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.

Home / Landmarks BROOKLYN ROASTING COMPANY ARCHITECT . Cypher Design PROJECT SIZE . 16,000 SF PROJECT COST . SCOPE . Full MEP design and construction administration services. HVAC, sprinkler, plumbing and electrical power design and construction administration Go Go BROOKLYN NAVY YARD When an established Brooklyn based coffee company decided to consolidate its roasting and shipping under one roof, they retained Altera Engineering to help them bring their vision to reality. Founded in 2009 in a Brooklyn loft, artisanal coffee purveyor- Brooklyn Roasting Company- has consistently been ranked as top 5 coffee places in Brooklyn (Yelp), one of 10 best coffee shops on New York City (Gothamist) and best local brew of 2015 (Gothamist). BRC prides itself on sourcing locally grown, organic fair trade coffee beans. It is no surprise they decided to locally source engineering services as well. BRC came to Altera Engineering because their previous consultant was not responsive to their needs and was too expensive. Brooklyn Navy Yard is a former US Navy shipbuilding yard spanning 300 acres on the East River in Wallabout Basin. Following its closure in the mid 60’s, the yard was re-opened in 1969 as an industrial park. Since 1989, the site has seen economic development spurred by the city’s investment. Today, more than 200 businesses operate at the yard and employ about 5,000 people. Brooklyn Roasting Company decided to take up a 16,000 SF space in the Navy Yard to consolidate its roasting operations. On most projects, clients come to their engineers with defined design criteria. In the case of BRC, the client did not know how to best program the their new facility. There were plans for an office, packing, roasting, and shipping and even performance space functions. Our engineers worked closely with the client and architect to learn BRC’s business model, ins and outs of a coffee roasting process and the client’s future plans in order to help the client define present and future performance requirements of the space. Altera Engineering was retained to provide consulting, engineering design and construction administration services for BRC’s new facility. The project involved specialty HVAC systems for coffee roasting production plant. Altera Engineering prepared documents for State Historic Preservation Office filing.

Home / Hospitality DELAMAR MYSTIC ARCHITECT . PROJECT SIZE . PROJECT COST . SCOPE . Design, approvals and construction administration of mechanical, plumbing, sprinkler, electrical and fire alarm systems. Go Go Overview: Delamar Mystic is a waterfront hotel blending maritime history with modern elegance, offering views of the Mystic River and proximity to Mystic Seaport. It’s part of the Delamar Hotels brand, known for coastal New England properties. Structure and Features: Rooms: 31 rooms and suites with floor-to-ceiling windows for river views. Event Space: A 2,600-square-foot ballroom and a waterfront event lawn for weddings, corporate events, and private parties. Dining: La Plage Restaurant, an oyster bar and coastal cuisine spot seating up to 90 indoors, focusing on local seafood, produce, and sustainable meats. Amenities: Guest-only swimming pool, free Wi-Fi, and parking. The design incorporates nautical elements like vintage maps and artisanal furnishings. Size: Specific building dimensions are not listed, but it’s a multi-story structure tailored for boutique hospitality. Location: Situated in Mystic’s historic district, near Interstate 95, Mystic Seaport Museum (75 Greenmanville Ave), and downtown Mystic. It’s a short walk to attractions like Mystic Aquarium and Olde Mistick Village, making it a hub for tourists. History: The site was previously home to Latitude 41 Restaurant, which closed in July 2022, with plans reported for its demolition to make way for this hotel development. Delamar Mystic was announced as a new addition by Delamar Hotels, with construction and opening details finalized post-2022. Exact completion dates are not specified, but it’s operational as of 2025.

Home / Landmarks 325 WEST 93RD STREET ARCHITECT . Union Street Studio PROJECT SIZE . PROJECT COST . SCOPE . 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. Altera Engineering's 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. 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 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 133 EAST 91ST STREET TOWNHOUSE, NEW YORK 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 HYATT PLACE MIDTOWN ARCHITECT . Peter Poon Architects PROJECT SIZE . 90,000 SF PROJECT COST . SCOPE . Design, approvals and construction administration of mechanical, plumbing, sprinkler, electrical and fire alarm systems. Go Go Altera Engineering was engaged by another consultant to design efficient plumbing and sprinkler systems. The challenge was to design domestic water distribution system with equal pressure between the floors of a high-rise building. The solution was a two-zone water distribution system. The building has two (2) fire sprinkler/standpipe reserve roof tanks, which are being used as a primary feed for the special service fire pump.

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.

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.

DUTCH KILLS OFFICE BUILDING SCOPE . MEP design and NYSERDA rebate assistance. Full MEP/FP design, special and progress inspections PROJECT COST . $18,000,000 Home / Commercial DUTCH KILLS OFFICE BUILDING ARCHITECT . Laufs Engineering Design PROJECT SIZE . 43,000 GDF PROJECT COST . $18,000,000 SCOPE . MEP design and NYSERDA rebate assistance. Full MEP/FP design, special and progress inspections Go Go A Class A 43,000 SF ground-up commercial office building designed to accommodate a variety of uses, from film production to events spaces. Building’s envelope and mechanical systems were designed to meet NYSERDA commercial building program performance requirements of 15% better than energy code. To allow for a degree of flexibility in building uses, the project’s heating and cooling source was conceived as a water loop consisting of a 90-ton cooling tower, variable speed pumps and high efficiency condensing boilers. Each floor/space was provided with high efficiency water-source heat pumps. The building was envisioned as ‘cogen-ready’ and was designed with a single master meter to allow future behind the meter tie-in. Each floor was provided with 3-phase 400 amp power.

MARINER'S HARBOR COMMUNITY CENTER SCOPE . MEP design PROJECT COST . $6.1 million Home / Commercial MARINER'S HARBOR COMMUNITY CENTER ARCHITECT . Architecture In Formation PROJECT SIZE . 2,700 SF PROJECT COST . $6.1 million SCOPE . MEP design Go Go Located in the Mariner’s Harbor neighborhood, the currently unoccupied 2,715 SF community space is situated on the ground floor of Building Number 5 within the New York City Housing Authority’s Marnier’s Harbor Houses public housing complex, the westernmost public housing development in New York City. Built in 1954, the complex consists of 22 three- and six-story buildings containing 607 apartments housing 1,658 residents across a 21.75-acre site. The project included a complete renovation of the existing space including all finishes, fixtures, HVAC, fire alarm, plumbing, and lighting, and provided flexible, multi-purpose programming. Support spaces included accessible restrooms, a janitor’s closet, and an IT/server closet. Exterior work included replacement of the existing canopy, new doors with actuator and door bell, and new lighting. The program also included community gathering spaces with audio/visual capabilities, a computer lab, and a commercial kitchen. Mechanical systems included: • An all new high efficient all-electric multi-zone VRF system • Distributed ERV’s throughout the space • All new electrical distribution • All new domestic and sanitary plumbing

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.