national black theatre redevelopment - 2033 Fifth Avenue

This is a 260,000 sf mixed-use building that will become the new home for National Black Theatre (NBT), an event space, ground floor retail, and 17 floors containing 222 rental apartments. Located on the original site of NBT, this project is intended to reinforce the cultural beacon that NBT has been in the Harlem community and to encourage greater public engagement with the arts. The project is a collaboration between Frida Escobedo, Handel Architects, and Studio & Projects.

I was involved from concept design where I was responsible for developing initial layouts of the podium floors while working within the constraints of situating the residential tower above the theater spaces, threading the core elements and the building structure down from the tower to the ground level. In later design stages, I led the documentation and development of the building envelope, core, and superstructure. I also led the coordination with NBT’s interior fitout team, and I co-led the coordination and documentation of the podium floors. I am currently leading the CA effort, with construction slated for completion in early 2025.

Renderings credit: Luxigon