Boddewyn Gaynor Architects

BGA’s President, Michèle Boddewyn, AIA, was pleased to contribute her thoughts to Valley Bank’s worthwhile Women in Business program. Valley Bank Women in Business April 10 at 9:00 AM ... Valley's Women in Business program supports women in various industries. Member, Michelle Boddewyn, shared with us a story about her experience as a NYC architect. "As a teenager, I was drawn to the Architecture profession by its history, its creativity and its impact on the urban community. New York City was my drawing board with a wide range of buildings to discover and study. The profession demands an understanding of the client’s needs, a solutions-oriented focus and teamwork. During my 40-year career, I’ve worked with Schools, Medical Practitioners, Apartment Dwellers, Not for Profits, Retailers and Property Owners. Each project requires solutions tailored to its unique needs; and creativity is vital. Properly done, benefits accrue to both the building occupants and the surrounding community. This is tremendously satisfying. One of my favorite NYC buildings is the iconic Starrett Lehigh building in the West Chelsea Historic district. My firm, Boddewyn Gaynor Architects, has completed many projects there over the years. Among the more complex was a 7-year Historic Window Replacement Project, consisting of 5,000 windows. This project improved the comfort of the building tenants, while significantly reducing the building’s energy consumption. Imagine my satisfaction when this project received the 2019 Lucy G. Moses Preservation Award! As a New York City Architect, I am proud to be a member of this collaborative profession, where I contribute to the well-being of the clients and the community that I serve."

BGA recently completed a project for our landlord, Silverstein Properties, located at 120 Wall Street in Manhattan’s Financial District, aka The Sugar Building. BGA’s challenge was to create a new building design standard that blended the history of this remarkable building with the demands of the Tenant’s needs in the 21st Century. The need for a distinctive look and consistent finishes for the Elevator Lobbies, Tenant and Restroom entrances, led to the new design standa...rds. BGA’s design solution included new lighting, signage and finishes to link up the different Tenant Entrances, into a cohesive look in the Elevator Lobbies plus Signage across the initial (4) floors. As a tribute to the legacy of the American Sugar Refinery Company, the original anchor tenant when the building opened in 1930, we selected a textured wall covering reminiscent of Sugar Crystals for the wall space above the marble wainscot. Signage played a key role in melding history and modernity. The new design standard for the Floor Directories and Signage combined the Art motifs from the Ground Floor Lobby Brass Elevator doors with the distinctive waterside image of the Sugar Building’s stepped façade from the East River. This project produced another satisfied BGA client. It’s a double bonus when that client is also your landlord!

BGA designed the new 5 story Showroom for our long-time client, Metropolitan Antiques,Who selected a new location within NYC's Plaza District