Long Island City Zoning Study

Long Island City Zoning Study

Rojas AP was engaged by a local high end residential design build company looking to move their offices into a recently purchased workshop in the Industrial Building Zone in Long Island City. Our first step was to create an as-of-right scenario of the potential build out. This allowed a bump up of Floor Area Ratio (FAR) due to the partial manufacturing use. Although the increase to the allowable FAR was welcome, we were further engaged to review additional options for expansion. Rojas AP coordinated with the NYC Department of City Planning (DCP) for insight into the Long Island City Study and potential means to increase the build-out potential of the property with a Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP). We identified a minimum study area for a potential map change from M1-1 to M1-5, as recommended for the most success by DCP.

LOCATION
QUEENS, NY

Fifth Avenue First Floor Renovation

Fifth Avenue First Floor Renovation

Rojas AP worked with the property owner to renovate the 1st floor of this six-story apartment building located in the Upper East Side. The proposed scope entailed adding an exercise room for the tenants and converting six of the existing office spaces into residential units, ranging from a studio to a two-bedroom apartment. The work also included installing new vestibule doors, new lighting, flooring, and wall panels in the common hallway area, all done in coordination with interior design firm C McKEOUGH Unltd. Rojas AP filed with the Department of Building an Alteration Type 1 application to change the use and dwelling unit count. Approvals from the Landmarks Preservation Commission were also obtained. In addition to coordinating with the interior designer, Rojas AP worked closely with the mechanical and structural engineers for coordination.

LOCATION
NEW YORK, NY

Bronx Pro Bono Outdoor Dining

Bronx Pro Bono Outdoor Dining

As part of the NYCxDESIGN Corps program, Rojas AP was contacted by the restaurant owner of the South of France to design two outdoor dining areas. In addition to complying with the city’s COVID-19 and dining regulations, Rojas AP was compelled by the owner to propose a space that offers its customers cross-ventilation during the summer that can also keep the heater-generated air during the winter. The owner wanted windows and doors that allowed the two structures to be locked from the outside and keep the restaurant’s belongings safe overnight. For cross-ventilation and natural light, Rojas AP proposed a custom-made window for each module, with sliding glass panels that can be removed during work hours. For better insulation, we proposed double-pane glass. Rojas AP also proposed UV-protected clear corrugated polycarbonate roofing for additional natural light. The challenge was to make this authentic Puerto Rican restaurant visually stand out from the adjacent restaurant. The result was a combination of terra-cotta painted plywood and off-white trims, with black and white Chevron shaped painted plywood flooring to resemble the historic colonial look and feel of Old San Juan.

LOCATION
BRONX, NY

Long Island City Facade Repair

Long Island City Facade Repair

Coming Soon

LOCATION
QUEENS, NY