Patterson Houses, a 23-acre NYCHA complex in the South Bronx with nearly 4,500 residents, is getting a major makeover of its outdoor space that will include amenities for people of all ages and abilities.
The $500,000 project, developed with extensive input from residents, will include two new playgrounds, an adult outdoor fitness center and renovations to the existing basketball court, including a new mural. Landscaping improvements will brighten the space, and construction is expected to be finished in time for summer.
The project is a collaboration between the Public Housing Community Fund, NYCHA, Center for Justice Innovation, Design Trust for Public Space, Kompan (design, manufacturing, and installation of the play and exercise equipment), Artolution (mural) and Hoopbus (basketball court).
The renovation is part of Green Space Connections, a $3.2 million initiative led by PHCF in partnership with NYCHA’s Asset & Capital Management Division and managed by The Design Trust for Public Space.
The new project will be a “reinterpretation of the entire space,” said Aren Castro, associate director of Neighborhood Safety Initiatives through the Center for Justice Innovation.
The team collected survey responses from 15% of Patterson residents about what they wanted to see in their outdoor areas, and they said they wanted their outdoor space to become more intergenerational.
Many NYCHA properties were planned with young families in mind, but today, older adults want the outdoor areas to suit them too, said Alex Zablocki, executive director of the Public Housing Community Fund, a nonprofit that supports NYCHA residents.
The new fitness center will have a stationary bike, pull-up bar and other equipment that leverages one’s own body weight. The playground will feature sensory elements for kids with autism, along with slides, a climbing canopy and more. Every detail was chosen by residents, including the equipment, paint colors and even the floor material.
The team said they’ve become very good at making major improvements to outdoor spaces on a relatively small budget. “We’re squeezing every dollar out of this,” said Zablocki.
Construction will begin within a couple of weeks and should move quickly, as it doesn’t require much masonry or concrete work, Castro said.
Another Green Space Connections project that broke ground at Castle Hill Houses in August 2024 is nearly complete. Residents voted to build a dog park and barbecue area, and Zablocki said the work should be finished within about a month.
These kinds of renovations will “set a model for what these resident-led processes can look like,” said Castro.
Reach Emily Swanson at eswanson@schnepsmedia.com or (646) 717-0015. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes
