Alexander Severin Architectural Photography

Through the efforts of a stellar team, the long-awaited restoration of Harlem River Houses is complete.

Opened in 1937, Harlem River Houses is one of the first federally funded housing projects. Thoughtful, ambitious design earned the complex a reputation as a high-water mark for affordable housing.

With the leadership of Settlement Housing Fund, Curtis + Ginsberg Architects guided a multidisciplinary team to modernize the apartments while taking great care to retain and enhance the historic fabric of the complex.

A unique aspect of documenting this project was the existence of photography from just after the original opening. We established a dialog with the older images - recreating and reinterpreting them to show the evolution of the complex.

Of particular historical significance are sculptures by Heinz Warneke, positioned by key entrances to the complex. Each underwent significant restoration by Jablonski Building Conservation.