Harbor House at The YWCA
Location: Schenectady, NY
Client: Xenolith Partners, YWCA North Eastern NY
Type: Supportive Housing
Size: 39,965 SF
Units: 54
This 100% supportive development is designed to meet the needs of those most frequently served by the YWCA NorthEastern New York (YWCA NENY)–survivors of domestic violence. It will offer 54 new built units for women (trans-inclusive) on YWCA NENY’s existing campus in the Stockade Historic District in Schenectady. Fifty units will be studios designed for individuals while the remainder are two-bedrooms to accommodate small families.
The project is located in a walkable neighborhood that is well-served by public transportation, access to employment and educational opportunities, restaurants, grocery stores, municipal services, and parks.
The project team embraced a community engagement process for over two years to ensure that the final result was a well-received addition to the Stockade District. The first of two phases, Harbor House will help YWCA NENY re-position its housing strategy away from SROs. The next phase will include the historically sensitive, adaptive reuse of YWCA NENY’s existing building, converting the SRO units and underused space into studios and family units. As SROs require shared facilities, a move to independent living spaces can help limit the transmission of infectious diseases, which is critical during a pandemic.
Harbor House uses trauma-informed design guidelines to create a sense of safety, support, and community. Specific interventions include: clustering of units; an abundance of natural light and view corridors to provide residents with visual connection to the outdoors; layers of semi-private and semi-public common spaces, including a double-height great room; and an even distribution of supportive services across all floors of the building. These ideas are even more important during a pandemic given concerns around personal space and crowded places.