Construction begins on New Manhattan Pet Adoption Center

The Department of Design and Construction is completely renovating an old garage in East Harlem into a new facility specifically designed to supply animals for adoption to the city. On June 4, 2021, the Directorate of Design and Construction and the Directorate of Health and Mental Hygiene ad the start of construction of a new pet adoption center located at 328 East 109th Street in East Harlem. The Center will work with dogs, cats, guinea pigs and other adoptable animals.

The construction project will convert a 2,500 square foot garage into a dedicated adoption facility. The interior and exterior of the existing garage will be completely renovated. The new roof, skylights, lighting and light fixtures will be installed. A new glass system will be added for the kennel area to showcase the animals available for adoption. The building floor will be replaced with a concrete slab which will allow additional drainage. New energy efficient HVAC equipment will also be installed and the new equipment will meet current animal care standards.

The design of the buildings will include a colorful exterior appearance that will be able to bring in natural daylight and create an attractive presence on the street. A rain screen will be included to add depth and preserve the masonry already present on the building. The building design won two awards. The annual Design Excellence Award was presented by the New York City Public Design Commission and the Global Future Design Award was presented by the Architecture Press Release.

The design was made by Wendy Joseph from Studio Joseph. The design of the project was carried out under the Department of Design and Construction’s Project Excellence Program, which prequalifies and qualifies design companies with which the Department will work. The program helps reduce the time it takes to purchase designs while ensuring quality.

Construction on the design will begin in June and will take approximately sixteen months. Once construction is complete, the building will be donated to the Animal Care Center to be fully converted into an adoption center. The general contractor for the project is Litehouse Builders Inc. The $ 6.33 million project is managed by the Department of Design and Construction for the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

The Manhattan Pet Adoption Center is one of many animal-related projects under development by the Department of Design and Construction. Other projects include animal care centers under construction in Brooklyn and the Bronx as well as renovations to the city’s animal shelter on Staten Island.

Design and Construction Department Commissioner Jamie Torres-Springer said, “The thoughtful design of the project meets the needs of protected animals and the staff who care for them, while creating an inviting space that will attract visitors. visitors and help find forever homes for future pets. in need. Pets have been a lifeline for many families over the past year and we are very excited to create this attractive new space to make adoptions easier.

Health Commissioner Dr Dave A Chokshi said: “This new center will ensure pets have a comfortable stopover on their way to a permanent home. Our dogs, cats, guinea pigs and other pets deserve nothing less. “

Animal Care Center President and CEO Risa Weinstock said, “The ability to showcase the wonderful animals that we expect to find their forever home in a state-of-the-art center will surely lead to an increase in adoptions. and will bring us even closer. to end animal roaming in New York.

Through: Patrick mcneill (Patrick is an intern at CityLaw and a student at New York Law School, class of 2022.)