Melrose North honored with 2026 Berger Prize for Public Space
Melrose North, an S:US affordable and supportive housing in the Bronx.
Services for the UnderServed (S:US), together with Bronx Pro Group and Curtis + Ginsberg Architects, is proud to announce that Melrose North has been awarded the 2026 Berger Prize by the Design Trust for Public Space.
Named in honor of the late Ted Berger, the Design Trust’s longest-serving Board Member and a trailblazer for the arts, cultural policy, and New York City, the Berger Prize recognizes projects that embody bold vision, deep community partnership, and lasting public impact. Melrose North stands firmly in that tradition.
Perry Perlmutter, R. Darby Curtis, Matthew Clarke
A bold transformation in the Bronx
Melrose North began with a courageous idea: transforming an underutilized NYCHA site—once home to a trash compactor—into housing and opportunity for the Bronx.
Awarded through a NYCHA Request for Proposals in 2018, the project advanced through more than two years of close collaboration among S:US, Bronx Pro Group, and multiple City agencies. What emerged is a model of community-centered development that reimagines public land as a platform for equity, stability, and possibility.
Today, Melrose North is a 171-unit supportive and affordable housing development that serves New Yorkers who have faced profound challenges, including:
- Formerly homeless individuals living with mental health or substance use disorders
- Individuals and families who have survived domestic violence
- Residents seeking the stability that affordable housing provides
A home offers safety, dignity, and the foundation to rebuild. That stability changes everything.
R. Darby Curtis, Lauren LaMack, Perry Perlmutter, David Lebenstein, Justin Stein
The power of partnership
Melrose North is the result of a deep, mission-driven partnership in which each organization brought essential strengths:
- Services for the UnderServed (S:US) provides on-site supportive services that help residents achieve stability, independence, and long-term success.
- Bronx Pro Group contributed development expertise and a long-standing commitment to the Bronx community.
- Curtis + Ginsberg Architects designed a building that advances wellness, safety, and pride for residents.
- DreamYard Project infused creativity and connection, helping residents feel rooted in a vibrant, culturally rich neighborhood.
Together, these partners created not only a building, but a community anchor—a place where housing, services, and public space work in concert.
A community anchor designed for dignity and connection
Melrose North was designed to support both daily life and long-term wellbeing. The building includes:
- Community and computer rooms that foster connection, learning, and access to opportunity
- A children’s play area that supports families and intergenerational community life
- A community garden that offers green space, healing, and shared stewardship
- A mural created with NYCHA residents, celebrating neighborhood identity and creativity
- 24-hour security to promote safety and peace of mind
- A new accessible ramp to the Melrose Metro-North station, improving mobility and access to the broader city
With Passive House design, Melrose North brings cutting-edge sustainability and comfort to residents, reducing energy use while enhancing quality of life.
Advancing housing in New York City
As one of New York City’s largest nonprofit housing developers and service providers, Services for the UnderServed is committed to eradicating homelessness and expanding access to high-quality, affordable, and supportive housing.
S:US works in partnership with government, funders, developers, and community organizations to:
- Develop and operate supportive and affordable housing across the boroughs
- Provide person-centered services that help residents maintain housing, improve health, and pursue their goals
- Bring more than 2,000 new affordable units online each year, helping to close the gap in the city’s housing crisis
In a city where the housing crisis continues to widen the distance between need and opportunity, Melrose North demonstrates that collaborative, community-centered development can close that gap. It shows what becomes possible when we invest not only in buildings, but in people.
