St. James Terrace

St. James Terrace is a new, mixed-use residential project sensitively developed on the site of a 19th century church in the Fordham section of the Bronx. The nine-story building provides 103 supportive and affordable apartments as well as a new community center for the adjacent church. The project received approval from the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission in recognition of the contextual and thoughtful design, which honors the historic church and enhances the site with new shared landscape features and community uses. A key design goal was to complement the landmarked Gothic Revival-style church, creating a sophisticated yet subdued backdrop that is deferential to the rugged stone construction, brownstone trim, and stained-glass windows of the historic building. The new building is clad in textured brick with subtle patterns and cast stone details that reference the materiality of the church. The south end of the building incorporates a monumental entrance from Jerome Avenue to the existing church site. Gothic arches visually connect the double-height breezeway to the historic church buildings beyond. As visitors move through the arcade, the arched openings frame views of the original church building, conceived of as an "English country church on a hill," and then open on to a new, landscaped courtyard. This outdoor gathering space serves as a new cloister for the church, tying together the new building, the historic Parish House, and the original church sanctuary (circa 1863). St. James Terrace and the new landscape design replace a parking lot, creating new ways to view and access the historic buildings while providing desperately needed housing and new services to the Fordham community. Solving for multiple challenges in one project is something women do exceptionally well, as demonstrated in the creativity and care of this women-led design team (Beth Greenberg, PIC and Rachel Erlich PM).