Location: Staten Island, NY
Client: DASNY / OMH
Architect: STV / Architectural Resources
Photo Credit: STV

YAS is the sole structural engineer for this new 5-story, 263,000gsf secure inpatient residential building which holds 200 – 250 adult and 12 adolescent beds at NYS Office of Mental Health’s South Beach Psychiatric Center. In addition to resident accommodations, this facility will feature dining facilities, a centralized pharmacy, a centralized medical mall, centralized nursing, patient admissions, a mental health court and a visitor’s center. The new building will connect to a Central Services Building (CSB) and pre-existing Buildings 8 and 9.

Due to Super Storm Sandy, the owner made a decision to raise the ground floor elevation above the revised 100 year flood plain elevation. The ground floor would be 15 feet above the existing ground floor elevation. The foundation design required reconsideration considering the building contained a story below grade that was not enclosed or proposed for use and would be subject to scouring forces from water during similar Super Storm type events. After considering all of the ramifications of that design, the owner and design team decided to raise the elevation of the entire site around the perimeter of the building to the 100 year flood plain elevation.