Masonry Magazine January 2017 Page. 35
The project's designers and builders chose bricks in various shades of taupe, gray, warm red, and eggplant that has provided a subtle color contrast. The masonry is similar in proportion and material to that of surrounding buildings, but with sufficient shift in tone to mark it as something wholly original. The brick complements the facades of neighboring buildings by embracing their masonry style. Though it is a completely modern design, the brick work on Creston Avenue Residence delivers a seamless link with the buildings on either side.
Three sections comprise the development, which at ten stories is much taller than the five-and six-story buildings around it. However, the architecture makes this less obvious to passersby. On one side, the brick face on the new construction rises only to the sixth floor, with the remaining floors set back. On the other side, the brick face rises to the ninth floor with the tenth floor set back. The metal-clad center portion is also set back from the brick sections, which mitigates the fact the building is taller than its neighbors. The brick design continues in the interior, where it is a key element in the lobby of the central section. The three distinct sections further minimize the scale of the project by giving the appearance of three separate buildings.
The masonry, whose thermal mass qualities make it a naturally energy-efficient material, supports another key goal of the project, which was to achieve platinum LEED certification. The development also meets the goals of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority regarding multi-family construction projects.