Bishop Street Studios

Bishop Street Studios is a notable project that our civil engineering firm had the privilege of designing and developing site plans for. The project involved the renovation of the original Sunny Acres Orphanage building, constructed in 1931, along with the addition of three new structures. The primary goal of the project was to create affordable, single-occupant residential units for adults living with mental illness, which will be developed and operated by Transitions Mental Health Association. The final design features 33 very-low-income single-occupancy studio and one-bedroom units, as well as a one-bedroom unit for a resident manager. Our team collaborated closely with the architectural team to ensure that the site plan seamlessly integrated with the building design. This resulted in a cohesive and aesthetically pleasing project.

One of the major challenges we faced was accommodating large amounts of water runoff from the adjacent foothills. Integrating the new site layouts with the existing restoration and renovation required careful planning and coordination. Our civil engineering team successfully addressed these issues while staying within the project’s budget and timeline.

The new site plan features several notable elements, including a central courtyard, parking for both residents and guests, and beautiful landscaping. The project also achieved Greenpoint Rated Gold for sustainable construction practices, including the use of photovoltaics to mitigate electrical and water heating costs.