YKK AP Picked for Bronx Project

NEW YORK — YKK AP, a fenestration system manufacturer, was selected to provide the curtain wall exterior for the new 14-story Boricua College in the South Bronx.

The 120,000-square-foot tower will be the centerpiece of Boricua Village, a 4.5-acre community revitalization project that is a cornerstone of Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s South Bronx initiative.

The mixed-use village also will add 50,000 square feet of retail space and 689 residential units to the area, which is located near Yankee Stadium.

A main feature of the building’s design is a blue-tinted glass exterior. The facility envelope is almost entirely curtain wall from the fourth floor up and includes a rounded corner.

YKK AP had to modify products to facilitate installation due to structural obstacles. The company designed a split vertical mullion, screw-spline system specifically for the job. It allows frames to be pre-assembled and installed from the interior.

Boricua College is an accredited liberal arts school founded to meet the needs of Puerto Rican and other Hispanic students. The school employs a bilingual faculty and staff. The new building will allow Boricua to increase enrollment from 1,200 students to 3,000 students.

The project is part of the redevelopment of Melrose Commons, one of the poorest sections of New York City, according to reports. The housing component of Boricua Village is part of Mayor Bloomberg’s citywide affordable housing initiative.

The Boricua College project team includes developer Atlantic Develop-ment Group, architectural firm Hugo S. Subotovsky, general contractor Knicker-bocker Construction II and engineering consultant Thornton Tomasetti. The glazier is Diversified Glass & Storefronts Inc.