Walter Gladwin Recreation Center

The first full mass timber city owned public building in NYC

A new recreation center will be built on Walter Gladwin Park, Bronx for the NYC DDC & NYC Department of Parks & Recreation. The 40,000sf center will be located within the park along East Tremont Avenue, a busy commercial corridor, and will provide space for inclusive and universally accessible fitness amenities and programming for all ages. The new facility will be a warm and human-centered space where the diverse Tremont community can gather and connect.

The first full mass timber city owned public building in NYC

A new recreation center will be built on Walter Gladwin Park, Bronx for the NYC DDC & NYC Department of Parks & Recreation. The 40,000sf center will be located within the park along East Tremont Avenue, a busy commercial corridor, and will provide space for inclusive and universally accessible fitness amenities and programming for all ages. The new facility will be a warm and human-centered space where the diverse Tremont community can gather and connect.

The new facility will be a warm and human-centered space where the diverse Tremont community can gather and connect.

© Marvel
The building will serve as a bridge from the urban fabric into the park and, with its mass timber structure and striated brick façade, will be at home within the rugged park.
Floor Plan Level 1. © Marvel

The park and recreation center are named for Walter H. Gladwin, a Guyana native and the first Black elected government official in the Bronx.

Site Model, Top View. © Marvel
The building will also have a cistern to collect rainwater for re-use within the building, and with a green roof and solar panels, the facility will far surpass sustainability requirements and regulations.
© Marvel
© Marvel
Made of mass timber, Walter Gladwin Recreation Center will also feature glulam columns, beams, and CLT slabs, offering warmth and natural beauty while significantly reducing embodied carbon.
As a public project, we cannot specify one mass timber manufacturer, so technical assistance is vital. Our goal is to use tools, gained through participation in NYC's first ever Mass Timber Studio, to advance mass timber projects and help the city set a standard for beautiful, low-carbon buildings.

The landscape architecture reflects a deep understanding of the site’s existing conditions, organizing spaces that respect and enhance the park's current uses.

Site Plan. © Marvel
Urban Plaza. © Marvel
Areas, such as the Urban Plaza at E. Tremont Avenue, address the site's grade changes by creating an accessible pathway to the main entrance of the Community Center.
A meandering pathway weaves through the Event Lawn, transforming a simple route into an engaging journey.
The Neighborhood Park respects and enhances the park's current uses, offering a more intimate space for both individual reflection and community gatherings.
Together, these spaces create a harmonious blend of urban design and natural beauty, emphasizing our commitment to integrating ecological principles into every aspect of the landscape.

First ever full mass timber public building in NYC.

Marvel is working with NYC DDC to design a new recreation center in Walter Gladwin Park on behalf of the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation. The 37,000sf community center will be located within the park along East Tremont Avenue, a busy commercial corridor, and will provide space for inclusive and universally accessible fitness amenities and programming for all ages. The new facility will be a warm and human-centered space where the diverse Tremont community can gather and connect.

2239 Walter Gladwin Recreation Center Marvel N36 medium
2239 Walter Gladwin Recreation Center Marvel N38 medium
The building will serve as a bridge from the urban fabric into the park and, with its mass timber structure and striated brick façade, will be at home within the rugged park.
2239 Walter Gladwin Recreation Center Marvel Floor Plan WGRC PLAN Level 1

The park and recreation center are named for Walter H. Gladwin (1902-1988) who emigrated from Guyana and was the first Black elected governmental official in the Bronx

2239 Walter Gladwin Recreational Center Marvel N33 medium
The building will also have a cistern to collect rainwater for re-use within the building, and with a green roof and solar panels, the facility will far surpass sustainability requirements and regulations.
2239 Walter Gladwin Recreation Center Marvel N42 medium
Made of mass timber, Walter Gladwin Recreation Center will also feature glulam columns, beams, and CLT slabs, offering warmth and natural beauty while significantly reducing embodied carbon.
2239 Walter Gladwin Recreation Center Marvel N43 medium
As a public project, we cannot specify one mass timber manufacturer, so technical assistance is vital. Our goal is to use tools, gained through participation in NYC's first ever Mass Timber Studio, to advance mass timber projects and help the city set a standard for beautiful, low-carbon buildings.
2239 Walter Gladwin Recreation Center Marvel N44 medium
The landscape architecture reflects a deep understanding of the site’s existing conditions, organizing spaces that respect and enhance the park's current uses.

Walter Gladwin Recreation Center

The first full mass timber city owned public building in NYC

A new recreation center will be built on Walter Gladwin Park, Bronx for the NYC DDC & NYC Department of Parks & Recreation. The 40,000sf center will be located within the park along East Tremont Avenue, a busy commercial corridor, and will provide space for inclusive and universally accessible fitness amenities and programming for all ages. The new facility will be a warm and human-centered space where the diverse Tremont community can gather and connect.

The first full mass timber city owned public building in NYC

A new recreation center will be built on Walter Gladwin Park, Bronx for the NYC DDC & NYC Department of Parks & Recreation. The 40,000sf center will be located within the park along East Tremont Avenue, a busy commercial corridor, and will provide space for inclusive and universally accessible fitness amenities and programming for all ages. The new facility will be a warm and human-centered space where the diverse Tremont community can gather and connect.

The new facility will be a warm and human-centered space where the diverse Tremont community can gather and connect.

© Marvel
The building will serve as a bridge from the urban fabric into the park and, with its mass timber structure and striated brick façade, will be at home within the rugged park.
Floor Plan Level 1. © Marvel

The park and recreation center are named for Walter H. Gladwin, a Guyana native and the first Black elected government official in the Bronx.

Site Model, Top View. © Marvel
The building will also have a cistern to collect rainwater for re-use within the building, and with a green roof and solar panels, the facility will far surpass sustainability requirements and regulations.
© Marvel
© Marvel
Made of mass timber, Walter Gladwin Recreation Center will also feature glulam columns, beams, and CLT slabs, offering warmth and natural beauty while significantly reducing embodied carbon.
As a public project, we cannot specify one mass timber manufacturer, so technical assistance is vital. Our goal is to use tools, gained through participation in NYC's first ever Mass Timber Studio, to advance mass timber projects and help the city set a standard for beautiful, low-carbon buildings.

The landscape architecture reflects a deep understanding of the site’s existing conditions, organizing spaces that respect and enhance the park's current uses.

Site Plan. © Marvel
Urban Plaza. © Marvel
Areas, such as the Urban Plaza at E. Tremont Avenue, address the site's grade changes by creating an accessible pathway to the main entrance of the Community Center.
A meandering pathway weaves through the Event Lawn, transforming a simple route into an engaging journey.
The Neighborhood Park respects and enhances the park's current uses, offering a more intimate space for both individual reflection and community gatherings.
Together, these spaces create a harmonious blend of urban design and natural beauty, emphasizing our commitment to integrating ecological principles into every aspect of the landscape.

First ever full mass timber public building in NYC.

Marvel is working with NYC DDC to design a new recreation center in Walter Gladwin Park on behalf of the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation. The 37,000sf community center will be located within the park along East Tremont Avenue, a busy commercial corridor, and will provide space for inclusive and universally accessible fitness amenities and programming for all ages. The new facility will be a warm and human-centered space where the diverse Tremont community can gather and connect.

2239 Walter Gladwin Recreation Center Marvel N36 medium
2239 Walter Gladwin Recreation Center Marvel N38 medium
The building will serve as a bridge from the urban fabric into the park and, with its mass timber structure and striated brick façade, will be at home within the rugged park.
2239 Walter Gladwin Recreation Center Marvel Floor Plan WGRC PLAN Level 1

The park and recreation center are named for Walter H. Gladwin (1902-1988) who emigrated from Guyana and was the first Black elected governmental official in the Bronx

2239 Walter Gladwin Recreational Center Marvel N33 medium
The building will also have a cistern to collect rainwater for re-use within the building, and with a green roof and solar panels, the facility will far surpass sustainability requirements and regulations.
2239 Walter Gladwin Recreation Center Marvel N42 medium
Made of mass timber, Walter Gladwin Recreation Center will also feature glulam columns, beams, and CLT slabs, offering warmth and natural beauty while significantly reducing embodied carbon.
2239 Walter Gladwin Recreation Center Marvel N43 medium
As a public project, we cannot specify one mass timber manufacturer, so technical assistance is vital. Our goal is to use tools, gained through participation in NYC's first ever Mass Timber Studio, to advance mass timber projects and help the city set a standard for beautiful, low-carbon buildings.
2239 Walter Gladwin Recreation Center Marvel N44 medium
The landscape architecture reflects a deep understanding of the site’s existing conditions, organizing spaces that respect and enhance the park's current uses.

Walter Gladwin Recreation Center

The first full mass timber city owned public building in NYC

A new recreation center will be built on Walter Gladwin Park, Bronx for the NYC DDC & NYC Department of Parks & Recreation. The 40,000sf center will be located within the park along East Tremont Avenue, a busy commercial corridor, and will provide space for inclusive and universally accessible fitness amenities and programming for all ages. The new facility will be a warm and human-centered space where the diverse Tremont community can gather and connect.

The first full mass timber city owned public building in NYC

A new recreation center will be built on Walter Gladwin Park, Bronx for the NYC DDC & NYC Department of Parks & Recreation. The 40,000sf center will be located within the park along East Tremont Avenue, a busy commercial corridor, and will provide space for inclusive and universally accessible fitness amenities and programming for all ages. The new facility will be a warm and human-centered space where the diverse Tremont community can gather and connect.

The new facility will be a warm and human-centered space where the diverse Tremont community can gather and connect.

© Marvel
The building will serve as a bridge from the urban fabric into the park and, with its mass timber structure and striated brick façade, will be at home within the rugged park.
Floor Plan Level 1. © Marvel

The park and recreation center are named for Walter H. Gladwin, a Guyana native and the first Black elected government official in the Bronx.

Site Model, Top View. © Marvel
The building will also have a cistern to collect rainwater for re-use within the building, and with a green roof and solar panels, the facility will far surpass sustainability requirements and regulations.
© Marvel
© Marvel
Made of mass timber, Walter Gladwin Recreation Center will also feature glulam columns, beams, and CLT slabs, offering warmth and natural beauty while significantly reducing embodied carbon.
As a public project, we cannot specify one mass timber manufacturer, so technical assistance is vital. Our goal is to use tools, gained through participation in NYC's first ever Mass Timber Studio, to advance mass timber projects and help the city set a standard for beautiful, low-carbon buildings.

The landscape architecture reflects a deep understanding of the site’s existing conditions, organizing spaces that respect and enhance the park's current uses.

Site Plan. © Marvel
Urban Plaza. © Marvel
Areas, such as the Urban Plaza at E. Tremont Avenue, address the site's grade changes by creating an accessible pathway to the main entrance of the Community Center.
A meandering pathway weaves through the Event Lawn, transforming a simple route into an engaging journey.
The Neighborhood Park respects and enhances the park's current uses, offering a more intimate space for both individual reflection and community gatherings.
Together, these spaces create a harmonious blend of urban design and natural beauty, emphasizing our commitment to integrating ecological principles into every aspect of the landscape.

First ever full mass timber public building in NYC.

Marvel is working with NYC DDC to design a new recreation center in Walter Gladwin Park on behalf of the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation. The 37,000sf community center will be located within the park along East Tremont Avenue, a busy commercial corridor, and will provide space for inclusive and universally accessible fitness amenities and programming for all ages. The new facility will be a warm and human-centered space where the diverse Tremont community can gather and connect.

2239 Walter Gladwin Recreation Center Marvel N36 medium
2239 Walter Gladwin Recreation Center Marvel N38 medium
The building will serve as a bridge from the urban fabric into the park and, with its mass timber structure and striated brick façade, will be at home within the rugged park.
2239 Walter Gladwin Recreation Center Marvel Floor Plan WGRC PLAN Level 1

The park and recreation center are named for Walter H. Gladwin (1902-1988) who emigrated from Guyana and was the first Black elected governmental official in the Bronx

2239 Walter Gladwin Recreational Center Marvel N33 medium
The building will also have a cistern to collect rainwater for re-use within the building, and with a green roof and solar panels, the facility will far surpass sustainability requirements and regulations.
2239 Walter Gladwin Recreation Center Marvel N42 medium
Made of mass timber, Walter Gladwin Recreation Center will also feature glulam columns, beams, and CLT slabs, offering warmth and natural beauty while significantly reducing embodied carbon.
2239 Walter Gladwin Recreation Center Marvel N43 medium
As a public project, we cannot specify one mass timber manufacturer, so technical assistance is vital. Our goal is to use tools, gained through participation in NYC's first ever Mass Timber Studio, to advance mass timber projects and help the city set a standard for beautiful, low-carbon buildings.
2239 Walter Gladwin Recreation Center Marvel N44 medium
The landscape architecture reflects a deep understanding of the site’s existing conditions, organizing spaces that respect and enhance the park's current uses.

Location

Bronx, NY

Client

NYC Department of Design and Construction (DDC) and NYC Dept. of Parks and Rec. (DPR)

Typology

Size

37,000 SF

Design Team

Jonathan Marvel, Annya Ramirez, Yadiel Rivera-Diaz, Martha Bush, Juan Guzman Palacios, Emily Richards, Sami Sikanas, Daniel Eizo, Sarah Beaudoin, Alex Sola de los Santos, Wilfredo Rodrigues-Joglar

Awards

NYC Mass Timber Studio Award, PDC Design Excellence Award

Consultants

Silman (Structures), Collado (ME), Legacy (PL), Gedeon (Civil), Lumen (Lighting), Atelier 10 (Sustainability), MW Skins (Envelope), Cerami (AV/IT/Sec), JM Zoning (Expediting), Ellana (Cost Estimating), Entech (Environmental), Langan (Geotech), Bean Specs (Specifications), Misty Gonzalez (Landscape Specifications), Paul Cowie (Arborist), Steven Winter (Accessibility)