top of page

Search this site

110 results found with an empty search

  • DAYSPRING COMMONS, 227 ELM, YONKERS

    A 6-story, 63-unit supportive housing project in Nodine Hill neighborhood of Yonkers developed by Westhab Inc. Yonkers-based Westhab is a community development, social and housing services organization that builds and manages high-quality affordable and supportive housing in Westchester County and New York City. To date Westhab has developed over 900 units of housing with an investment of over $134 million Dayspring Commons will consist of four one-bedrooms, 45 two-bedrooms and three three-bedrooms. Formerly homeless people are expected to occupy 30 of the units; 10 of those apartments will target young adults with children and 20 of those units will target families with a mentally disabled head of household. Another 21 units will be affordable housing for families that earn less than 50 percent of the area median income for Westchester County. The proposed complex would sit next to the former Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church at 203 Elm St. The church is currently being renovated by Westhab and it is now called the Dayspring Community Center. Buildings’ mechanical systems include high efficiency condensing boilers designed to operate with low temperature water. Variable speed pumps, high output baseboard radiators, energy recovery ventilators and variable refrigerant flow systems for common areas. The building was provided with a gas-fired emergency generator. The project is designed to meet the latest Enterprise Green Communities requirements for energy and water conservation, resident health and well-being and resiliency. The buildings are at least 15% more energy efficient than the current energy code. Home / Multifamily DAYSPRING COMMONS, 227 ELM, YONKERS ARCHITECT . Aufgang Architects PROJECT SIZE . 65,000 SF PROJECT COST . $ 45,000,000 SCOPE . HVAC, sprinkler, plumbing and electrical power, fire alarm design and construction administration Go Go A 6-story, 63-unit supportive housing project in Nodine Hill neighborhood of Yonkers developed by Westhab Inc. Yonkers-based Westhab is a community development, social and housing services organization that builds and manages high-quality affordable and supportive housing in Westchester County and New York City. To date Westhab has developed over 900 units of housing with an investment of over $134 million Dayspring Commons will consist of four one-bedrooms, 45 two-bedrooms and three three-bedrooms. Formerly homeless people are expected to occupy 30 of the units; 10 of those apartments will target young adults with children and 20 of those units will target families with a mentally disabled head of household. Another 21 units will be affordable housing for families that earn less than 50 percent of the area median income for Westchester County. The proposed complex would sit next to the former Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church at 203 Elm St. The church is currently being renovated by Westhab and it is now called the Dayspring Community Center. Buildings’ mechanical systems include high efficiency condensing boilers designed to operate with low temperature water. Variable speed pumps, high output baseboard radiators, energy recovery ventilators and variable refrigerant flow systems for common areas. The building was provided with a gas-fired emergency generator. The project is designed to meet the latest Enterprise Green Communities requirements for energy and water conservation, resident health and well-being and resiliency. The buildings are at least 15% more energy efficient than the current energy code.

  • 325 WEST 93RD STREET

    Designed by the prolific Upper West Side architect George F. Pelham for the developer Joseph H. Davis, this building was constructed in 1906 as a small multiple dwelling (flats) and once known as the Albea. Located on the north side of West 93rd Street ninety-eight feet east of Riverside Drive, this six-story building faced in red brick with ironspot headers and stone trim is seventy-five feet wide and dumbbell-shaped in plan. The facade is capped by a modillioned metal cornice. An original wrought-iron fire escape is located at the center of the facade. The owners retained Altera Engineering in their bid to renovate and reposition the building as an upmarket rental property steps away from the Riverside park. Engineering scope included gut renovation of all vacant apartment units and building systems upgrade. A new high efficiency condensing boiler plant was designed to replace an outdated (once coal-fired) steam system. To fully take advantage of the condensing boiler efficiencies, all new hydronic radiators were selected around low water temperatures. Variable speed pumps were selected for low flow, wide delta-t of the water to minimize motor horse power. Domestic water was upgraded with indirect water storage tanks fed by boilers via plate and frame heat exchangers. The Altera Engineering team had to work around existing occupied apartments to minimize disruption to tenants. Altera Engineering provided MEP engineering design and approval services for all mechanical, plumbing and electrical systems. Home / Multifamily 325 WEST 93RD STREET ARCHITECT . Union Street Studio PROJECT SIZE . PROJECT COST . SCOPE . MEP engineering design and approval services for all mechanical, plumbing and electrical systems Go Go Designed by the prolific Upper West Side architect George F. Pelham for the developer Joseph H. Davis, this building was constructed in 1906 as a small multiple dwelling (flats) and once known as the Albea. Located on the north side of West 93rd Street ninety-eight feet east of Riverside Drive, this six-story building faced in red brick with ironspot headers and stone trim is seventy-five feet wide and dumbbell-shaped in plan. The facade is capped by a modillioned metal cornice. An original wrought-iron fire escape is located at the center of the facade. The owners retained Altera Engineering in their bid to renovate and reposition the building as an upmarket rental property steps away from the Riverside park. Engineering scope included gut renovation of all vacant apartment units and building systems upgrade. A new high efficiency condensing boiler plant was designed to replace an outdated (once coal-fired) steam system. To fully take advantage of the condensing boiler efficiencies, all new hydronic radiators were selected around low water temperatures. Variable speed pumps were selected for low flow, wide delta-t of the water to minimize motor horse power. Domestic water was upgraded with indirect water storage tanks fed by boilers via plate and frame heat exchangers. The Altera Engineering team had to work around existing occupied apartments to minimize disruption to tenants. Altera Engineering provided MEP engineering design and approval services for all mechanical, plumbing and electrical systems.

  • Home / Residential 848 CARROLL STREET, BROOKLYN ARCHITECT . TRIARCH PROJECT SIZE . $ 2.5 million PROJECT COST . $ 170,000,000 SCOPE . Full MEP/FP design Go 848 CARROLL STREET, BROOKLYN Full gut renovation and rear addition to a landmarked townhouse located in Brooklyn’s Park Slope Historic District. The history and development of the Park Slope Historic District is closely related to that of Prospect Park. The area encompassed by the park and the Historic District was the scene of a major battle in the revolutionary war between the Continental Army under George Washington and the British Army in August of 1776. At that time and until the 1850’s this area remained essentially rural, consisting largely of farmland with rolling hills to the east. In sum, the completion of Prospect Park and construction of the Brooklyn Bridge in 1883 were the two major factors in the development of the area. Carroll Street- named after Charles Carroll, a signer of the Declaration of Independence- is one of the most serene and charming streets in the District. 848 Carroll is a neoclassical four-story red brick with limestone trim, was designed by William B. Greenman and completed in 1905 and described in the AIA Guide to New York City as “a narrow bay-windowed neo-classical exile from the Upper East Side” Altera Engineering worked closely with the architect and owners to seamlessly integrate all new building infrastructure into the 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.

  • 233 BUTLER STREET, GOWANUS, BROOKLYN |SCOPE . HVAC, sprinkler, plumbing and electrical power, fire alarm design and construction administration

    233 BUTLER STREET, GOWANUS, BROOKLYN SCOPE . HVAC, sprinkler, plumbing and electrical power, fire alarm design and construction administration PROJECT COST . WITHHELD Home / Commercial 233 BUTLER STREET, GOWANUS, BROOKLYN ARCHITECT . Union Street Studio PROJECT SIZE . 8,000 GSF PROJECT COST . WITHHELD SCOPE . HVAC, sprinkler, plumbing and electrical power, fire alarm design and construction administration Go Go The 104-year-old building at 233 Butler St., between Nevins and Bond streets, was the headquarters of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in New York from 1913 to 1979. The 2-story 8,000 SF building was designed in Renaissance Revival style by Renwick, Aspinwall & Tucker. The building was purchased in 2016 by a group of developers and Altera Engineering was retained to assist in upgrade, enlargement and repositioning of the property to several unique food and beverage uses such as Public Records - a Hi-Fi Cafe, Bar and Sound Room. Altera Engineering provided MEP engineering design and approval services, working closely with architects and owners to upgrade building’s infrastructure and integrate state-of-the-art mechanical systems into the existing historic shell. To more precisely match occupancy profiles, mechanical systems for the dance club included a primary dedicated outdoor air system (DOAS) with heat recovery, and a secondary high efficiency variable refrigeration system.

  • Home / Landmarks 915 WEST END AVENUE ARCHITECT . PROJECT SIZE . PROJECT COST . SCOPE . Design, approvals and construction administration of mechanical, plumbing, sprinkler, electrical and fire alarm systems. Go Go 915 West End Avenue is a 120,000 SF 15-story multifamily building commissioned by a prolific upper west side builder Joseph Paterno (whose initials were inscribed above the entrance), designed by Rosario Candela and completed in 1922 at a cost of approximately $625,000. The building was designed in Renaissance Revival style, and is laid out as two wings around a central core with outer court. Boiler room, laundry facility, oil tank, and incoming services are located in the basement. Lobby and 94 apartments are located on floors 1 through 15. In 2015 the building was included into Riverside-West End Historic District Extension II, and is subject to certain Landmarks restrictions. Following the $ 85.5 million acquisition by a group of investors, Altera Engineering was retained to evaluate the existing heating, plumbing, gas and power distribution systems. Our engineers worked closely with the owner’s architects and marketing team to identify and carry out short payback upgrades to support the investors’ conversion and repositioning program to the ‘best-in-class’ multifamily rental. 915 West End Avenue is one of several Altera Engineering projects along the historic West End Avenue, 347 West End and 309 West 86th Street.

  • PS 122 COMMUNITY ARTS CENTER

    This project, for New York City’s Department of Cultural Affairs, transformed a five-story historic former public school to better house four arts groups and one community-service organization. Built in 1894, PS 122 was originally a public school (hence the name). Since the 1970’s the building has been inhabited by a non-profit collaborative, daycare center and an AIDS drop in center. The primary objective of this project was to bring the building up to code and upgrade the mechanical and fire protection systems. Additionally the building needed significant reorganization and alterations to its interior spaces. The design scope included addition at the roof, to connect the means of egress at the fifth floor. The project was required to meet LL86 requirements. Mechanical systems included: A packaged air-cooled modular chiller plant designed with an 18-degree temperature difference to reduce pumping and piping Variable primary pumping A dedicated outdoor air system (DOAS) with energy recovery and demand-based ventilation controls Sensible-only 4-pipe fan coils Home / Cultural PS 122 COMMUNITY ARTS CENTER ARCHITECT . Deborah Berke Partners PROJECT SIZE . 50,000 GSF PROJECT COST . $ 32 million SCOPE . HVAC design Go Go This project, for New York City’s Department of Cultural Affairs, transformed a five-story historic former public school to better house four arts groups and one community-service organization. Built in 1894, PS 122 was originally a public school (hence the name). Since the 1970’s the building has been inhabited by a non-profit collaborative, daycare center and an AIDS drop in center. The primary objective of this project was to bring the building up to code and upgrade the mechanical and fire protection systems. Additionally the building needed significant reorganization and alterations to its interior spaces. The design scope included addition at the roof, to connect the means of egress at the fifth floor. The project was required to meet LL86 requirements. Mechanical systems included: A packaged air-cooled modular chiller plant designed with an 18-degree temperature difference to reduce pumping and piping Variable primary pumping A dedicated outdoor air system (DOAS) with energy recovery and demand-based ventilation controls Sensible-only 4-pipe fan coils

  • STEWART HOTEL

    The development was acquired for $255 million, with total project costs projected at $500 million. Work will be funded through a mix of public and private financing, including New York State’s Housing Our Neighbors With Dignity Act (HONDA), New York City’s 15/15 Supportive Housing Initiative, HDC tax-exempt bonds, and HPD’s Supportive Housing Loan Program. Additional support includes financing from Wells Fargo, JPMorgan Chase, the Low Income Investment Fund, LISC Fund Management, and the Corporation for Supportive Housing. Historic and Low-Income Housing Tax Credits and transferable development rights have also been utilized. The Stewart Hotel, a 31-story building shuttered since 2022, is anticipated to take around 24 months to complete renovation. Construction will include merging adjacent rooms to create apartments, replacing mechanical systems, installing LED lighting, and building on-site social services offices. Support services for residents, including seniors and formerly homeless individuals, will be provided by Breaking Ground through a partnership with the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Home / Cultural STEWART HOTEL ARCHITECT . Aufgang Architects PROJECT COST . $500 million SCOPE . Design, approvals and construction administration of mechanical, plumbing, sprinkler, electrical and fire alarm systems. Go Go The development was acquired for $255 million, with total project costs projected at $500 million. Work will be funded through a mix of public and private financing, including New York State’s Housing Our Neighbors With Dignity Act (HONDA), New York City’s 15/15 Supportive Housing Initiative, HDC tax-exempt bonds, and HPD’s Supportive Housing Loan Program. Additional support includes financing from Wells Fargo, JPMorgan Chase, the Low Income Investment Fund, LISC Fund Management, and the Corporation for Supportive Housing. Historic and Low-Income Housing Tax Credits and transferable development rights have also been utilized. The Stewart Hotel, a 31-story building shuttered since 2022, is anticipated to take around 24 months to complete renovation. Construction will include merging adjacent rooms to create apartments, replacing mechanical systems, installing LED lighting, and building on-site social services offices. Support services for residents, including seniors and formerly homeless individuals, will be provided by Breaking Ground through a partnership with the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

  • Home / Residential 428 GREENWICH STREET, MANHATTAN ARCHITECT . Thomas R. Jackson PROJECT SIZE . About 5,500 SF PROJECT COST . $2.5 million SCOPE . Full MEP/FP design Go 428 GREENWICH STREET, MANHATTAN 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.

  • YWCA OF BROOKLYN

    The Young Women’s Christian Association was founded in 1888. The goal of the organization was to provide a meeting place for young women who were employed in retail stores, as office workers and other occupations throughout Brooklyn. These young ladies could listen to lectures, concerts, enjoy the reading room, and receive Christian instruction, if so desired. It was the first major organization of its kind in Brooklyn to be entirely run by women. Home / Multifamily YWCA OF BROOKLYN ARCHITECT . PROJECT SIZE . 180,000 SF PROJECT COST . SCOPE . HVAC design, energy efficiency, CHP feasibility Go Go The Young Women’s Christian Association was founded in 1888. The goal of the organization was to provide a meeting place for young women who were employed in retail stores, as office workers and other occupations throughout Brooklyn. These young ladies could listen to lectures, concerts, enjoy the reading room, and receive Christian instruction, if so desired. It was the first major organization of its kind in Brooklyn to be entirely run by women.

  • Home / Residential 347 WEST END AVENUE ARCHITECT . Lamb & Rich PROJECT SIZE . PROJECT COST . SCOPE . MEP engineering design Go 347 WEST END AVENUE This Eclectic Renaissance/Revival building was designed with a limestone façade and gabled tile roof by famed architects Lamb & Rich as part of an original row of 14 houses in 1891. The home’s first owner was Charles F. Rand who made his fortune in the mining industry in Cuba and Spain. In the 1950’s, the property was converted to nine apartments, and now the new owners are converting back to a single family residence. The scope of the conversion included an additional set back fifth floor, with an elevator overrun, roof bulkhead, and copper and glass skylight atop it. The current three-story-tall projecting rear yard addition will be demolished and replaced with a four-story-tall rear yard addition. A Juliette balcony, clad in copper, will jut out just into the canopy of a 130- to 140-year-old cherry tree. This is Altera Engineering's third project along the historic West End Avenue, 915 West End Avenue and 309 West 86th Street. The Altera Engineering team worked closely with the architect to thoughtfully integrate new infrastructure into the existing historic shell. Altera Engineering provided MEP engineering design and approval services for all mechanical, plumbing and electrical systems.

  • 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 / Residential PHILLIPSPORT CHURCH HOUSE ARCHITECT . ARCHITECTURE IN FORMATION PC PROJECT SIZE . 3,000 SF PROJECT COST . SCOPE . Full MEP/FP design optimization, energy modeling Go PHILLIPSPORT CHURCH HOUSE A conversion of an 1823 Methodist church to a single family residence. Phillipsport United Methodist Church was one of the oldest buildings erected in village of Wurtsboro. Envisioned as a summer home, the owner/architect carefully inserted usable residential spaces into the existing 195-year old historic structure. Altera Engineering team worked closely with the designer to come up with a modern heating and cooling solution that can be seamlessly integrated into the building. Double height ceilings of the main sanctuary and 15-ft tall single pane float glass windows presented a challenge for heating and cooling that can meet the current energy code. The response was a high efficiency variable refrigerant volume system designed for both heating and cooling with displacement air supplies along the perimeter of the main sanctuary. The existing steeple was retrofitted to be used as a natural ventilation chimney.

bottom of page