Paul A. Castrucci, Architects

?? Step into our office! This week, we were pleased to host The Community Builders, Inc., Lettire Construction Corp., Harmony in Hue, and Ascendant Neighborhood Development to walk through The Beacon Residential interiors. Energy Analyst and Assistant Project Manager Ana Leopold shared, “We want it to be a high-quality, dignified project—timeless, comfortable and welcoming. When people move in, they should be able to stay for a long time. Everything we’re doing to make this building energy efficient and resilient has to be possible for affordable housing.” The Beacon will feature:? ? 282 affordable housing units (0-80% AMI, all below $100K), with 15% set aside for formerly homeless individuals. ? Passive House design for energy efficiency, superior air quality, and long-term affordability ?? An #adaptivereuse community facility for East Harlem-centric nonprofits, complete with a rooftop greenhouse ?? Flood-resilient design with native landscaping and rich textures As we near the end of the CD phase, we’re proud of how this project is shaping up and the tangible impact it will have on the lives of East Harlem residents. ????? Read more on The Beacon here: https://lnkd.in/eVKJWtca - - - #affordablehousing #nychousing #sustainabledesign #eastharlem #communitybuilding #passivehouse

Excellent to see familiar faces yesterday at 2025 New York Build Expo at Javits Center. Straightaway, we headed to the “Solving NYC’s Housing Market Conundrum” panel featuring Jillian McLaughlin, Mark Ginsberg, John Zimmer, and Allison Ruddock. Our takeaways... ?? Challenge: NYC’s 1.4% vacancy rate is disquieting. With only 20% of households able to afford a market-rate 1-bedroom, we need more #affordablehousing now. ?? Solutions: ? Increasing housing supply in the city will increase affordable housing, but we should look beyond city limits, too (Westchester, anyone?) ? Consider these policy changes: - Modify building codes to "take the fat" out of the construction process - Reform tax abatement policies (incentives to reduce property taxes for developers) to create a more consistent system, reducing the boom-and-bust cycles in housing production - Expand #LIHTC to increase affordable housing subsidies - Legalize ADUs to reduce unsafe units Meanwhile, audience members advocated for: - Using HDFCs to create paths to homeownership - & loosening community board restrictions to include voices of people who want to live there ??? As the #housingcrisis continues to crush hardworking New Yorkers, we need solutions that allow families to live affordably and sustainably for generations. This demands adopting bold policies, creativity, and a feverish YIMBY-ism. What’s the most important step to address NYC’s housing challenges? Sound off in the comments! ??

The search continues! We’re hiring! Bookkeeper | Part-Time (16–24 hrs) Salary: 41,000–52,000 Requirements: ? 5+ years of QuickBooks experience ?? Skilled in managing hourly budgets ??? Experience in architecture or related consulting preferred ?? Local to NYC metro area Send your resume + a brief intro to: ?? [email protected] #nowhiring #bookkeeper #lowereastside

Welcome to Bethany Terraces’ brand-new demonstration kitchen! ???? Here, our developer RiseBoro Community Partnership will host cooking classes for residents, plucking fresh ingredients from the greenhouse just upstairs. Designing buildings that foster holistic health and community connection is at the heart of what we do—and it’s what makes projects like this so rewarding. Bethany Terraces received its temporary certificate of occupancy (TCO) in October, and we’re excited to soon welcome residents to this energy-efficient, thoughtfully designed home. Here’s to creating spaces that inspire well-being and bring people together. Bon appétit! ?? - - - #nychousing #affordablehousing #littlehaiti #brooklynhousing #seniorhousing #healthyliving #passivehouse #modularconstruction

?? Big News! ?? We’re delighted to announce that PCA has been accepted into the NYC Accelerator’s Service Provider Program! As New York City works toward its goal of carbon neutrality by 2050, we’re proud to play a role in helping building decision-makers implement energy-efficient, cost-effective measures to #decarbonize our city. This opportunity reflects PCA’s longstanding commitment to designing healthy, high-performance buildings that deliver lasting value for communities and the environment. “We’re excited to join this collaborative network and see this as an incredible opportunity to drive a generational shift in energy performance throughout New York City,” said Grayson Jordan, Principal at PCA. Join us in celebrating this milestone and learn more about the NYC Accelerator program on our blog: ?? https://lnkd.in/eHucsVDj #lowcarbon #zeroemissions #sustainablearchitecture #passivehouse #modularconstruction #nychousing

Affordable Housing on the Rise in Far Rockaway! ??? Last week, we celebrated the topping-out ceremony of Grace’s Place, marking the completion of all 9 stories of its block and plank structure. Now, we’re shifting focus to refining the interiors and creating a warm, welcoming home for future residents. We sat down with Principal Andy Vann and Architectural Designer/Project Manager Shakibul Islam to hear what this milestone means to them. ? “I’m really looking forward to everything starting to click—seeing gypsum board go up, plumbing fixtures installed, and the human scale of the building take shape. Because right now, with the structure topped out, it feels more like a machine than a residence. There’s concrete, pipes, ductwork—it’s all infrastructure. But as we add human-scaled elements—tile, bathroom sinks, faucets, things you can touch and interact with—it’s going to transform into a real residential project. That’s when it’ll start to feel like a home.” - Andy Vann Check out more insights from Andy and Shakibul on our blog: https://lnkd.in/esKgkMWM #constructionupdate #farrockaway #affordablehousing #nychousing

In the new reality where 100 year storms are more like 10 year storms, managing rainwater effectively is *crucial* to building resilience. Here at 19-19 Cornaga, our latest affordable & supportive housing project, we’re installing a dry well retention system?to handle stormwater and mitigate flood risk. Here’s how it works: ?? Underground chambers temporarily "hold" rainwater, preventing sewer overload. ?? Water slowly trickles into the ground, reducing strain on infrastructure. Next: ?? A foot of clean topsoil will be added above the gravel layer. ??? & a concrete slab will be installed in the playground area to support future structures. ?? & when the time comes, these massive chambers will manage water from rear yard, streetfront, and roof area drains. Cornaga's just starting to take shape, but this is one small example of the thought and care that goes into designing buildings that’ll stand the test of time! More on Cornaga here: https://lnkd.in/eZXnnnrX #constructionupdate #sustainabledesign #stormwatermanagement #resilientspaces #farrockaway #nychousing #affordablehousing

We’re hiring! Bookkeeper | Part-Time (16–24 hrs) Salary: 41,000–52,000 Requirements: ? 5+ years of QuickBooks experience ?? Skilled in managing hourly budgets ??? Experience in architecture or related consulting preferred ?? Local to NYC metro area Send your resume + a brief intro to: ?? [email protected] #nowhiring #lowereastside #bookkeeper #nycjobs #architecturecareers

ABC No Rio’s foundation is complete! Steel columns and rafters enter the lot on Tuesday, marking the next phase of construction: the basement roof. Estimated completion date: early summer of 2026 Congrats to Gavin Marcus & the ABC No Rio team. We can’t wait to witness your impact in this new space. ???? Learn more about this project here: https://lnkd.in/epiRw6Jy #constructionupdate #arts #activism #lowereastside #nycarchitecture

When you think of Switzerland, you might picture snowy Alps, holey cheese, or army knives—but probably not tape! ?? This week, we had the pleasure of hosting SIGA, a ???? Swiss-founded company specializing in high-performance construction tapes and membranes, for an insightful lunch & learn session. Nathan Priputen guided us through the importance of moisture and air sealing, and we got hands-on with sealing seam gaps that, if left unchecked, can lead to discomfort and long-term building damage. Airtightness is key to #PassiveHouse design, ensuring continuous insulation and reducing energy loss in both new builds and retrofits. It’s inspiring to learn from companies like SIGA that are pushing the (thermal) envelope and advancing sustainable building practices. A big thank you to the SIGA team for an engaging and educational session! #lunchandlearn #buildingscience #futurebuildings #airtightness #blowerdoor #passivehouse #detailsmatter #teamwork