HISTORY OF THE BUILDING

The Riverside Apartments, located on the southwest corner of Joralemon Street and Columbia Place, were built in 1890 by the philanthropist Alfred T. White.  The original design resulted in a full block of apartment buildings, located on the perimeter of the property, and yielded a large, landscaped courtyard on the interior.  However, a significant portion of the original building ensemble and courtyard were condemned by the Robert Moses highway project that became the BQE in 1964.  The result was a dramatically reduced courtyard, which was further damaged in the early 1990’s when a previous owner paved over the majority of the remaining courtyard. 

OUR PLAN

Our goal is to improve this bleak landscape by creating a unique, lush roof-top garden sitting upon a parking structure.  The garden level starts approximately 14 feet above the grade of the courtyard and is accessible only to tenants via stairs as well as a handicap lift.  The project will have to be reviewed and approved by both the New York City Department of Buildings and the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission.  The project will also be reviewed by the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal.

THE GARDEN

The garden level, which is more than 1/3 of an acre, has been carefully designed to both emulate the original courtyard design and provide a true amenity for the tenants.  The garden elements include:

• A natural grass lawn to be used for relaxing or playing, which will include several mature trees
• A fountain (adapted from the original courtyard fountain) and a narrow watercourse to help mask the constant noise from the adjacent BQE
• A paved area, covered with a canopy, which will include movable chairs and garden furniture allowing residents to sit and socialize
• A children’s garden, where residents can dig and plant their own flowers and vegetation

The entire garden level is framed by a bluestone path lined with benches and concealed source landscape lights as well as flowering trees, shrubs, herbaceous plant materials and ground covers.  This rich landscape will provide an array of seasonal displays visible from both Joralemon Street and the BQE.

THE PARKING STRUCTURE

The parking structure is comprised of two levels, one below grade and one at grade.  The slope of the site means that the majority of the tenants will only see the garden from their windows; the few tenants with windows partially below the garden level will be separated from the structure by a paved path, large trees and other vegetation.  Below are some additional facts:

• It is anticipated that the parking structure would be attended and allow up to 135 parking spaces
• Access will be from the western edge of Joralemon Street and includes a significant area for cars to queue, ensuring there is no impact to traffic on the street
• The parking structure is accessory to the apartments, meaning the spaces will be initially offered to the residents and any remaining spaces will be available for monthly parkers from the surrounding area
• The parking structure will be professionally managed and secured