real estate
From the due diligence to the grand opening.
H2M offers a wide range of services to the real estate market with a single point of service approach. From surveying to environmental services, planning to civil design, architecture to MEP engineering, we handle the coordination of services and the interface of all the pieces of every project. Rest assured that H2M can turn any dream development into a reality.
Michele A. Pincus, Esq.
Assistant Vice President
Market Director, Real Estate
Michele has more than 35 years of experience in real estate, having worked in both the private and public sectors on issues involving land zoning, development, and permitting. On the public side, Michele has represented the City of New York on litigation on land use issues, and served as Associate General Counsel at the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) managing LIPA’s real estate issues. She spent years as a partner in private practice at several prestigious law firms. Throughout her career she has focused largely on zoning and land use matters and has become an expert in the real estate market throughout the tri-state region. Since joining H2M, Michele has worked diligently to further enhance the company’s real estate market and has assisted clients in achieving their goals on several key projects and initiatives.
Michele is a three-time Long Island Business News “Top 50 Women” award-winner and a member of its Hall of Fame. She was recognized as “Ones to Watch in Commercial Real Estate” and the “Who’s Who Women in Professional Services” from Long Island Business News. Michele is an active member and supporter of several distinguished organizations. She is currently Vice Chair for the Board of Directors of the Real Estate Institute at Stony Brook University. Michele previously served as President of the Women Economic Developers of Long Island (WEDLI), an organization she continues to support. She is also actively involved in the Long Island Real Estate Group (LIREG), Commercial Industrial Brokers Society of Long Island (CIBS), and Pink Aid Long Island.
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Accessibility Assessments and Design
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Additions
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Building Assessments and Evaluations
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Code Analysis/Assessments
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Construction Documents
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Cost Estimating
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Feasibility Studies
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Historic Restoration
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Inspection
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Integrated Sustainable Design
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Interior Design
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New Buildings
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Planning
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Programming
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Renovations
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Zoning Analysis/Assessments
Projects
Wilson Residence
The single family residence is constructed as a prefabricated modular on a prefabricated panelized foundation system, on a half-acre lot of land. It is located on Long Island’s east end and is clearly divided into public and private zones, both with equal exposure of the 60 foot long lap pool. The home is oriented to take advantage of passive solar heating with broad overhangs to minimize solar heat gain. Due to the lot size, the garage was placed under the house to minimize the footprint and conform to the Village requirement for lot coverage.
The house consists of two simple rectangular volumes set at 90 degrees slipping past each other. The intersection of the sliding volumes produces the entry hall at the northeast corner of the home. The entry hall opens into a 1,300 square foot “great room” with 10 foot ceilings also comprised of the kitchen, dining, and main living areas. The south and east wall (facing the street) have small linear apertures that allow a nice quality of light while also providing privacy from outside activity. The west wall consists of approximately 40 feet of floor to ceiling glass effectively bringing the outside in. The 24 foot operable glass doors make the rear terrace an inviting extension of the main living space.
The north volume consists of a three-story space (one partially below grade) that contains the master bedroom, guest bedrooms with ensuite baths, and stair access to all floors. The master and downstairs guest room open to a balcony and deck that overlook the pool and rear yard. Both are protected with broad overhangs that mitigate heat gain and afford privacy to the owners.
Amy Street House
A two story, 12,000 square foot seven bedroom/8 bath shingle style residence built speculatively on a secluded lot in East Hampton. Lower level consists of a fully outfitted gym with sauna and steam shower, a 16 seat theatre, a 1500sf party room with full bar, maid's quarters, a 1500 bottle wine cellar with a tasting room, as well as the mechanical room. An elevator stops at all three levels of the home. Main floor consists of a grand two story entry foyer with a dual curved stair adjacent to a central motor court. A two and half car garage leads to a mud room and grand gallery that runs the length of the first floor. Off the gallery is a ‘junior master suite’ with walk in closets and a five piece bath, a large living room, the entry foyer, and the formal dining space. The gallery ends at the 1000sf gourmet kitchen which opens to a covered porch facing the pool at the south side of the house. The kitchen also opens to a large family room that also overlooks the pool. The second floor is accessed by one of three stairs and has the main master suite with a balcony overlooking the pool. Three additional ensuite bedrooms as well as a library occupy the balance of the second floor space. The house also has five working fireplaces and is heated and cooled with a ‘state of the art’ geothermal HVAC system.
Estella Housing
This project is part of the Downtown Master Plan for the Village of Hempstead. It is located one block from the LIRR Station. There are 96 affordable apartments, including supportive services for qualified residents. Grade level will contain parking, mechanical rooms and utility rooms, trash/recycling room, generator, lobby and vertical circulation elements for the upper and lower floors. The building will be a four story wood framed residential building on top of a one story concrete transfer slab and a lower level parking garage.
Supportive services and building amenities include lobby/lounge, reception, offices, community recreation room, library and fitness exercise room.
Santorini Educational Center
The Santorini Resort is a 50 unit motel located on the Long Island Sound. It consists of 3 separate one and two story buildings created around a restaurant building within a courtyard. Converting the motel to an educational center for union members of a local union organization required extensive upgrade and renovation to the existing buildings to make them code compliant. A new 18,000 sq. ft. meeting house was designed to accommodate the members of a 100 person seminar room and a 50 person lecture hall. A new 5,000 sq. ft. data center will be an emergency back up facility to the main system in the union's headquarters.
Clubhouse at Foxgate
This clubhouse is part of a development project consisting of 187 condo apartments. The clubhouse serves the residence of the development. Amenities in the clubhouse include a club room, fitness center, showers, and locker rooms. The site of the building is a former firehouse located on the site and destroyed by fire. The exterior design evokes the style of the firehouse in its materials and form.
Little Flower Children’s Services – Cottages
Little Flower Children's Services serves as a community for underprivileged children whose families can no longer take care of them. The children, ages 5 to 18 live on the campus and attend school there. We prepared a Master Plan to create a sense of community for the children living on the campus with the focus centered around open recreational space and the school building. The plan called for a grouping of cottages each housing 14 children clustered around a recreational area. The cluster was located away from the administration area of the campus. Each independent cottage includes 14 single bedroom for each child, a living room, dining room, recreation room and a kitchen and laundry.
The Greens at Half Hollow Hills
A planned community located on the site of the former Long Island Developmental Center, the site consists of approximately 400 acres fronting on Carmen Road. A variety of housing includes an assisted living facility, affordable senior housing, zero lot line residential units, and luxury single family houses. There is a clubhouse for the golf course members, a community building for the residents and a pool club for the houses. The housing units front on the green belt so that pedestrian interaction with vehicular traffic is minimized.
Islip Landing
Islip Landing located on 22 acres in the hamlet of Central Islip in the heart of Suffolk County, consisting of 126 family and senior condominium units and 93 family and senior townhouse units, for a total of 219 units. Incorporating open space design, the single level residences and duplex townhomes provide unparalleled spaciousness and comfort. All homes feature private entryways, expansive master suites with private baths, walk-in closets and full kitchens.
The Cornerstone Hauppauge
Residential development including six apartment buildings, four townhouse building, and one community center. The development comprises a total of 68 apartment units and 30 townhouse units.
The Cornerstone Hauppauge offers one and two-bedroom units. Apartment homes feature designer kitchens, in-unit washer/dryer sets, quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances and outdoor space in every unit.
Clare Rose Development
This multi-family residential development consists of 214 ownership units in 20 buildings, with 35 three-bedroom units and 179 two-bedroom units. Approximately 387 on-site parking spaces are provided, including 173 spaces within garages and surface driveways. Walkways and landscaping are also included in the project. The property is divided into 2 sites on either side of Clare Rose Boulevard for a total of 12 acres. The architectural style is residential in scale with a variety of materials including brick, stone, siding and trim details. The proposed units have been named after historic hotels in the Patchogue area.
Mill Pond Acres
Mill Pond Acres, located in the Village of Port Washington North, is a senior housing community. The project consists of 144 2-bedroom one-story ranch houses in groups of 4 per building. In addition, there are 106 2-bedroom apartment units in 2-story buildings, 8 or 10 units to a building. The ranch houses have attic lofts, which look into the living space below, and can serve as an office or library space. The community building contains a multi-purpose room, pool and support space. In addition, the lower level of the building will be the official offices of the Village.
Standard Microsystems Corp.
A complete renovation and addition of Standard Microsytems Corp's headquarters to create a World Class 200,000 square foot facility. The facility expansion included a 10,600 sq. ft. shipping and receiving areas and a 106,000 sq. ft. 2-story office addition. The 2-story addition has incorporated a dramatic 3-story atrium with a granite wall spanning the building from front to rear. The renovation also included a complete state-of-the-art conferencing center and data communications facility.
Arverne-by-the Sea – The Tides
Arverne-by-the Sea is a 100 acre development site in the Rockaway section of Queens known as Arverne. This 2300 unit residential project creates a series of new, walkable neighborhoods comprising a community that draws on its coastal setting. The neighborhoods are each defined by their distinct housing types and interwoven by a network of public spaces, parks and recreation areas, a community and daycare center, a school for the children of neighborhood families, a retail corridor along a mixed-use promenade, including a 200 unit mid-rise housing which incorporates local shopping and other neighborhood amenities.
West Hempstead Station
This upscale rental apartment building is located in an area designated as a blighted area by the Town of Hempstead and has been proposed as part of the revitalization of the area. There is a two level parking garage; one level below grade and one level at grade serving the four floors of residential units above. The apartments are one, two, and three bedroom units with gourmet kitchens that have full appliances. The top floor units also have a double height living room and an open loft above.
Modera Metro Mineola (Searing Avenue North & South)
Two residential apartment buildings created to act as one community. Searing Avenue North is a 164,451 square foot building comprised of 96 units and 141 parking spaces. Searing Avenue South is a 174,597 square foot building comprised of 96 units and 159 parking spaces. Amenities were separated throughout both buildings so that residents can take advantage of both buildings for different reasons. Searing Avenue North houses a club room, fitness center and an outdoor courtyard with seating areas, gazebos, and a barbecue area. Searing Avenue South housed a swimming pool, clubhouse, fitness center and the leasing/administrative office, as well as a rooftop terrace.
Jefferson’s Ferry Life Care Retirement Community
The project, located on a 50 acre site, consists of 28 individual cottages, 217 independent living apartments, 60 assisted living units and 60 skilled nursing beds. A 42,000 square foot community center provides dining rooms, full service dietary facility, group activity rooms, auditorium, pool specially designed for use by the elderly, exercise and physical therapy area, game rooms and a library. Sizes of units range from studio apartments to 2 and 3 bedroom apartments or cottages.
Churchill
This project is an affordable residential building restricted to people 55 and older. It consists of 36 units in a 4-story building on a concrete platform with on-grade parking. This project was built as part of the Winston Project as the affordable component. It's location is convenient to the Mineola LIRR station, as well as the local shopping district.
Brookhaven National Laboratory – Research Support Building
The 2-story Research Support Building features a glass atrium-style lobby connecting two wings of offices covered by a metal panel façade. It tops the New York State requirements for energy efficiency by 15 percent and the structure is considered Green or environmentally friendly, based on the US Green Building Council, LEED rating system. The project has achieved a LEED certification for a Silver rated building.
303 Main
This rental apartment complex is an upscale four story residential building built on a podium-style parking garage. There is a two level parking garage; one level below grade and one level at grade serving the residential units. The apartments are one, two, and three bedroom units with gourmet kitchens that have full appliances. The top floor units also have a double height living room and an open loft above. The landscaped deck above the garage on the second level includes paved walkways, seating areas, gazebos and a resort style swimming pool.
34 Willis Avenue Office Building
Located in the Village of Mineola, on the corner of Willis Avenue and Third Street, this site offered a highly visible corner of an office building. The multi-tenant building has the flexibility for full floor tenants and multiple tenants per floor. The design takes advantage of its corner location by a variety of materials and colors as a contemporary expression of its Architecture.
Mill Creek Residential Trust – New Residential Units
This project consisted of one, five-story wood framed building over three levels of structured parking, one level of which is above grade with the other two below grade. The building contains a total of 275 units created from an anticipated 25 unit types. There is also loft units incorporated into the upper level of the building. Above the parking is an elevated transfer slab, supporting five stories of residential units above. A clubhouse/lease area is located below the transfer slab in the southeastern corner of the building. Two courtyard areas are also incorporated into the transfer level and contains a swimming pool, fountains, plants and pavers.
Nassau University Medical Center – Library Upgrades
H2M designed a $700,000 renovation and upgrade of The Peter W. Addiego Health Sciences Library at the Nassau University Medical Center. Located within NUMC’s Dynamic Care Building, the Health Sciences Library is one of the largest on Long Island. It supports the patient care, biomedical research and graduate medical staff, faculty, and affiliated students. H2M consulted with the medical center’s executives and the librarian to develop a list of functions to be accommodated within the space.
Our Lady of Sorrows Church – Fire Damage Reconstruction
Restoration of the Our Lady of Sorrows RC Church after a devastating fire. The church suffered extensive damage to its ceiling, roof, floors, walls, stained glass and altar. To conserve the integrity of the sanctuary ceiling design, beam smoke detectors which utilize an optical beam to detect smoke were installed on the walls. To address the inadequate air conditioning system in place, H2M provided a design that utilized floor outlets throughout the church seating area to deliver air conditioning and ventilation air to the space. Furthermore, all the lights in the sanctuary were provided with an extensive LUTRON control system, allowing for pre-set scene lighting, individual controls, and automatic controlling of all lights. Wireless technology was used for the lights to avoid the installation of unsightly fixtures.
Long Island High Technology Incubator
The Long Island High Technology Incubator is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping new technologically-innovative companies grow by providing them with a variety of support resources and services. They are dedicated to providing a variety of support resources and services, and their location on the Stony Brook University campus enables the transfer of ideas from the University to the private sector.
The program required that multiple research companies could start with a small lab space, expand easily within the building, and eventually move out. This required a highly flexible laboratory building. The biology and high technology laboratories were designed in a modular design of 500 square feet each.
Individual labs could be interconnected to create research facilities up to 3,000 square feet without new construction or demolition of walls or changing lab equipment. Design included fully equipped labs with casework, framehoods, and central gases. An administration/conference area serves all researchers. Exterior materials are split face concrete block in two colors with aluminum panels at the main entrance.
CREATIVE SOLUTION PROVIDES MORE SPACE FOR ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY
Built with a focus on serving the needs of western Nassau County’s growing senior population, The Bristal at North Hills is a 141,840 square foot assisted living facility consisting of four stories and 140 units. However, the building sits on a sloping terrain that, while challenging to the design team, was the cause of a unique architectural element. As a solution, the team designed a lower elevation at the rear of the building, where the elevation was at its lowest point. This not only added a fifth story to the building, but also included the addition of a two-story dining space.
Before the project began, H2M and the developer underwent a municipal approval process that was able to save valuable time. This included a fee between the developer and Village being negotiated. After the negotiation, the building’s architectural design, area, height, massing, and zoning use were determined. The negotiation was followed by an expedited review process, which included public hearings and input. Once the review was complete, the project quickly obtained its building permits and moved right into the construction phase.
A SECOND HOME FOR A COMMUNITY
When approached from the front, the Grant Park Community Center appears to be just a single-story. However, because it is built into the natural site slope, the building is actually a two-story, 3,500 square foot structure. Retained by the Richman Group Development Corporation, H2M provided architectural and engineering services, as well as the design and development of construction documents for the Yonkers-based project.
The building includes a community room, fitness room, office space, and an equipment storage area. It is constructed with light gauge steel framing and a non-combustible sheathing atop a steel-reinforced concrete foundation. Its architectural features include a two-story entry parlor that allows for natural sunlight to enter through windows above, as well as a fiber cement siding finish that resembles wood lap siding but provides an increased fire protection. Asphalt shingles cover the roofing system to resemble residential construction.
AFFORDABLE, SUSTAINABLE SENIOR HOUSING
As part of a city-wide revitalization effort, H2M designed Park Terrace at Croton Heights, a four-story senior housing apartment building located in the City of Yonkers, Westchester County, New York. The Richman Group, the developer, embarked on the project in an abandoned area that had been left to deteriorate over the years. The goals of the project were to develop affordable senior housing while incorporating a variety of green building techniques for sustainability, energy use, lighting, water, materials, and indoor air quality.
The building, designed with LEED Gold certification in mind, is transit-oriented and located within walking distance of local amenities. Other green features include: an air-tight building envelope; high-efficiency heating and cooling systems; ENERGY STAR-rated lighting fixtures, windows, and appliances; low-flow plumbing fixtures; low-VOC paints, carpets, and flooring; and a continuous fresh air ventilation system.
A BREATH OF FRESH AIR FOR THE LAKES AT SETAUKET
The sewage treatment plant at the Lakes at Setauket condominium complex was beginning to show its age in both operation and capacity. The plant featured a manual airlift wasting system which used compressed air to transfer sludge from one tank to another. This system required the plant operator to manually open and close air valves each day to maintain proper biology and prevent build-up of older, odor-causing sludge. A missed day often resulted in unpleasant smells emanating from the plant.
H2M redesigned the wasting system with an automatic sludge pump, featuring a peristaltic-style hose pump. This new pump automation allowed for the transfer of older sludge without the operator visiting on a daily basis. The new control panel allows for periodic adjustment of the pump duration in response to different loading during weekends and weekdays. These improvements created a more efficient, automatically operated treatment plant that keeps the biology, air mixture, and sewage treatment optimized for the community’s needs. The outcome to the residents was reduced operating costs and a treatment plant with fewer odors.
Much-Needed Space for On-Campus Guests
The Stony Brook Hotel is a Hilton Garden Inn and is located on the main campus of Stony Brook University. H2M worked closely with the developer and the University to design a building that would fit into the campus aesthetic while meeting the requirements for the Hilton Hotel brand. The new 89,458 square foot, five-story hotel features 135 guest rooms, a full commercial kitchen, dining room, 3,500 square feet of meeting room space, swimming pool and spa, fitness center, and many other amenities. With the assistance of a LEED consultant, the building has earned a United States Green Building Council (USGBC) rating of LEED Silver.
One of the challenges presented was ensuring connectivity of the building’s sanitary sewer system to the existing gravity sewer along Nicolls Road. Due to the elevation of the hotel building and the shallow elevation of the existing sewer main, it was not possible to connect to that line directly. The solution was to design a new gravity sewer main parallel to the existing one and connect it to an existing manhole further downstream to the north. Unfortunately, the new sewer line had to cross the Stony Brook University main entrance to campus. Without disrupting traffic and tearing up the main entrance, the new sewer line was constructed by “jacking” the pipes under the entrance road.
An Aging Facility Receives New Life
Established in 1921 in what was formerly a mansion, Providence Rest was founded by the Sisters of Saint John the Baptist as a “small house of Providence."
Expanding over the years, the Bronx, NY facility that overlooks Eastchester Bay added Pope Memorial in the ‘50s, a four-story nursing home; and then added another in the ‘80s, called Pope Pavilion. However, by 1999, both wings were in need of renovation and updates. In modernizing the facility, H2M was faced with a challenge: to design the new facility to match the existing wings’ aesthetics while also fitting into a residential neighborhood. H2M proposed a new, four-story, 120-bed addition to the facility that was designed to maximize the views of Eastchester Bay and have minimal visual impact to the facility’s residential neighbors.
The new addition was constructed in brick to provide harmony with the previous two additions. Structurally, the building was designed as a steel frame with precast concrete floors and roof. This enabled the new addition to align with the existing buildings’ relatively low floor-to-floor heights — an important consideration in nursing home design. The front entrance was designed to be more residential in size and character, presenting mullion windows and a steeply-pitched standing seam roof.
The entire process only required the residents move once. From Pope Pavillion, the residents were transferred to the new addition. Once Pope Pavillion was vacated, it underwent a renovation and the residents of Pope Memorial were moved in once the renovation was complete. Pope Memorial became mostly administrative space and host to an adult healthcare program, while the rest was left open for future needs.
Increasing Energy Efficiency for Long Island Mercedes-Benz Dealerships
H2M recently renovated two Long Island Mercedes-Benz car dealerships using cutting-edge designs, while also reducing the dealerships’ carbon footprints. Mercedes-Benz of Smithtown and Mercedes-Benz of Huntington have been updated to reflect Mercedes-Benz USA’s new corporate identity standards.
Mercedes-Benz of Smithtown vertically expanded their facility by over 26,000 square feet, with a new basement and a second story addition. The project included the demolition of one half of the original showroom. Utilizing MB USA’s corporate identity standards, H2M modified the corporate space standards to meet the competition’s needs. A white TPO roof was installed to keep the building cooler in summer, and the showroom features a car elevator to bring vehicles stored in the basement up to the showroom floor.
Mercedes-Benz of Huntington added over 7,000 square feet. of floor space and a brand new, 163 square feet. drive-in recycled water car wash. The car wash captures and filters greywater, introducing only 20% fresh water to each wash. The new two-story showroom allows for cars to be displayed on both levels.
Both facilities feature an abundance of sustainable features. A Building Management System (BMS) is used to control air conditioning and heating. All units are tied into a central control module, which allows for remote access to the units from a computer, cell phone or tablet. Units automatically adjust to internal and external temperatures to keep the interior spaces at a constant temperature. Personnel elevators at both showrooms feature a Machine-Roomless (MRL) elevator. This type of elevator is traction driven, using less electricity and no hydraulic fluids or oils.
One of the most striking features of both designs is the floor to ceiling glass walls that make up three sides of each showroom. Spanning over 20 feet, the glass walls utilize double-pane, tinted, low-E glass, which reduces solar gain through the glass and insulates better than regular double-pane glass. The full height glass walls rely on internal structural reinforcement for support.
National Company Gets Room to Grow
With a national company looking to consolidate its regional offices into a single headquarter at the Hauppauge Office Park, H2M was retained by Hauppauge Office Park Associates and Colin Development to design the space. The footprint of the $12 million, five-story office building was built on the existing concrete foundation, which had to be modified to meet current building code requirements. Incorporated within the design was an exterior precast panel system that would expedite the construction process and save the client both time and money. The project eventually went on to receive a tax incentive bonus from the Town of Islip Industrial Development Agency.
Fitting into the Neighborhood
The Bristal at Lake Grove is a 136-bed, three-story assisted living facility located in a residential neighborhood. Because of its proximity to surrounding homes, the local municipality was concerned about how the development would affect neighboring residences, as well as the property’s front yard setbacks.
To answer to these challenges, H2M worked closely with the Village’s Mayor and its architectural review board. The result was a Victorian Style building that was built on a very unique footprint, and harmoniously blended with the Village’s residential homes.
Outdated Nursing Home Gets New Life
As one of the first nursing home licenses granted in New York State in the 1950s, the Belair Nursing and Rehabilitation Center had not been updated to current standards in over 50 years. The aging facility, while well maintained, lacked the infrastructure of modern facilities, including recreation areas, on-site physical therapy, staff offices, and parking. To meet current standards and allow for changes in health care’s future, National Health Care Associates embarked on an ambitious plan to remake the facility, which would ultimately become a first-class skilled, nursing facility that U.S. News and World Report has named to its list of “Best Nursing Homes” for 2013 and 2014.
The new facility design, which increased the size from 28,743 square feet to 82,596 square feet and over 100 beds, required the acquisition of additional acreage from adjacent properties because of the size of the expansion. After a long and complex zoning process, the property was acquired. Phased construction allowed for each resident to remain at the facility and only be moved once throughout the construction process.
New Facility Meets Community’s Standards
The hamlet of Armonk maintains a high standard within its community for design. For H2M, the standards by which they were held were no different.
Situated within an office park, where the building design predated the Regan Administration and did not relate to the surrounding community, the Bristal at Armonk stands out among the rest. Located at the intersection of Routes 22 and 684, the 141-bed, 123,277 square foot building has a strong visual presence thanks to its Romanesque architectural style.
Overcoming Armonk’s high design standards was not the only obstacle H2M overcame. The hamlet, located in Westchester County, had a higher-than-normal water table. As a result, no cellar could be constructed, bringing all service areas to grade. To maximize this building’s potential, H2M designed an “X”-shape, enabling there to be virtually no inside building corners without windows. Additionally, this facility brought a concept to the table that is not only new to Bristal, but is relatively new to assisted living homes: a spa amenity that resembles that of a luxury hotel.