Center City Courtyard transforms a long-vacant, fragmented downtown Rochester block into a cohesive, community-centered residential development that elevates affordable housing through thoughtful urban design. Occupying a full city block once divided by multiple parcels and alleys, the five-story, 164-unit building reestablishes a continuous street edge while creating a protected interior courtyard that serves as the social and spatial heart of the project. 

The building is organized as a podium structure, with parking, residential lobby, and on-site service provider offices at the ground level and four residential floors above. This configuration allows the project to efficiently accommodate programmatic needs while prioritizing daylight, safety, and access to shared amenities. The courtyard provides residents with outdoor space buffered from traffic and noise, reinforcing a sense of refuge within a dense urban setting. 

Architecturally, the design responds directly to its context. Street-facing façades along Main Street, Washington Street, and Plymouth Avenue are composed using brick proportions, rhythm, and scale that reference Rochester’s historic masonry fabric. In contrast, the courtyard elevation adopts a more contemporary and expressive language inspired by the site’s historic relationship to the Erie Canal, introducing color and variation that foster identity and community. Together, these complementary expressions allow the building to engage the city while creating a distinct residential environment within. 

All apartments are affordable, and ground-floor offices house supportive service providers that assist residents transitioning from homelessness. Shared amenities—including terraces, community and fitness rooms, laundry facilities, broadband service, and the courtyard—support daily life and long-term stability. Center City Courtyard demonstrates how careful architectural thinking can repair the urban fabric while delivering durable, dignified housing rooted in place.