No Images? Click here News FlashEOA/Elmslie Osler Architect just completed the design and construction of the community center and kosher kitchen at the YM & YWHA of Washington Heights & Inwood. The firm was awarded the project during an open bid RFP process in 2015. Work started in fall of 2016 and took one year to complete. The renovation also involved working with DFTA, New York City’s Department for the Aging. We are happy to share these images of the space which opened in time to serve the community during the high holidays. Photographs by Michel Arnaud. The Washington Heights & Inwood YM/YWHA project involved the renovation of an existing kosher kitchen and adjacent dining area/auditorium bringing the facility up to industry standards, while also refining the space using functional and modern finishes. The auditorium featured a large open area that could not quickly adapt to the changing needs of the facility. EOA designed a dropped ceiling along the west edge, improving the acoustics of the room which is used for dances, performances, and other community gatherings as well as dining. EOA installed acoustic wall finishes and subtly integrated the Y logo and colors throughout the space, including laser cutting the Y’s logo design into felt wall covering and using a Y-patterned textile for the new stage curtain. The original kitchen proved inefficient for both the storage of supplies and the circulation of its kitchen staff. EOA reorganized the kitchen so the staff could work methodically through the cooking, prepping and serving processes, moving through the space with the same rhythm in which food was prepared over the course of the day. EOA also updated the coffee bar, installing new folding doors that continue the overall color scheme. Display boxes to accommodate required signage were worked into the design of the auditorium. It is rewarding to see the space in use by the community. The Y serves lunch to senior citizens on a daily basis and the room hosts events such as the knitting club. |