Culture & Recreation Archives - EW Howell Construction Group

Bronx Animal Care Center

Tim Kirchoff — Wed, 26 Jul 2023 12:40:05 +0000

Through the DDC Design Excellence Program & the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), a new animal care facility will be constructed in the Bronx. The Bronx Animal Care Center and Veterinary Clinic will provide animal care for the community, adoption services & education on animal wellness. The design is intended to create a safe, healthy and humane environment for animals, staff, and visitors to the facility.

The new 50,000-square-foot building will include an animal care center and veterinary clinic, public outpatient veterinary clinic, wildlife rehabilitation and education center, administrative offices, and community room. Admissions, adoptions, medical services, and boarding will be housed for approximately 70 dogs, 140 cats, 30 rabbits, and up to 20 animals of other species. The animal care center and public veterinary medical facilities will be operated by Animal Care Centers of NYC (ACC).

Open areas on the site will include yards to facilitate dog adoptions, covered exercise runs, courtyards and parking for staff, visitors and animal transportation vehicles, as well as site lighting and low-maintenance native planting throughout. In addition to the animal housing, the Center will include a community space.

The owner of the property requires BIM (Building Information Modeling) Level of Development 500, the highest level of BIM.

On August 15, 2024, the Bronx Animal Care Center and Veterinary Clinic team held a topping out ceremony, featuring the signing and installation of the topping steel beam.

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South Battery Park Wagner Pavilion Resiliency Project

Tim Kirchoff — Wed, 26 Jul 2023 14:15:11 +0000

Wagner Park, a cherished waterfront greenspace in Battery Park City, boasts unobstructed views of the Statue of Liberty and New York Harbor. As part of a major $221 million climate resilience plan, the Battery Park City Authority will tear down Wagner Park, reconstruct it with new flood-prevention features, and raise it by 10 feet.

The centerpiece of the new park is the Wagner Pavilion. Constructed with cast-in-place reinforced architectural concrete, the pavilion features concave walls that create visual drama while providing structural efficiency in the volatile marine environment. The building’s two-wing design required precise coordination: the north wing houses community space and park storage, while the south wing contains a 5,000-square-foot restaurant with park- and street-level dining areas. The new building is applying for ILFI Net-Zero Carbon Certification.

In January 2024, the Waterfront Alliance announced that the South Battery Park City Resiliency Project would be the 13th nationally to achieve WEDG (Waterfront Edge Design Guidelines) Verification. WEDG is a rating system and set of guidelines for resilient, ecological, and accessible waterfront design. Projects must pass a technical review to be deemed eligible for WEDG Verification. To learn more, click here.

The South Battery Park City Resilience Project was recognized in the AIA New York 2026 Design Awards, being given the Merit Award in the Urban Design category. Additionally, Wagner Park was recognized as one of the best waterfront parks that opened in 2025 by Fast Company.

In 2026, the Wagner Pavilion project was named Special Award Winner in the 2026 SARA NY Design Awards.

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Delacorte Public Restroom/Comfort Station Restoration

Robert Sutter — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 14:07:15 +0000

The Central Park Conservancy awarded EW Howell Construction Group the Delacorte Public Restroom/Comfort Station project. Originally constructed in 1912, adjacent to the wall of the Old Receiving Reservoir, this is the primary restroom for visitors to the Delacorte Theater and surrounding landscapes. Early on, it was also referred to as the Belvedere Comfort Station due to its proximity to Belvedere Castle.

The Delacorte Public Restroom/Comfort Station project included a comprehensive restoration of the building envelope. The interior renovation increased restroom capacity, replaced fixtures and finishes, updated building systems and utility infrastructure, and improved the network of paths to create multiple accessible routes to both the theater and restroom. Accessibility to other park location and facilities, including the Great Lawn, Swedish Cottage, and Shakespeare Garden, was also improved. Park infrastructure was upgraded in conjunction with regrading and repaving paths.

Read More: Central Park Conservancy

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Davis Center at the Harlem Meer

Tim Kirchoff — Wed, 26 Jul 2023 13:12:25 +0000

The new Davis Center at the Harlem Meer is one of the most complex projects ever undertaken in Central Park’s long history.

Covering 34,000 square feet, the new center replaces the former Lasker Rink and Pool, originally built in 1966. This facility served as a barrier between Central Park and the surrounding Harlem community and required modernization.

Situated on 6 acres, the Davis Center at the Harlem Meer seamlessly blends into the park’s landscape with its stone walls and green roof. It features a new, larger-than-Olympic-sized pool, which will serve various purposes throughout the seasons. The pool will act as a flexible recreation space during the spring and fall, and it will transform into an ice skating rink in the winter. Additionally, the center includes locker rooms, a concession stand, and gallery space for visitors year-round.

The Davis Center is more than just a pool and a rink; it serves as a vital link between Harlem and the park’s North Woods. Walking paths along a resurfaced stream and a new boardwalk traversing the surrounding water have been constructed to provide unrestricted access to every part of the park.

The Davis Center at the Harlem Meer was recognized in the AIA New York 2026 Design Awards, being given the Honor Award in the Architecture category. Other recognitions include the Excellence Award at the 2025 SARA National Design Awards and 2025 Project of the Year by the Regional Plan Association (RPA).

In 2026, the Davis Center at the Harlem Meer was recognized as the Best Urban Landscape at the 2026 MASterworks Design Awards by The Municipal Art Society of New York. The project’s achievements in architecture were further celebrated when it received the Award of Excellence in the in the ASLA-NY 2026 Design Awards.

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Oceanside Library

Tim Kirchoff — Wed, 08 Jun 2022 18:07:28 +0000

This project consists of the new 48,000-square-foot Oceanside Library, which provides some of the most innovative and sought-after programming in the country; the existing 32,000-square-foot library did not provide them with the space, technology, or flexibility to meet their ever-evolving needs. Designed by architects MDA designgroup architects & planners and H2M architects + engineers, the new library is situated in a developed suburban area; parking and outdoor space were critical to maintain. Additional square footage was added by demolishing an existing one-story portion of the building and constructing a lower level, first floor, and second floor, to match the existing levels of the portion of the building that is to remain.

The design incorporates many unique spaces such as a theater/stage, a STEM workshop, a podcast room, a demonstration “Discovery” kitchen, a craft room, a café, and a gallery. Sought-after spaces such as meeting rooms and soft seating areas are provided in a variety of sizes and configurations to provide a comfortable and welcoming space for all users. Spaces for adults, teens, tweens, and children are strategically located for ease of access, security, and sound control.

Throughout the building, technology is specifically designed to maximize functionality and versatility of each space, and includes presentation and recording equipment, a room reservation system, Wi-Fi, power, and data access. Sustainability was a key factor in the decision-making process, with highly efficient HVAC and electrical systems, ultra-thermal fenestration packages, a robust building envelope, and low VOC/high recycled content materials and finishes specified throughout.

The Oceanside Library project was recognized by Long Island Business News’ 2025 Real Estate, Architecture & Engineering Awards in the Top Public Projects category. American Institute of Architects (AIA) also recognized the project with the Archi Award for Interior Architecture – Non-Residential at the 61st Annual Archi Awards.

Read More: EW Howell Construction and H2M architects + engineers celebrate grand opening of 48,000 s/f Oceanside Library – New York Real Estate Journal

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Far Rockaway Branch Library

Tim Kirchoff — Fri, 24 Jun 2022 20:12:45 +0000

The new 18,000-square-foot Far Rockaway Branch Library will replace the existing library building, while also doubling the area of library spaces. Located at the intersection of Mott and Central Ave in Far Rockaway, the new 2-story building features a circulation and information center, meeting rooms, a business center, and individual children, teen, and adult sections.

The structure of the new library consists of a complex concrete structural system of poured-in-place concrete floors and roof slabs with sloping Y-shaped columns. Integral to the ground floor and foundation construction is a system of under slab supply air ducts that feed an integral Airfloor radiant concrete topping slab, which was polished as the finished floor surface.

The façade of the building is clad with a parallelogram curtainwall system glazed with intricate color gradient fritted glass, which has an art pattern designed by noted artist Jose Parla.

The base of the building is comprised of ribbed precast concrete panels punctured by an Architecturally Exposed Structural Steel negative pyramid-shaped, outwardly canted glass panel system.

At the building’s center is a large triangular open atrium beneath a large triangular skylight with a complex hung tetrahedron baffle system to diffuse the light.

Other notable design elements include the Tectum wood fiber ceiling panels and seamless acoustic plaster for sound absorption; the main staircase formed in architectural concrete is a complex geometric shape with integral lighting; floor to ceiling glass partitions on the first floor; upturned roof beams to provide an uninterrupted ceiling plane of the main library space; a canted dichroic glass railing system which surrounds the interior atrium opening; and an energy code compliant ‘blue’ roof designed to release storm water from the site slowly; and a gabion basket rock wall which encloses the exterior courtyard.

On July 30, 2024, the Far Rockaway Branch Library opened its doors with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The Far Rockaway Branch Library was recognized as one of the winners of 2024 MASterworks Awards, being named Best New Building by The Municipal Art Society of New York. It also received the Citation for Resilience and Community Impact as part of the 2025 AIA New York Design Awards. In 2025, the Far Rockaway Library project was recognized in the the Queens Chamber of Commerce 2025 Building Awards, receiving the New Construction – Public Buildings award.

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Chelsea Waterside Park Phase 2 Comfort Station

Robert Sutter — Sat, 01 Apr 2023 15:08:52 +0000

The Chelsea Waterside Park Phase 2 Comfort Station project saw the construction of a new comfort station building, including the installation of all foundation, slab, steps, walls, superstructure, roof, grilles, doors, windows, exterior finishes, interior finishes, fixtures, accessories, electrical, lighting, photovoltaic, mechanical, plumbing, and site connection work.

The Park and building were designed with environmental sustainability in mind. Highlights include solar power panels on the roof of the comfort station, efficient water fixtures, low energy LED sports field lighting, storm water detention and all native plantings. In addition, the design features salvaging high quality materials from the original park and integrating them into the new park.

In recognition of excellence in landscape architecture, the Chelsea Waterside Park Phase 2 project received the 2025 ASLA-NY Merit Award from the American Society of Landscape Architects, New York Chapter.

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Dairy Restoration

Tim Kirchoff — Wed, 08 Dec 2021 16:11:02 +0000

The Dairy, originally built in 1870, was designed to fulfill the dairy needs of the people of the city. It provided a ready-fresh supply of fresh milk to those traveling to the park. Today, the Dairy serves as a general visitor center and provides the public with information on the design of Central Park, current park events, and programs.

Keeping with the original design that is a whimsical combination of architectural steels that has been characterized as Victorian Gothic, EW Howell Construction Group completed the full renovation and restoration of the historic dairy building. Our Dairy restoration included restoring its historic open-air porch; repairing, cleaning, and repointing the exterior masonry; replacing windows and doors, including an accessible entrance door; a new climate control system; and more.

Renovations to the associated utilities shared with the satellite building were also included. The satellite building required modest renovation for the purpose of relocation owner occupancy and retail operations during the restoration of the main building.

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92nd Street Y Rooftop Playground

Tim Kirchoff — Wed, 25 Nov 2020 18:04:02 +0000

The 92nd Street Y (92Y) is a world-class cultural and community center where people all over the world connect through culture, arts, entertainment and conversation.

This 92nd Street Y Rooftop Playground project consisted of a flexible, high-quality space that reflects its world-class reputation. The Rooftop Playground project included the transformation of the existing rooftop play space into a 7,000-square-foot lush and dynamic outdoor green space and playground to support the 92Y’s preeminent nursery, camp, and early childhood programs.

A retractable canopy system was needed to provide shade and weather protection for the versatile multi-purpose space, while meeting City Building Department requirements.

The result of the project is a unique weather protected rooftop outdoor green space/playground/event space that will allow 92Y to expand its community and cultural offerings in a safe and responsible manner.

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ASPCA Community Veterinary Center

Tim Kirchoff — Sat, 15 May 2021 13:28:41 +0000

The ASPCA Community Veterinary Center project consisted of the interior renovation of an existing 11,125-square-foot building into new ASPCA office spaces.

The Brooklyn CVC serves East New York, an area with limited existing resources for veterinary care, and is similar to the ASPCA facility in the Bronx. Before the construction of the Brooklyn CVC was complete, the ASPCA was operating a mobile clinic in the parking lot to help pet owners affected by the pandemic.

The now permanent, state-of-the-art facility offers partially and fully subsidized veterinary care to Brooklyn residents, including high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter (HQHVSN) surgeries and vaccinations for homeless dogs and cats being cared for by animal rescue organizations, including Animal Care Centers of New York City.

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