the Afro Jazz Alliance Music and Arts Center, which will serve as the venue for all of the Alliance’s performances. Supportive housing at Timbale Terrace provides permanent, affordable housing with onsite services for individuals and families who have experienced homelessness and meet specific eligibility criteria. The development is receiving funding through the NYC 15/15 and Extremely Low & Low Income Affordability (ELLA) programs. Supportive units will be available to residents with severe mental illness or substance use disorders through the NYC 15/15 program. Services will focus on maintaining housing stability, connecting tenants with healthcare providers, and supporting education and skill development. Additional programming will include cooking classes, healthy living guidance, free fresh food distribution, art classes, gardening, exercise programs, and trips to sporting and cultural events. Home / Multifamily TIMBALE TERRACE ARCHITECT . Urban Architecture Initiatives PROJECT SIZE . 318,000 GSF, 19 stories, 340 units PROJECT COST . $150 million SCOPE . Design, approvals and construction administration of mechanical, plumbing, sprinkler, electrical and fire alarm systems. The building is being designed to meet Passive House performance standards, featuring a highly efficient building envelope and low energy heating and cooling systems. Altera presented several options for heating, cooling, and domestic hot water generation. After careful consideration, the owners elected to use a variable refrigerant volume (VRV) system for the building's heating and cooling needs. However, Altera engineers faced challenges due to the mandated phase out of R410A refrigerant, which introduced regulatory uncertainty surrounding the use of VRV systems. The newer generations of VRF refrigerants, classified as A2L, are more flammable, and their use has not yet been fully codified in local building regulations. To address this challenge, the team referenced the International Building Code and leveraged the European experience with A2L refrigerants, incorporating design provisions that allow for future adaptation of these refrigerants in New York City. The resulting design incorporates a 3 pipe heat recovery variable refrigerant volume system distributed up and down the building via rated and vented shafts. For the domestic water heating, a CO2 driven heat pump system was selected. To overcome the low rate of heat recovery of the CO2 heat pump system, 7,000 gallons of hot water storage were provided. Go Go Timbale Terrace is located on the parking lot of the NYPD 25th precinct and within the confines of the Special East Harlem Corridors District, which was designated for rezoning in the 2017 East Harlem Rezoning plan to bring 4000 affordable homes to the 96 block area, roughly bounded by East 104th Street to East 132nd Street, between Fifth Avenue and the East River Timbale Terrace will be a 19 story residential building featuring 340 affordable units, including 99 supportive housing units. The development will be constructed on a lot currently used for parking by the 25th Precinct. The building's affordable units will serve households earning between 30% and 80% of the area median income (AMI), while the supportive housing units will be designated for formerly homeless individuals and families. Lantern will provide on site supportive services. Residents will have access to a range of amenities, including rooftop terraces, a fitness and cycling room, community spaces, meeting rooms, and a community pantry. The ground floor will house the Afro Jazz Alliance Music and Arts Center, which will serve as the venue for all of the Alliance’s performances. Supportive housing at Timbale Terrace provides permanent, affordable housing with onsite services for individuals and families who have experienced homelessness and meet specific eligibility criteria. The development is receiving funding through the NYC 15/15 and Extremely Low & Low Income Affordability (ELLA) programs. Supportive units will be available to residents with severe mental illness or substance use disorders through the NYC 15/15 program. Services will focus on maintaining housing stability, connecting tenants with healthcare providers, and supporting education and skill development. Additional programming will include cooking classes, healthy living guidance, free fresh food distribution, art classes, gardening, exercise programs, and trips to sporting and cultural events.

Location: 542 Dean Street, Brooklyn, NY 11217 (between 6th Avenue and Carlton Avenue). Neighborhood: Prospect Heights, under Brooklyn Community Board 8. Park Edge is a proposed affordable housing development in the Prospect Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York City. It is designed as supportive housing specifically for low-income and formerly homeless seniors (older adults). The project aims to convert an underutilized city-owned parking lot into a multi-story residential building, emphasizing 100% affordable units and community integration. The name "Park Edge" reflects its location adjacent to the Dean Playground, highlighting its proximity to recreational amenities. Housing Focus: 100% affordable units targeted at low-income seniors, including those experiencing homelessness. It is part of a broader initiative to address housing needs in an area facing rapid redevelopment and population growth (over 13,000 new residents expected nearby from projects like Pacific Park). Unit Count: 80–100 units (combined estimate with a sister site at 516 Bergen Street; exact breakdown for 542 Dean Street not specified, but prioritized for senior housing). Features include a new entrance to Dean Playground, enhanced public open space, and integration with neighborhood green areas. Emphasis on supportive services to promote long-term vitality for residents. Affordability: Deeply affordable units, aligned with NYC's Housing New York plan and community priorities for public sites. Public Realm Improvements: The development is tied to the Atlantic Avenue Mixed-Use Plan (AAMUP), which prioritizes affordable housing, open space, and community input. It emerged from a 2021 RFP process following community visioning sessions in Crown Heights and Bedford-Stuyvesant. Surrounding Area: Directly adjacent to Dean Playground (a NYC Parks-managed green space with basketball courts, ball fields, and playgrounds), where the project includes plans for a new park entrance, public seating, and greenery. Near major landmarks like Barclays Center, Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park Brooklyn, Prospect Park, and the commercial corridor on Flatbush Avenue. Well-served by transit (e.g., 2/3 trains at Bergen Street station) and amenities including Fire Engine 219 and Police Precinct 78. Map Reference: The site is in a highly walkable, amenity-rich area with easy access to parks, shopping, and public transportation. Community Input: Stemmed from AAMUP processes where residents prioritized affordable housing over other uses for the site. Local leaders, including Council Member Crystal Hudson, have praised it as essential for neighborhood wellbeing. Broader Impact: Addresses NYC's housing crisis by repurposing underused public land. It's one of two Prospect Heights sites in HPD's initiative, creating 80–100+ units total. Challenges: Part of a densely developing area (one of the most populous census tracts in the U.S.), with calls for broad rezoning reviews to mitigate impacts. Home / Multifamily PARK EDGE ARCHITECT . nARCHITECTS, PLLC PROJECT SIZE . 113,000 GSF SCOPE . Design, approvals and construction administration of mechanical, plumbing, sprinkler, electrical and fire alarm systems. Go Go Location: 542 Dean Street, Brooklyn, NY 11217 (between 6th Avenue and Carlton Avenue). Neighborhood: Prospect Heights, under Brooklyn Community Board 8. Park Edge is a proposed affordable housing development in the Prospect Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York City. It is designed as supportive housing specifically for low-income and formerly homeless seniors (older adults). The project aims to convert an underutilized city-owned parking lot into a multi-story residential building, emphasizing 100% affordable units and community integration. The name "Park Edge" reflects its location adjacent to the Dean Playground, highlighting its proximity to recreational amenities. Housing Focus: 100% affordable units targeted at low-income seniors, including those experiencing homelessness. It is part of a broader initiative to address housing needs in an area facing rapid redevelopment and population growth (over 13,000 new residents expected nearby from projects like Pacific Park). Unit Count: 80–100 units (combined estimate with a sister site at 516 Bergen Street; exact breakdown for 542 Dean Street not specified, but prioritized for senior housing). Features include a new entrance to Dean Playground, enhanced public open space, and integration with neighborhood green areas. Emphasis on supportive services to promote long-term vitality for residents. Affordability: Deeply affordable units, aligned with NYC's Housing New York plan and community priorities for public sites. Public Realm Improvements: The development is tied to the Atlantic Avenue Mixed-Use Plan (AAMUP), which prioritizes affordable housing, open space, and community input. It emerged from a 2021 RFP process following community visioning sessions in Crown Heights and Bedford-Stuyvesant. Surrounding Area: Directly adjacent to Dean Playground (a NYC Parks-managed green space with basketball courts, ball fields, and playgrounds), where the project includes plans for a new park entrance, public seating, and greenery. Near major landmarks like Barclays Center, Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park Brooklyn, Prospect Park, and the commercial corridor on Flatbush Avenue. Well-served by transit (e.g., 2/3 trains at Bergen Street station) and amenities including Fire Engine 219 and Police Precinct 78. Map Reference: The site is in a highly walkable, amenity-rich area with easy access to parks, shopping, and public transportation. Community Input: Stemmed from AAMUP processes where residents prioritized affordable housing over other uses for the site. Local leaders, including Council Member Crystal Hudson, have praised it as essential for neighborhood wellbeing. Broader Impact: Addresses NYC's housing crisis by repurposing underused public land. It's one of two Prospect Heights sites in HPD's initiative, creating 80–100+ units total. Challenges: Part of a densely developing area (one of the most populous census tracts in the U.S.), with calls for broad rezoning reviews to mitigate impacts.

Home / Landmarks THE COLONY CLUB ARCHITECT . Li · Saltzman Architects, PC PROJECT SIZE . 80,000 SF PROJECT COST . SCOPE . Design, approvals and construction administration of mechanical, plumbing, sprinkler, electrical and fire alarm systems. Go Go The Colony Club is a women-only private social club in New York City. Founded in 1903 by Florence Jaffray Harriman, wife of J. Borden Harriman, as the first social club established in New York City by and for women, it was modeled on similar gentlemen's clubs. Today, men are admitted as guests. The Club presently has approximately 2,500 members who have access to discussions, concerts, and wellness and athletic programs. The Clubhouse is renowned for its classical proportions, sophisticated detailing, and graceful interiors. The building is approximately 80,000 square feet and consists of seven stories, 25 guest bedrooms, three dining rooms, two ballrooms, a lounge, a squash court, an indoor pool, a fitness facility and three personal spa service rooms. Annual gross revenues are more than $10 million.

Home / Landmarks 428 GREENWICH STREET, MANHATTAN ARCHITECT . PROJECT SIZE . About 5,500 SF PROJECT COST . $2.5 million SCOPE . Full MEP/FP design Go Go Full gut renovation of a landmarked townhouse located in the historic Tribeca North District. This 5-story, nineteen-foot-wide store and loft building was designed in 1883 by Thomas R. Jackson, an architect who worked extensively in the Tribeca area, for soap manufacturer James Pyle. The utilitarian Romanesque Revival design features red brick façade with rock-faced granite elements, corbelled brick cornice and cast-iron piers. Presently the building houses a Tokyo-style “Edo-mae” Sushi restaurant, which was awarded a single Michelin star in 2014. The upper floors of the building are being converted to a single family residence. Altera Engineering carried upgrades to power, water, sewer utility connections. Altera Engineering worked closely with architects to seal and insulate the original walls in order to minimize the occupants’ dependence on HVAC for comfort. Our engineers worked carefully integrated central heating and cooling systems above the ceilings and behind walls. The building is cooled and heated by a variable-refrigerant-volume system without the use of fossil fuels.

Home / Healthcare ST JOHN'S EPISCOPAL HOSPITAL (SJEH) ARCHITECT . SBLM PROJECT SIZE . 38,000 SF PROJECT COST . SCOPE . Design review, HVAC, sprinkler, plumbing and electrical power design and construction administration Teaching Center at St John's Episcopal Hospital Altera Engineering has been retained to take over design and construction administration of a 4-storey 38,000 SF teaching center on the campus of St. John's Episcopalian Hospital in Far Rockaway, Queens. St. John’s Episcopal Hospital is the only hospital providing emergency and ambulatory care to the densely populated, culturally and economically diverse, and medically underserved populations of the Rockaways and Five Towns in southern Queens County and southwestern Nassau County, New York. The 257-bed facility provides people of all faiths with comprehensive preventive, diagnostic, treatment and rehabilitative services, regardless of ability to pay. The new teaching center was conceived as an expansion facility to relieve congestion and provide new state-of-the-art training and teaching areas to support residency programs. The center comprises of exam rooms, lecture halls, simulation rooms, offices and classrooms. Two floors are designed to be fully compliant with New York State Health Law Article 28. The basement floor will be a new home to the hospital's IT department including its data center. In addition, the new facility is conceived to serve an emergency community shelter. Altera Engineering team began the process with a comprehensive design review of all building systems designed by legacy engineer. In the course of the design review our team has found numerous opportunities for optimization of incoming services, sprinkler, mechanical and electrical systems, resulting in estimated $250,000 in construction cost savings to the project as well as savings in operating expenses.

Home / Residential ST KITTS VILLA ARCHITECT . Architecture in Formation PROJECT SIZE . PROJECT COST . SCOPE . Design, approvals and construction administration of mechanical, plumbing, sprinkler, electrical and fire alarm systems. Go ST KITTS VILLA St. Kitts, part of the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis, is known for luxury villas, often beachfront or hillside, catering to vacationers, investors, and those seeking citizenship-by-investment properties. These villas are typically modern, with amenities like private pools, ocean views, and proximity to attractions like Frigate Bay, Christophe Harbour, or the Royal St. Kitts Golf Course.

Home / Landmarks 712 BROADWAY ARCHITECT . PROJECT SIZE . PROJECT COST . SCOPE . MEP engineering design and approval services Go Go 712 Broadway is an 8-story landmarked building located in NoHo (North of Houston) historic district. The iron frame, granite and terra-cotta building was constructed as a warehouse in 1893 for the Scholle Brothers. The commercial building designed by Alfred Zucker replaced an 1803 3-story Federal-style mansion, which the Scholle Brothers bought for $88,000 in 1890. NoHo saw its first development by the first decade of the 19th century when John Jacob Astor acquired a large tract of land between Great Jones Street and Art Street (now Astor Place). From 1820 to 1840 the area developed as a fashionable residential district lined with lavish Federal and Greek Revival style residences. New York University was founded in 1831 in nearby Washington Square. Altera Engineering provided MEP engineering design and approval services for a loft apartment, working closely with architects and owners to integrate state-of-the-art mechanical systems into the existing historic features of the apartments.

Home / Landmarks EAST 10 STREET, MANHATTAN TOWNHOUSES ARCHITECT . Phil Toscano (architect of record) Beringer Architects (interior) PROJECT SIZE . Each townhouse is about 5,500 SF PROJECT COST . $5 million SCOPE . Full MEP/FP design Go Go Full gut renovation of two landmarked townhouses near historic Stuyvesant Street in Manhattan in St. Mark’s historic district. According to Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC), 106 and 110 are two of three identical houses were built in 1867 by an Irish-American builder, James Mulry, at an estimated cost of $6,000. The three buildings were erected on the lots that Mr. Mulry leased from Hamilton Fish- the 16th Governor of New York State and the Secretary of State under Ulysses Grant. The buildings were designed in a late version of the Italianate style by D. & J. Jardine Architects. The segmental-arched doorways have stone cornico-slabs supported on vertical console brackets which, in turn, are carried on paneled pilasters. They are four stories high, above a basement, and all retain their stoops. They are all three surmounted by individual bracketed cornices which are aligned at the same level. The stone basement wall is carried up to sill height at the first floor with recessed stone panels under each window. Altera Engineering carried upgrades to power, water, sewer utility connections. Our engineers worked hand-in-hand with the interior architects to thoughtfully integrate central heating and cooling systems into the buildings.

Home / Landmarks 133 EAST 91ST STREET TOWNHOUSE, NEW YORK ARCHITECT . Ben Fuqua PROJECT SIZE . About 4,500 SF PROJECT COST . $ 5 million SCOPE . Full MEP/FP design and construction administration services Go Go A full gut renovation and conversion of a multifamily building into a single family townhouse. 133 East 91st Street is one of six identical Queen Anne rowhouses completed in 1896 for a local developer John Weber. The building retains its original façade of red brick and brownstone along with a raised stoop and paved entry court, and a 20-ft rear garden. Altera Engineering worked hand in hand with the architect to seamlessly integrate all new heating/cooling and other building infrastructure into 17.5-foot wide existing shell. Altera Engineering consulted the owner on high performance building strategies, such as passive heating and cooling, insulation and envelope air-tightness, highly efficient domestic water heating and continuous ventilation with energy recovery. With the exception of domestic water heating, the building does not use natural gas or any other fuel for heating, and is cooled and heated with a variable-refrigerant flow system. Highly insulated envelope, and not relying on gas for heating are expected to save 20 metric tons of Carbon Dioxide emissions on an annual basis.

Home / Hospitality EXECUTIVE LE SOLEIL HOTEL ARCHITECT . Peter Poon Architects PROJECT SIZE . 100,000 SF PROJECT COST . SCOPE . Design, approvals and construction administration of mechanical, plumbing, sprinkler, electrical and fire alarm systems. Go Go The challenge on this project was to combine the Canadian style and type of the proposed MEP systems with the local NYC requirements. Altera Engineering has designed the plumbing and fire protection systems for this building being employed by RC Consulting.