We believe the work we completed on this project sets a new standard for our industry. Via Verde exemplifies the most cutting-edge innovation in affordable multi-family housing and will serve as a model for future developments. Nicholas Lettire president and chief executive officer of Lettire Construction
project,” notes Mr. Lettire, president and chief executive officer of Lettire Construction. “We believe the work we completed on this project sets a new standard for our industry. Via Verde exemplifies the most cutting-edge innovation in affordable multi-family housing and will serve as a model for future developments.” Over 11 professionals from Lettire participated in the build, which was completed on time and within budget. Designed by Dattner Architects and Grimshaw Architects, along with Ettinger Engineering Associates, Robert Silman Associates and Lee Weintraub Landscape Architecture, and co-developed by Jonathan Rose Companies and Phipps Housing, the project was the winning response to the New Housing New York Legacy Competition sponsored by the New York Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, NYC’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority and Enterprise Foundation. Residents therefore benefit from improved indoor air quality, due to Lettire’s utilization of green cleaning materials and non-toxic, no/low VOC materials during construction. Co-ops at Via Verde also feature spacious floor plans with hardwood flooring, in-unit stacker washer/dryers, stainless steel appliances, built-in dishwashers and microwaves, luxury kitchens with bamboo cabinets, porcelain tile floors, ceramic tile backsplashes, Caesar stone countertops, Energy Star appliances, remote con-
trol ceiling fans, porcelain tile bathrooms and panoramic windows. Further, the project provides such additional sustainable amenities as a series of green roofs including a Scots Pine tree orchard on the 3rd floor roof, an edible fruit bearing apple and pear trees orchard on the 4th floor roof, resident vegetable gardening beds on the 5th floor roof, and a green roof and fitness center on the 7th floor. In addition, the building contains photovoltaic solar panels, which will provide power to the common areas.
Castle Gardens Expanding its green supportive housing niche in Harlem, Lettire also completed construction of Castle Gardens, located at 625 West 140th Street. The building, on track for LEED-NC Gold Certification, provides 114 affordable units, including 50 supportive studio apartments and 13 larger units for homeless individuals and families with incarceration histories. Serving as the general contractor on the project, which was co-developed by The Fortune Society, a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening the fabric of communities by promoting successful prisoner reentry, and Jonathan Rose Companies, Castle Gardens is adjacent to the five-story, notfor-profit Fortune Academy, known as “The Castle,” a nationally recognized residence which provides transitional housing for homeless individuals recently released from prison. Designed by Curtis + Ginsberg Architects,
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