Bronx Housing Project Gets Custom Clean Look

The $27 million, 78,000-sq.-ft. building opened in May 2015. Designed to LEED Silver standards, the building has 84 rental units and 21 parking spaces. The Mother Arnetta Crawford Housing project in the Bronx, N.Y., would have an entirely different look if it followed the original plans for a brick and block structure. Research brought the construction team to a new material and appearance.

Rella Fogliano and Joseph Breda, president and principal of Pelham, N.Y.-based Macquesten Development, respectively, thought this low-income housing building could be much more to the community.

“Joseph and I researched Dri-Design products and applications. The design goal was clean modern lines and the use of custom colors. Dri-design offered both,” says Fogliano. Macquesten Development also served as the panel installer.

The eight-story structure is clad in 0.080-in. aluminum wall panels in Dark Gray, Medium Gray, Light Gray, Cloud Gray and Cream. Dri-Design perforated panels also were installed to enclose air-conditioning units. “We liked the metal for its smooth, luminous aesthetic, as well as a way to avoid the many pitfalls of a brick rainscreen,” Fogliano said.

Dri-Design wall panels create a true dry joint pressure equalized rainscreen system. They are not constructed with caulk, sealant or gaskets like competing products, so buildings do not have material stains and streaks. These manufacturing characteristics also add to the sustainability of Dri-Design products. Available in various metal materials, colors, profiles and sizes, Dri-Design capabilities are far-reaching.

“We enjoy working with partners like Macquesten because they recognize the capabilities and qualities of metal,” says Brad Zeeff, president of Dri-Design. “Dri-Design goes beyond what other metal manufacturers can do, and we appreciate when someone calls on us to turn a basic idea into something that can change a community.”