A Residential Design Award of Excellence is given for the restoration of the Harlem River Houses. Built in 1936-37 to house African Americans, the complex is one of the first federally subsidized public housing projects in the city, and its modernist design, embodying a simultaneous commitment to New Deal social progressivism, set a precedent for higher standards in public housing across the country. In 2020, a major rehabilitation harnessed public and private funding to upgrade the buildings and apartments to ensure their suitability for ongoing use as public housing, while at the same time preserving the historic character of the landmark design. The extensive restoration included repairs to the buildings’ brick facades; replacement of non-historic windows with new aluminum casements matching the originals; the provision of electric central VRF heating and air conditioning to every residential unit; updating all 577 apartments with new finishes and fixtures; and the restoration of the historic courtyards, playgrounds, fountains, and sculptures by Heinz Warnecke and other artists, among numerous other improvements to resident accessibility and comfort—in keeping with the progressive spirit of the property’s design. 

Settlement Housing Fund

Settlement Housing Fund, Inc. (lead owner & developer): Eliot Hetterly, Samuel Birnbaum, Michael Gaboury, Judy Herbstman, Emily Lehman, Katherine McAulay; West Harlem Group Assistance (co-owner & co-developer): Donald Notice, Valerie Samuel; L+M Development Partners LLC (development partner & general contractor): John Capone, Elli Himmelstein, Pat Leach, Ayanna Oliver Taylor, JeRome Dunbar, Cody Emanuel, Anthony Zapata; Curtis + Ginsburg Architects (architect): Ryan Esparza, Tamar Kisilevitz, Alyssa Clayburn, Mark Ginsberg; New York City Housing Authority (development partner): Heather Beck, Matthew Charney, Gillian Connell, Jonathan Gouveia, Marissa Schaffer, Nathan Stern, Robert Tesoriero JP Morgan Chase (historic tax credit equity investor): Jasmine Copeland, Mary Ottoson, Hank Loughborough; Higgins Quasebarth & Partners LLC (historic preservation consultants): Lakan Cole, Ward Dennis, Sarah Sher; Inglese Architecture + Engineering (MEP engineer): Samantha Cacdac, Jak Inglese, Rupal Singh; Jablonski Building Conservation, Inc. (historic sculptures conservator): Mary Jablonski, Helen M. Thomas-Haney; NV5 (landscape architects): Socorro Alatorre, Art Kleinman; RAND Engineering & Architecture (roof & façade engineers): Brett Rieger, Melissa Vazquez, Luke Pantaleo; AKRF (environmental consultant): Deborah Shapiro, Amy Jordan, Colleen Griffiths; Bright Power (sustainability consultant): Matt Soble, Amritha Rajan; Sav Relo LLC (resident temporary relocation consultant): Sheila Myvett, Jackie Robinson, Eneida Alba; C+C Apartment Management LLC (property manager): Tyrone Thomas, Djamillah Diallo, Joshua Gell, Nick Papakostopoulos