The American Cancer Society of New York and New Jersey announced earlier this week that its Hope Lodge New York City, Jerome L. Greene Family Center has earned LEED Gold certification from USGBC. Located at 132 West 32nd Street adjacent to Penn Station, the project was part of the much larger, 459-unit Epic rental apartment building, co-developed by the Durst Organization and Franciscan friars of the adjacent Holy Name parish on West 31st Street. The Hope Lodge was designed by New Haven-based CAMA, Inc.; SLCE Architects and FXFOWLE were architects for the building superstructure. (Note that The Epic was seeking a LEED Silver rating from USGBC, but it's unclear whether the project actually earned formal certification).
Through the Lodge, the ACS provides free housing and support services for cancer patients and their families and has served over 2200 people since opening in November of 2007. Specific green features include energy efficient water fixtures, lighting, and office equipment, low-VOC paints and sealants, and FSC-certified wood products, including all of the Lodge's furniture. Herman Miller Furnishings' Ethospace Line, which is manufactured from 35 percent recycled-content materials and is itself 78 percent recyclable at the end of its life cycle, was specified, including glass tiles, translucent materials, and low-height walls designed to boost the amount of natural light that reaches the Lodge's interior. The project team was also able to recycle 83 percent of construction debris and over 50 percent of total construction materials were manufactured within 500 miles.
“We have a responsibility to conduct our business in a manner which minimizes our impact on the environment,” said Donald Distasio, ACS CEO. “Hope Lodge New York City reflects our commitment to survivorship by providing free lodging and services that help cancer patients gain strength in a time of intense need. At the same time, the innovative building design allows us to reduce operating costs and direct more resources to our mission.” The ACS itself also has 80,000 square feet of space on the West 31st Street side of the building which houses its regional headquarters.
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