Levien & Co. completes 20,000 s/f renovation for Bronx Defenders

Project management firm Levien & Company has completed a 20,000 s/f renovation project at 860 Courtlandt Ave. for The Bronx Defenders, a Bronx-based not-for-profit organization that provides holistic criminal and family defense services. "The organization is located in a former steakhouse and its vintage layout made it difficult for The Bronx Defenders to make maximum use of the space," said Marcy Stein, project manager at Levien & Co. "The design and construction team skillfully converted the property from a restaurant to modern offices that meet the needs of this important organization." The new design includes walls painted in shades of green, purple and orange, and the installation of a spiral staircase. The restaurant cellar was transformed into offices. Glass blocks were integrated throughout to create better lighting. The lobby features murals painted by elementary school students from the nearby Public School 29, a participant in The Bronx Defenders' Community Arts Exchange program. The project team included Alta Indleman as the architect, Jack Green & Associates as the engineer and Excel Contracting as the general contractor.