Neighborhoods Now
Dear friend,
for small businesses on how to apply for relief loans. They drafted legal templates for short-term leases to occupy vacant storefronts. They collaborated with senior staff at City agencies to help neighborhoods access programs like Open Streets and Open Restaurants.
As the pandemic took root in our city in March, its uneven impact on the lives of New Yorkers quickly became painfully clear. While our city’s well-resourced communities and businesses benefit from the ability to purchase expertise, the neighborhoods where many of our essential workers live do The work is far from over. Many of these firms are committed not have the same access and resources. to continuing these partnerships in service of long-term efforts to address systemic inequities and greater community In response, the Urban Design Forum and Van Alen Institute ambitions. The need for this work is profound, and we hope tapped into our collective network of architects, designers, this effort inspires the design community to come together in and engineers. In a matter of weeks, more than 65 firms continued service of New York’s neighborhoods. Ultimately, mobilized to support the recovery of four neighborhoods the long term value of this approach will be the alliances hit particularly hard by the pandemic: Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn; forged across demographic and professional boundaries. Jackson Heights, Queens; Kingsbridge, Bronx; and Washington Heights, Manhattan. To date, these firms — We are humbled by this outstanding display of teamwork, including architects, planners, engineers, graphic designers, creative problem solving, and immense generosity. We and attorneys — have contributed thousands of hours of pro thank the 200+ community experts and practitioners who bono expertise to support fellow New Yorkers. have given their time and passion, and we look forward to continuing the work. In partnership with community leaders, they piloted open-air extensions for restaurants, created neighborhood signage With gratitude, with COVID-19 health protocols, and developed proposals for relocating community events and educational programs Deborah Marton into open space. Executive Director, Van Alen Institute Our partner neighborhoods’ needs also went far deeper than design, so our working groups expanded their support beyond physical interventions. They organized a seminar
Daniel McPhee Executive Director, Urban Design Forum
Neighborhoods Now
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SMALL OFFICE / RETAIL REOPENING PLAN PROPOSAL
A vast majority of small business resides in similar building type will be facing similar challenge on the re-opening ; cooper square committee located in higlighted building in diagram above
STREET FACADE
Project Goals Cooper Square Committee occupies a 1,700 square feet ground floor commercial space. They have no mechanical ventilation and limited operable windows, which represents a typical condition of small ground floor business. Cooper Square Committee is looking to develop a plan to re occupy their space with limited staff capacity to work and meet with clients in a confidential setting. In the long term, they would like to plan for increase thermal comfort in their space. Needs Assessment (based on interview and site visit): • Select dedicated space for consultation room to receive visitor and provide physical barriers of staff to visitor space. • Improve consultation room based on recommended COVID-19 guide-lines • Guidance on the use of natural ventilation vs mechanical heating and cooling • Improved thermal comfort of the office space. Front office is always cold in winter and open office lacks air circulation.
FRONT MEETING ROOM
ENTRY AREA
A.01 PROJECT BACKGROUND
PROGRAM DELINEATION Configure layout to limit visitor and staff interaction. Full height partition define staff only area.
OFFICE WORK SPACE OCC: 2
PHYSICAL IMPROVEMENTS • Reconfigure Office 1 to consultant room. Addition of Sneeze Guard between staff and visitor. • Provide 8' high barrier between lobby and open office
OCC: 2
OCC: 7
GENERAL OFFICE PROCEDURE • Whenever possible client meetings will be virtual. Institute appointment only policy. No walk-in appointment will be provided. Make visitor aware of mask policy and that if they feel unwell, they should reschedule. • Client has only be allowed in the lobby and consultation room. • Staff will be scheduled to work in the office to limit capacity to 1person in each office and 3 people in open office. DESIGN OBJECTIVES • develop progression improvement at front of house operation and procedure • evaluate option of security and operation control point
OCC: 1
OCC: 1
OFFICE SPACE FOR STAFF WITH MAINLY INTERNAL TASK
OFFICE WITH OPERABLE WINDOW TO DILUTE CONTAMINATION AND INTRODUCE FRESH AIR
OCC: 3
LOCATION ADJUSTABLE PARTITION
EMPLOYEE WORKING ZONING OVERLAPPED W/ CLIENT MTG
EXTENT OF RECEPTION AREA FOR CONSULTANT
RECEPTION AREA RECEPTION
SPACE PREVIOUSLY RENT OUT
OFFICE SETUP FOR LONG CLIENT MEETING
OFFICE PLAN - CURRENT USE DIAGRAM 3/32" = 1'-0"
A.02 PROGRAM ANALYSIS
OFFICE PLAN - PROGRAM SUGGESTION 3/32" = 1'-0"
6' - 0"
FRONT OF HOUSE PHYSICAL IMPROVEMENTS / PROTOCOLS • Remove Waiting Area Chairs to discourage gathering • Provide minimal furnishing in lobby and consultant room for ease of cleaning • Provide sanitation for staff and visitors • Install signage of office policies 1. Appointment Only visitations 2. Staff Only beyond Lobby 3. Mask Required • Install higher barrier wall between lobby and open office • Set up Consultation Room to provide 6' distance • If close interaction is required, use desk fitted with sneeze guard • Set up procedure for scheduling clients • Install air purifier to remove contaminates. Run purifier before, during and after meetings.
EXISTING 2'X4' DESKTOP 3) SNEEZE GUARD WITH PASS THROUGH 4) AIR PURIFIER
1) ADD SIGNAGE "STAFF ONLY"
2) ADD SANITIZER DISPENSER
1) ADD SIGNAGE "APPOINTMENT ONLY VISITS" AND "MASK REQUIRED"
5) TEMPORARILY REMOVE WAITING CHAIRS
1ST FLOOR PLAN_F.O.H OPERATION DIAGRAM (PHYSICAL BARRIER)
A.03 FRONT OF HOUSE OPERATION
COST
DOB FILING
ALLOW CROSS VENTILATION
SECURITY
FLEXIBILITY
STORAGE
TRANSPERENCY DAYLIGHTING
OPTION 1 DRYWALL PARTITION WITH PIN BOARD /GRAPHIC WALL
MEDIUM
REQUIRED
PROVIDED
HIGH
OPTION 2 CUBICAL STORAGE / FURNITURE PIECE AS PARTITION
HIGH
PROVIDED
LOW
PROVIDED
PROVIDED
OPTION 3 UNITSTRUT FRAMING LIGHT WEIGHT/ ADJUSTABLE PARITION
LOW
ADJUSTABLE
PROVIDED
OPTION 4 UNITSTRUT FRAMING LIGHT WEIGHT/ ADJUSTABLE PARITION AND FULL HEIGHT PARTITION
LOW
*CHART EVALUATION POINT BASED ON CLIENT'S PREFERENCE AND PRIORITY
A.04 SECURITY+OPERATION CONTROL POINT
ADJUSTABLE
PROVIDED
FRONT VIEW
REAR VIEW
A.05 PARTITION WALL DESIGN
GENERAL VENTILATION GUIDELINES AS RECOMMENDED BY CDC AND ASHRAE • Increase outdoor air ventilation • Upgrade particle filtration (MERV 13 or greater/HEPA filter) • Provide Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation with in ducts • Provide portable ionize air purifier • Provide Temperature and Humidity Control LIMITATION OF EXISTING SPACE • Only windows provide natural ventilation. Open office and front office (new consultantion room) does not have enough natural ventilation. • No exhaust system in bathroom or kitchen. • Existing Wall mounted heat pump likely can not be retrofitted with higher MERV rated filter or HEPA filters. Heat pumps recirculate indoor air and provide some dehumidification. • There is no ducted systems for Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation to be installed • There is no option to provide mechanical ventilation from the street 1. Site is located in a Landmarked Historic District and any changes will be lengthy and cost prohibitive 2. There is not enought distance from outdoor air intake to exhaust and from the sidewalk to avoid contamination of outdoor air supply. • Thermal comfort issue with poor preforming storefront windows.
SHARED OFFICES: ADEQUATE VENITLATION
OPEN OFFICE: DOES NOT MEET NATURAL VENTLATION MINIMUM PER CURRENT CODE
KITCHEN AND BATHROOM: NO EXHAUST
OFFICE: NO VENTILATION
LIMITED OPTIONS TO ADD MECHANCIAL LOUVER AT STREETFRONT
OFFICE PLAN - EXISTING CONDITION 3/32" = 1'-0"
A.06 VENTILATION ANAYLSIS
ENERGY RECOVERY VENTILATOR WITH MERV 13 FILTER
REPLACE FIXED PANE WITH OPERABLE WINDOWS
GUV UNIT AT EXHAUST
PROVIDE AIR PURFIER WITH HEPA FILTER
KITCHEN AND BATHROOM: ALLOW FOR EXHAUSTS OF POLLUTANTS
OFFICE PLAN - LONG TERM MECH STRATEGY 3/32" = 1'-0"
VENTILATION IMPROVEMENTS FOR CONSULTATION ROOM 1/4" = 1'-0"
STRATEGIES OF CONSULTATION ROOM • Replace the two fixed side windows of the storefront with operable windows to allow for natural cross ventilation. • Window also gives the opportunity to have a pass through to drop off documents and allow for short meetings. • Provide air purifer between staff and clients. • Leave windows and air purifier on before, during, and after meetings.
STRATEGIES OF LONG TERM MECHANICAL STRATEGY FOR AND AFTER COVID-19 • During Pandemic, open windows when spaces are occupied • Provide ducted Energy Recovery Ventilation 1. ERV provides thermal comfort while supplying pre temper outdoor air 2. Balanced ventilation allows proper air circulation that is lacking in the current space 3. In General, ERV may be fitted with high MERV rated filters depending on the ERV system performance capabilities. 4. Ducted system allows for the installation of Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation components. 5. System can be scheduled to ventilate the space before and after occupation to change the stale air out of the space. A.07 VENTILATION STRATEGIES
Challenges Small businesses and organizations often lack capital and stability of lease spaces to attempt to make improvements and ventilation upgrades for COVID-19. The regulartor cost of approval and permits and expeditors to file them can also add to the cost of implementing mechancial changes. Depending on the length and height of the storefront, there may not be be adequate space to provide additional intake and exhaust louvers. Limited space for separate vistor and employee circulation.
City Policies The city can provide expedited Department of Building review for COVID-19 related improvements. The city can also review a sliding scale of fees that might be help small bussiness impliment these changes. Develop education program and loan to help small business/property owners retrofit spaces for natural and/or mechanical ventilation so activity can happen safer indoor. Encourage landlords that is a marketing point, post COVID-19, that spaces are already fitted with capacity for ventilation
A.08 CHALLENGLES / IMPACTS CITY POLICY