Acoustic Windows Mitigate Stadium Noise in South Bronx Development

09/27/2018

In 2009, a portion of the South Bronx in New York City was re-zoned, with the goal of creating affordable housing, mixed-use development, and accessible community and pedestrian access. However, it wasn’t until 2015, when SCLE Architects broke ground on the 810 River Avenue Apartments, that the goal and vision of that re-zoning began to be realized. With a focus on sustainability and livability, the project incorporated St. Cloud Window’s advanced line of acoustic windows in order to minimize noise from the road and rail traffic and mitigate stadium noise.

Noise Mitigation

As in any housing development in a major city, the noise was a primary concern throughout the development process. With an elevated train line running next to the building, as well as road and pedestrian traffic, and the nearby Yankee Stadium, acoustic windows, and extensive insulation were a must. To achieve this, the architect enlisted the St. Cloud Window SCW900, SCW2500, and SCW3500 Series of acoustic windows. The windows have OITC, or Outdoor/Indoor Transmission Class, ratings of 35-37, which significantly mitigates external noise.

Windowed Stairwells

The 190,000-square-foot, 17-story tower contains 134 housing units, 61 garage spaces, and 26,000 square feet of commercial and community facility space. One interesting component of the building is its ‘windowed’ stairwells, which were designed to encourage physical activity. In sum, the structure has 416 operable and 216 fixed windows.

South Bronx Revitalization

The 810 River Avenue Apartments are part of the ongoing revitalization efforts in the South Bronx, which involve not only new housing and mixed-use development but also infrastructure improvements. One of the overarching goals of these efforts is to provide affordable housing access in an underserved part of New York City. As a green, mixed-use, mixed-income, transit-oriented building, the 810 River Avenue Apartments helps to achieve this goal.