The American Institute of Architects New York State chapter (AIA NYS) recently recognized the South Beach Psychiatric Center Residential Building at its 2025 Excelsior Awards. Design team members from STV and our design partners at Architectural Resources were presented with an Honor Award in celebration of their work on the state-of-the-art facility in Staten Island, NY.
Following damage caused by Superstorm Sandy in 2012, the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY) and the New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) launched an ambitious effort to rebuild and improve the future resilience of the 288-acre South Beach campus. As architect- and engineer-of-record, STV led the design of the new residential building on behalf of DASNY and OMH, with Architectural Resources serving as a key collaborator.
“As STV continues to grow our health and well-being practice, this award reflects our commitment to delivering therapeutic behavioral healthcare spaces that enhance the ability of staff to deliver world class care to local New Yorkers,” said Nathan Howell, vice president and market sector leader for health and well-being within STV’s national buildings group. “We’re focused on creating restorative, holistic environments, with non-institutional living spaces, natural light and communal spaces that prioritize a connection to community. We’re thrilled to be recognized by AIA NYS for this seminal project.”
Designed to achieve LEED Silver certification, the five-story, 221,000-square-foot facility accommodates 250 adult patients and 12 adolescents. One of its signature features is a “Main Street” corridor where residents can easily access living and dining areas, shops, recreation and spirituality rooms and classrooms. The design promotes a normalized living environment and supports OMH’s patient-centered care approach.
“We spent much of the design process thinking about how to make a healthcare setting feel like a home,” said Yinery Baez-Solis, senior associate and assistant project manager at STV. “From the ‘Main Street’ layout to the open concept nurses’ station, we wanted to rethink how mental health facilities can better serve both residents and staff through thoughtful, human-centered design.”
Given the site’s location along the Lower New York Bay, STV’s team developed a flood-resilient design that places the building on pilings and raises the ground 20 feet above sea level. The surrounding grounds, including recreation yards, are elevated above the 500-year floodplain.
“When we were preparing for the facility to open for residents, the COVID-19 pandemic hit,” said Ramon Caba, senior architect at STV. “Our team needed to quickly adapt the intended design to meet the client’s evolving needs to help alleviate pressure on the healthcare system.”
STV’s design team redesigned the residence to temporarily house non-acute COVID-19 patients from Staten Island University Hospital North. With several design modifications in place, the facility served this crucial function until May 2022.
