Fall 2026

As we enter fall, we reflect on a summer of project milestones, completed projects, and exciting updates.

Castle III is Complete

C+GA’s second large-scale supportive and affordable housing residence for The Fortune Society opened in July. Guided by trauma-informed design principles, the 15-story Castle III provides restorative communal spaces with healthy materials to support residents’ stability, dignity, mental health and well-being. Creating an environment that promotes both affordability for the community and successful reentry from incarceration, Castle III strengthens individual outcomes and the broader East Harlem community.

The south façade draws on the neighborhood’s historic commercial architecture through masonry piers and grouped windows with integrated shading. Rear yard skylights provide daylight to the lower level.

NYS Research and Development Authority’s Buildings of Excellence program helped fund ambitious energy efficiency goals. including Passive House standards and a large solar pergola “crown.”

"This building will change lives and have a generational impact," said The Fortune Society President Emeritus Joanne Page.

Marcus Garvey Extension Phase II Expands the Development

With Phase II complete, C+GA’s 2013 Master Plan is fully realized, with seven new affordable buildings, four by C+GA creating a town center united with the Marcus Garvey Village’s existing campus. The new buildings with community facilities rise above elevated subway tracks, clad in white brick and set back to widen sidewalks, inviting light and street life. Along the side streets, varying materials, gradients and recesses seamlessly connect the new buildings to the historically important low-rise residential complex.

Casanova Breaks Ground in Hunts Point

Mayor Zohran Mamdani joined the August groundbreaking for The Doe Fund’s Casanova Supportive and Affordable Residence designed by C+GA. Taking advantage of the sloped site, first-floor units sit high above the sidewalk, allowing natural light at the lower support and community level. An awning extends over the entrance and around the prominent corner, embracing a lobby and gathering space oriented to a neighboring green space. The result is a welcoming, connected environment which reinforces dignity and comfort.

Awards + Recognition

Melrose North Awarded the 2026 Berger Prize

C+GA’s Melrose North was awarded the 2026 Berger Prize at the Design Trust for Public Space’s annual Benefit, recognizing its creative vision in addressing New York City’s housing shortage.

Along with providing affordable and supportive housing within the 12-story Passive House and LEED Platinum certified building, it honors Ted Berger’s passion for supporting artists and youth through the arts, with the 120-foot-tall mural wall by local artist Lisa Prives, and DreamYard’s BX Start program, where gaming design and entrepreneurship meet social justice at the ground floor. Partner Darby Curtis accepted the award.

C+GA Discusses NYCHA Renovations for Oculus Summer 2026

Partners Mark Ginsberg and Tamar Kisilevitz contributed to the AIA New York Oculus article “NYCHA Rethinks, Rebuilds, and Aims for Resilience,” which discusses C+GA’s experience transforming and updating existing NYCHA campuses through the RAD-PACT program. They spoke on the history of NYCHA’s funding, the value of preserving building character, and the importance of sustainability upgrades. “The sustainability aspect of these projects,” Kisilevitz comments, “has to translate into a healthier, more resilient, more comfortable home.

HELP Women’s Center Opens and Wins a 2026 Big Apple Brownfield Award

The HELP Women’s Center opened its doors as a model for the future of what shelter intake should look like. C+GA designed the first-of-its-kind center to prioritize safety, privacy, accessibility, and stability, featuring a monochromatic lobby mural commissioned through HELP USA’s innovative Art of Resilience program. The project received the 2026 Big Apple Brownfield Award for Community Space and Support Services for transforming a contaminated and underutilized site into a 200-bed intake shelter for women.

Mark Ginsberg Featured in Vox

Lauding the resiliency benefits of Passive Housing, Partner Mark Ginsberg spoke with online news site Vox about passive strategies to reduce effects of increasingly dangerous heat waves.

“There are too many people burying their heads in the sand and saying climate change isn’t real,” Mark explained. “That’s easier when the AC hides the worst effects of extreme heat from us.

Events

Crystal Ng and Mark Ginsberg Join Passive House Network

Partner Mark Ginsberg and Director of Sustainability Crystal Ng brought their sustainability expertise to The Passive House Network Conference 2026.

Their “Deep Multifamily” panel gave a two-part look at the architecture and engineering behind the net zero 819 Grand Street, a 217-unit senior affordable housing project for St Nicks Alliance. Navigating a dense site and a nearby subway tunnel, Mark and Crystal investigated the techniques and constraints of bridging Passive House to net zero in crowded urban environments, alongside Lois Arena of Steven Winter Associates and Elias Dagher of Pennoni.

Three Arts Breaks Ground

C+GA attended the restoration launch of WSFSSH’s Three Arts, a historic eight-story residence C+GA is transforming into supportive housing for low-income older adults, while pursuing advanced energy efficiency and EnerPHit certification. “Restoring the historic Three Arts building and creating 61 units of supportive housing is exactly the kind of investment our city needs,” said Council Member Gale A. Brewer.

Mark Ginsberg Brings Expertise to Amsterdam

Mark joined the European Chapter of the Counselors of Real Estate for their 2026 Global Conference in Amsterdam, discussing investment and policy approaches to affordable housing, comparing the Netherlands, Europe, and New York City.

Staff Updates

Architect Isabella Whitehill is Passive House Certified

Isabella’s passion for designing healthy, high-performing buildings supports C+GA’s mission to promote sustainability within the buildings and communities we serve. We appreciate her commitment to designing spaces that are environmentally responsible, resilient, and comfortable year-round.

Her continued work on the supportive and affordable housing development in Newburgh, NY is an inspiring example of how both new and existing construction can be climate-friendly and resilient. In addition to the renovation and sustainability upgrades to two historic buildings, the new five-story building is planned for Passive House certification, designed within the context of historic Newburgh with a rooftop photovoltaic solar system.

Additional Staff Updates:

C+GA kicked off our new Design Happy Hour series, an initiative to encourage engagement, collaboration, open dialogue, and knowledge sharing across the office through design-focused activities.

C+GA welcomed Summer Interns Emily LeCompte, Reyna Aksirin, and Mirian Lema.

C+GA joined Daylight Hour, turning off all office lights to raise awareness for workplace energy efficiency.

Our DEIB Committee hosted a jeopardy-style game to commemorate Pride Month and Juneteenth, testing the office’s knowledge on these important celebrations.

Reyna Aksirin, Sanket Bista, Jeffrey Kaufman, Eugene Murphy, Morgan Plagenz, and Joshua Yates joined the growing C+GA team.

C+GA is hiring for Architect / Project Manager, Intermediate Architect, and Project Architect / Junior Project manager positions. Learn more and apply here.

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