SWBR was recently recognized at the 2018 Preservation Buffalo Niagara Awards for its work on the Evergreen Lofts project in Buffalo.
Preservation Buffalo Niagara provides leadership in identifying, protecting and promoting the unique architecture and historic legacy of Western New York communities. Recognized with 2018 Outstanding Commercial Project Award, Evergreen Lofts, located in downtown Buffalo, is a former warehouse converted into affordable housing for people who are in danger of, or are experiencing homelessness. “Our goal was to make a place where people both were welcomed and would feel comfortable, particularly Buffalo’s LGBTQ community,” said Justin Azzarella, Associate Vice President for Community Development for Evergreen Health.
The five-story building was originally built around the turn of the century. SWBR’s design preserves much of the original structure, including exposed wood beams, exposed brick, and the main stairwell. Today, the 64,000-square-foot Evergreen Lofts contains a mix of 56 one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments with half of those units eligible for subsidies through the HUD McKinney Continuum of Care Supportive Housing Program.
Joe Gibbons, AIA, Principal-In-Charge of the Evergreen Lofts project said, “Working closely with Evergreen Health, we were able to adapt and transform a wonderful piece of Buffalo’s manufacturing history into exciting and energizing new apartments for their residents. As architects, it is very rewarding to be able to design projects that have a meaningful impact on people’s lives.”