SWA currently serves the New York City Department of Homeless Services (DHS) as its accessibility compliance consultant. The firm was retained to help DHS navigate the requirements of its Butler Consent Decree, which resulted from a settlement of litigation brought by New York City-based Legal Aid Society. The litigation alleged widespread noncompliance with the ADA in the New York City shelter system, the largest shelter system in the U.S.
Named in the court’s order of appointment, SWA was approved by the Legal Aid Society and the U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, to provide services.
SWA’s accessibility consulting ensures specialized compliance for diverse resident needs and comprehensive property assessments while supporting DHS’ mission of providing safe and accessible temporary and transitional housing access for those in need.
Project Team
Owner: New York City Department of Homeless Services (DHS)
Adaptive reuse, or the conversion of existing buildings for new uses, is central to the DHS mission of rapidly expanding accessible shelter capacity to meet urgent housing needs.
Rather than constructing new facilities, DHS frequently transforms commercial buildings, hotels, and other structures into temporary and transitional housing, allowing the Agency to respond quickly to fluctuating demand while maximizing existing urban infrastructure.
These conversion projects present unique accessibility challenges, as buildings originally designed for other uses must be retrofitted to comply with the same ADA requirements of newly constructed buildings. SWA has worked on the following adaptive reuse projects for DHS:
19 Debevoise Avenue (formerly the Greenpoint Hospital campus nurses’ residence)
91 East Broadway (formerly a hotel)
105 Washington Street (formerly the Downtown Community House Community Center)
112-16 Astoria Boulevard (formerly a hotel)
160 West 74th Street (formerly a school)
170-01 Douglas Avenue (formerly a hotel)
225 25th Street (formerly a factory)
243-02 Northern Boulevard (formerly the Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services)
486 Liberty Avenue (formerly a police station)
1511 Fulton Avenue (formerly a correctional facility)
1634 Dean Street (formerly a school)
3240 Grace Avenue (formerly an industrial warehouse)
