The NYC Department of Design and Construction (DDC) and NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) broke ground on a new Pet Adoption Center at 328 East 109th St. in Manhattan.
The DDC is managing the project for the DOHMH.
The $6.33 million project will convert a 2,500-sq,-ft. one-story garage on the grounds of the Animal Care Center of East Harlem into a dedicated adoption facility for dogs, cats, guinea pigs and other animals. The building will have a colorful façade that will bring in daylight and create an attractive and engaging street presence, while a steel rainscreen will add depth while preserving the existing masonry behind.
The project will fully renovate the old garage’s interior and exterior with new roofing, skylights, lighting and fixtures, while a new glass system for the kennel area will showcase the animals available for adoption. The building’s floor will be replaced with a new concrete slab that includes additional drainage, and new energy-efficient HVAC equipment will meet the current standards for animal care. The building’s cellar will also be upgraded and waterproofed.
Construction will begin later this month and is anticipated to take 16 months to complete, at which point the site will be turned over to the Animal Care Center to complete its conversion into an adoption center.
The general contractor is Litehouse Builders of Port Washington, NY.
The Manhattan Pet Adoption Center is one of several animal-related projects the DDC is currently working on throughout the city, including new Animal Care Centers in Brooklyn and the Bronx and an expansion and renovation of the city’s animal shelter in Staten Island.
