Grandparent Family Apartments

Presbyterian Senior Services

Bronx, NY
2006

The 2000 New York City Census revealed that over 83,000, mostly low-income, grandparents raise their grandchildren as primary caretakers. There is no federal, state or city housing program to fill the vital need for safe, supportive housing that helps multigenerational families grow stronger.

We designed the first new public housing in New York City, Grandparent Family Apartments, to provide housing for this unique, and growing, population. This six-story, mixed-use building, built in one of the poorest neighborhoods of the Bronx, houses 55 apartments available to local seniors. Each of the 45 two-bedroom and 10 three-bedroom apartments feature fully-equipped kitchens, emergency alarms, and are fully ADA compliant.

Multi-generational families bring a unique set of programmatic challenges to be incorporated into a final design. The space must provide a healthy living environment and accommodate social services directed towards both children and seniors. We emphasized the importance of these services by dedicating adequate space within our design, encouraging residents to utilize the resources made available to them. The 55 dwelling units are supported by an amenity enriched environment, which include an activity center, nursery and play room, a “smart” resource center and a roof garden.

Grandparent Family Apartments continues to serve as a model for this specialty housing type nationwide.