Acting as a catalyst for both Utica and the Mohawk River Valley, the Harbor Point Redevelopment will create a new beacon of energy within the city. The development will contain programs that include: affordable residential units, market-rate residential units, retail spaces, community facilities, structured parking, an extended stay hotel, office space, and an urban market with stalls. The different building typologies are placed on a gradient from public commercial use to a quieter private residential use. Social equity was a crucial part of the development, so we defined many of the programs around helping the large refugee population in Utica. This was done through setting aside affordable units, housing local nonprofits in the community facilities, and setting aside stalls in the market. Architecturally, the project is heavily defined through using engineered wood as both a building material and an architectural expression. Alongside a concrete podium, this allows for the residential buildings to cantilever, giving residents the impression of floating over the adjacent harbor and park. Blending distinct programs and architectural interventions allows this project to be financially successful as well, boasting an 18.8% levered IRR and a 4.34 equity multiple over a 15-year holding period.
