Administration for Children’s Services, Children's Center
New York, NY
Richard Dattner & Partners Architects

Formerly a morgue, the building was turned over to Morgan Laboratories and then abandoned in 1980. The derelict building was brought back, and adaptively converted into the new ACS Children’s Center.

The exterior of this McKim Mead & White building, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, included an elaborate terra cotta cornice, extensively damaged during the last repair campaign. A partial replacement of new cornice and entablature, replicating the original, and using GFRC completed. The existing decorative cast iron and cut stone balconies and windows were restored and/or replaced.The interior of this 9 level structure was gutted and renovated. Renovations incorporated offices, children’s temporary housing, and the education center with classrooms. New construction of the interior courtyard includes a new auditorium, playroom and recreation area. Other structural features include complete floor restoration (a completely new level was added to the courtyard to support the original flat art terra cotta floors), 4 new sets of stairs, 4 new elevators, new bearing walls, mechanical equipment support, new entrances, new ceiling system, and new mezzanine floor.

Design incorporated sustainable criteria. By thoroughly assessing the condition of the existing terra cotta tile floors, we were able to dramatically change the original conception of the contractors that much of the system required replacement--almost all of it was saved. Similarly, much of the existing exterior was saved through refurbishment rather than replacement.