1975 Madison is a 100,000 square foot 96-unit mixed-use community facility and residential building located in East Harlem, New York City. Built on the site of the former Metropolitan Community United Methodist Church, an 1870s Victorian Gothic building that saw its roof collapse in 2019 and was unable to be restored. In partnership with the congregation the site was redeveloped as two components with the Church relocating to a new building designed for the lot to the north and the new residential building of 1975 Madison located on the corner of 126th Street and Madison.

The new building features a gabled columnar design and earth-toned hues that pay homage to the former church’s sandstone masonry foundation, its peaked gables and towers, as well as the materiality of the surrounding Harlem brownstones. A community facility space on the Ground Floor furthers the connection to the neighborhood. The new building offers 97 new rental units in total with 30 of the residential units designated as affordable apartments.

Large-pane floor to ceiling glazing along the street walls and deep columns that frame the surrounding views and reduce solar gain compose the primary envelope. The rear features similarly large windows and deep balconies that overlook a lush wellness rear garden amenity. A large gym, a coworking facility offering different sizes and types of workspaces, a flex/media room as well as a large rooftop terrace complete with an interior lounge, outdoor grilling/dining pergolas, a sun deck, and a turf outdoor movie area are also among the building’s 10,000 square feet of amenity space.

Photography by Chris Coe