This project encompasses critical upgrades and renovations to an existing 1110-unit affordable housing complex in lower Manhattan. The renovations and upgrades include energy efficient lighting throughout the residential units and common spaces, upgrades to the heating controls in units and improved unit ventilation. Elevators will also have control upgrades. The largest portion of the project includes the excavation of a large portion of the interior courtyard for the construction of an underground mechanical space of 5,600-sf for a new boiler plant to replace the Con Ed steam services. The solution was a single boiler in a new, underground, waterproof vault under the complex’s central courtyard. The plant was designed to be completely water tight and flood resilient, resist buoyancy effects and, once complete, not impact the courtyard either visually or spatially. The only sign of its presence is an egress stair tower and ventilation shafts which extend upwards above the flood plain.