its most notable features are two flights of stairs with handrails lime-green, small silhouettes of women dancing and jazz playing through the speakers, the Melody is a new apartment building in the Longwood section of the Bronx, built with obesity-fighting design elements in mind. It is the first building of its kind in New York, city officials said.
The building was unveiled on the morning of June 1 by Blue Sea Development Company, representatives of Habitat for Humanity officials and city. Development costs about $ 18 million and paid for mainly through bond financing, which was provided by New York City, New York State and the borough of the Bronx.
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| Anti-obesity housing unveiled in New York |
"This is about making choices obvious and simple, so you do not have to think about," he said.
Early buyer Migdalia Santiago, said climbing the stairs does not bother him because he walks up four flights of stairs in his current residence near the Bronx Zoo. But now he may have a better idea about a small detail that was found during the unveiling. "I was wondering why there was no music in the elevator," he said.
A second dose of encouragement to climb the stairs hangs between single lift door of the building and stairs. He says, "the person's health can be judged by taking two at a time, pills or stairs."
The use of color, and sun, is a common design element throughout the building that used to promote exercise and movement. The sun-filled backyard has exercise equipment for adults done in bright colors and climbing equipment for children, and her first-floor gym also lets in a lot of sunlight through four tall windows.
The development, at Macy 853, is an eight-story, 63-unit co-op was created for families with incomes below $ 90,000. It is expected to be ready for occupancy this summer, and already signed contracts for about 40 percent of the units. Prices start at $ 104,435 for bedroom apartments and go to $ 219,997 for three bedrooms.
In 2010, the city agencies in collaboration with health experts and architects released 135 page guide called Active Design Guidelines, on the construction of buildings to encourage exercise and mobility. While Melody was the first to incorporate those suggestions, city officials said other projects were also being developed.