Located in East Harlem, Project Renewal’s Public Health Diversion Center provides 24/7 treatment services for adults with mental health and/or substance use issues. The Diversion Center offers a new model of care centered around intensive engagement and support. The drop-off facility offers short-term, stabilizing services to non-violent individuals in crisis and gives police officers a much-needed alternative to arrest or hospitalization.

The design of the facility serves this mission in several ways. The second-floor entrance is for intake and includes a waiting room, screening and exam rooms, guest bays, and staff space. The third floor is designed for longer stays and further client support. The upper floor provides 25 dorm beds, a large dining and TV room with a balcony, warming pantry, and sound curtain to partition the space. In the interest of promoting wellness, a living green wall is provided beneath a new bulkhead clerestory window providing a peaceful, light-filled lounge for the clients.

Project Renewal’s Public Health Diversion Center is one of the first of its kind in New York City. First announced in 2014 under Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Task Force on Behavior Health and the Criminal Justice System Action Plan, these centers plan to divert approximately 2,400 people per year.

Client: Project Renewal

Owner’s Representative: Olive Branch Consulting

Agency: NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene

Structural: Old Structures Engineering

MEP: Loring Consulting Engineers

Expediter: Design 2147

Contractor: SP Contract of NY