SWBR Recognized at 2017 Excelsior Awards for Evergreen Lofts
SWBR was recently recognized by the New York State American Institute of Architects (AIA) with a 2017 Excelsior Award for Public Architecture in the Historic Renovation category for its work on the Evergreen Lofts project in Buffalo.
Evergreen Lofts, located in downtown Buffalo, opened in 2016 with a mission to provide affordable housing for people who are in danger of, or are experiencing homelessness – and a safe option for people who may face housing discrimination elsewhere – with full access to supportive services including medical, mental health and transportation. “Our goal was to make a place where people both were welcomed and would feel comfortable, particularly Buffalo’s LGBTQ community,” said Justin Azzarella, Associate Vice President for Community Development.
The five-story former warehouse was originally built around the turn of the century. Today, the 64,000-square-foot Evergreen Lofts contains a mix of 56 one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments with half of those units eligible for subsidies through the HUD McKinney Continuum of Care Supportive Housing Program.
Joe Gibbons, AIA, Principal-In-Charge of the Evergreen Lofts project said, “working closely with Evergreen Health, we were able to adapt and transform a wonderful piece of Buffalo’s manufacturing history into exciting and energizing new apartments for their residents. As architects, it is very rewarding to be able to design projects that have a meaningful impact on people’s lives.”
