Integrated Development Study

The Opportunity

Shipping and receiving and supply chain management company, The Client, sought to locate a new hub within New York City. The company acquired a site with the potential to not only accommodate The Client’s requirements but also create a multilevel mixed-use ecosystem to meet both the economic and social needs of the surrounding community. 

our approach

The development accomplishes this through strategically co-locating a wide range of uses including retail, dining, distribution, office, studio and production, ghost kitchens, greenhouses, an outdoor amphitheater, and parking. When combined, these uses create a thriving network that provides jobs, connects to nearby parks, increases greenspace, and activates the waterfront. The design responds to its location along the channel with retail located along the waterfront, attracting people and goods by boat, truck, van, car, and on foot. Variation in density and scale across the two buildings avoids creating a superblock and creates a vibrant and diverse environment while incorporating an existing brick facade into the composition. The ecosystem supports the full lifecycle of goods from design to distribution. Products designed in offices or studios can be produced in warehouse space and distributed via The Client’s delivery network. Drone staging and landing areas also facilitate drone delivery. Two greenhouses provide fresh produce for ghost kitchens as well as the restaurants within the development. Rooftop solar arrays and wind turbines provide on-site power generation.