Gilbane Development, Institute for Community Living, Tredway, and ELH Mgmt. LLC Awarded Buildings of Excellence Competition Award for Transformational Supportive Housing Project in the Bronx

Bronx, NY — June 17, 2025 —  Gilbane Development Company, Institute for Community Living (ICL), Tredway, and ELH Mgmt. LLC (ELH), the joint venture development team for the West Tower Supportive Housing project at 280 East 161st Street (Project), is proud to announce that the Project, with Aufgang Architects as the lead architect, has been recognized as a winner of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) Buildings of Excellence Competition. This prestigious statewide initiative honors the design and development of low-carbon, resilient multifamily buildings, reinforcing the West Tower’s role as a model for the future of affordable, supportive housing in New York. 

The award was presented at a ceremony hosted by NYSERDA, featuring distinguished speakers: Doreen M. Harris, President and CEO of NYSERDA, New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) Commissioner and CEO, RuthAnne Visnauskas, Jesse Lazar, Assoc. AIA, Executive Director of AIA New York, Illya Azaroff, FAIA,  2025 President-elect, 2026 President, AIA National; Founding Principal, Director of Resilient Design and Regenerative Planning, +lab architect PLLC; Professor, New York City College of Technology (CUNY), Grayson Jordan, RA, AIA, CPHC, Principal of Paul Castrucci Architects. 
 
Located at 280 East 161st Street in the South Bronx, the 266-unit, 100% affordable, all-electric building reserves 60% of its units for supportive housing. The development is designed to achieve Phius 2021 Core, LEED v4 Platinum, ENERGY STAR Multifamily New Construction, EPA’s Indoor Air Plus, and DOE Zero Energy Ready Homes certifications, integrating advanced sustainability features such as: 

• All-electric systems, including air source and packaged terminal heat pumps (PTHP) for efficient heating and cooling 

• A centralized energy recovery ventilator (ERV) with MERV-13 filtration, ensuring high indoor air quality 

• ENERGY STAR-rated appliances and low-flow water fixtures, promoting conservation 

“Gilbane Development is honored to receive this recognition, which underscores our continued commitment to delivering sustainable and affordable housing that serves our communities with dignity and care,” said Yarojin Robinson, Senior Vice President, Affordable & Mixed-Income Housing, Gilbane Development. “The West Tower Supportive Housing project is designed to set a new benchmark for energy-efficient, affordable housing while ensuring long-term resilience and accessibility for residents.” 

“ICL is proud to be part of the development team bringing 266 units of affordable housing on 161 Street to life,” said Jody Rudin, President and CEO of the Institute for Community Living. “At ICL, we believe housing is the best medicine, especially for people living with mental health challenges. This project embodies our whole health mission—integrating affordable and supportive housing with health and wellness supports that help people thrive. With its sustainable features and onsite health hub, this project will be a transformative place to live.” 

 “Tredway takes pride in delivering the highest quality housing and creating real impact in the communities we serve.  Design and sustainability are key factors to enhanced quality of life for our communities and the broader neighborhoods we are a part of.” said Will Blodgett, Founder & CEO, Tredway. “It’s an honor to be recognized by NYSERDA for our efforts to address environmental and health challenges by making greener, healthier homes available and accessible to this community.” 

 “ELH is proud to work closely with our joint venture partners to create homes that are not only affordable, but advance a resilient, healthier future for residents of the South Bronx,” said Larry Hirschfield, Founder & CEO, ELH Mgmt. LLC. “It’s an honor to be recognized by NYSERDA for the project’s low-carbon and climate-friendly solutions, as well as the team’s commitment to ensuring deep affordability and sustainability proceed hand-in-hand.” 

“As lead architect for this project, Aufgang Architects is pleased to be part of the team receiving this NYSERDA award. The convergence of environmentally sustainable design and affordable supportive housing reflects our firm’s environmental principles and goals and is consistent with New York’s public policy aimed at reducing carbon emissions,” said Ariel Aufgang, AIA, Principal of Aufgang Architects. 

Doreen M. Harris, President and CEO, NYSERDA said, “The Buildings of Excellence Competition encourages innovative, resilient solutions to construct clean, modern living spaces for all New Yorkers. The West Tower Supportive Housing project is a great example of how the latest in clean building technologies can be adopted and made accessible while prioritizing not only the health and wellbeing of residents, but also the South Bronx community more broadly.”        

Currently in the design phase, the West Tower Supportive Housing project is part of a multi-phased redevelopment effort at 280 E 161st St, located in the Bronx’s Concourse Village near Yankee Stadium. Spanning over 190,000 square feet, the project offers seamless access to public transit and essential community services. The project will also feature a 7,124-square-foot health hub, operated by ICL, which will provide integrated health services and programming for residents and the broader South Bronx community. 

Residents will benefit from thoughtfully designed amenities, including a landscaped courtyard with an active play area, convenient access to mass transit, and onsite health services. 
 
About Gilbane Development  
Gilbane Development is the real estate development, financing, and ownership arm of Gilbane, Inc., a 155-year-old family-owned company. With over $11.8 billion in development and more than 25,000 units of housing completed/underway, Gilbane Development’s projects incorporate every aspect of real estate including: multifamily housing (market rate apartments, student housing, and affordable housing); mixed-used developments; healthcare facilities; K-12 schools; government facilities; and many types of facilities delivered through public-private partnerships. To learn more, visit gilbaneco.com. 

About the Institute for Community Living 
Institute for Community Living (ICL) helps New Yorkers with behavioral health challenges live healthy and fulfilling lives by providing comprehensive housing, healthcare, and recovery services. ICL takes a trauma-informed approach—meeting the people they serve wherever they are, working together to support them in achieving their goals. 

About Tredway 
Founded in 2021, Tredway is a real estate development firm that acquires, develops, revitalizes and preserves affordable, workforce and mixed-income housing. Our work is driven by the belief that safe, high-quality and accessible housing is an important catalyst for upward socioeconomic mobility and an essential part of fostering equity in America today. To learn about the advantages of partnering with Tredway, visit: tredway.com.