Project Update

Marble Fairbanks is providing advisory support for the Manhattan Plan, a major citywide initiative with the NYC Department of City Planning to add 100,000 new homes in Manhattan over the next ten years. The plan seeks to expand housing opportunities while guiding growth in ways that strengthen and reflect the city’s diverse communities. 

Led by Agency Landscape + Planning, the project team is hosting a series of conversations throughout each of the NYC boroughs throughout the Summer and into the Fall. These community engagement sessions will allow input directly from New Yorkers: residents, leaders, and experts, which, in concert with an infrastructure assessment, will inform priorities and strategies for the future of housing in Manhattan.

We are proud to collaborate with Agency, Hive Public Space, Karp Strategies, Partner & Partners, Buro Happold, and Sherwood Design Engineers on this effort to help shape a more equitable and accessible future for the borough.

Read More: The Manhattan Plan

The deconstruction of the Hoosac building at the Charlestown Navy Yard (CNY) has officially begun to make way for our Gateway Center and U.S.S. Constitution Museum project. As part of our work at this historic site in Boston, we are integrating circular design principles by repurposing bricks and the interior timber structure from the deconstructed building for use in the new Gateway Center and the adaptive reuse of Building 107, also on the CNY campus, which will be the new National Parks of Boston Headquarters.

More than just progress for the Gateway Center project, this represents a new commitment to sustainable design in public architecture. By integrating circular design principles, we are not only reducing waste but also giving new life to the materials, promoting an environmentally responsible approach to construction that is reshaping how we approach building for the future.

This shift in design philosophy is a powerful reflection of the urgency and potential for sustainable, large-scale public projects. It sets a new precedent for how we approach development at historic sites, paving the way for future projects to prioritize environmental stewardship.

The deconstructed brick will be transformed into aggregate for the new building’s façade, while 75% of the timber and wood beams from the Hoosac building will be reused for flooring, wall panels, and other finishes across both new buildings. Additionally, reclaimed timbers will play a vital role in restoring the U.S.S. Constitution, a national historic landmark located in the Navy Yard, with any surplus timber allocated for use in other National Park Service projects nationwide.

MFA recently began design for a new K-6 public school awarded through the Northwest Arkansas Design Excellence Program. As part of the renaissance of downtown Bentonville, Arkansas, the project will transform the existing R.E. Baker Elementary and Old High Middle School campus into a state-of-the-art learning environment while thoughtfully preserving the historic Old High structure.

Last week, we traveled to Bentonville to kick off the project and meet with the Bentonville Public Schools Board of Education to explore the district’s vision for a transformative school model. Designed for 1,200 students, the new school will focus on hands-on learning, foster environmental stewardship, and strengthen connections within the community. The design will reflect the school’s identity while integrating walkable and bike-friendly connections to the city’s trail network, incorporating outdoor spaces that inspire exploration and play, and prioritizing sustainable strategies where feasible. The design process will engage educators, students, families, and the broader Bentonville community to shape a school that evolves alongside their needs into the future.

We look forward to sharing updates as this exciting project progresses.

We are thrilled to celebrate the unveiling of the design for the New Lots Library. MFA partnered with MASS Design Group and worked closely with Brooklyn Public Library and the East New York community to reimagine how a new public library can serve as a beacon of restorative justice, honoring the history of its site while creating new opportunities for celebration, connection, storytelling, and healing. Developed through a robust community engagement process, the design reflects a deep dialogue with the East New York community about their past, present, and vision for the future.

The new 25,000-square-foot library will replace the existing branch, expanding access to essential educational and cultural resources for generations to come. Thoughtfully designed to foster solidarity and shared memory, the space embodies a commitment to renewal and community-driven growth. At its core, the design for the library acknowledges the historic African burial ground on which the current library stands, providing a new space for reflection, renewal, and reconciliation.

Programming includes dedicated reading and music rooms, learning and exhibition spaces, an auditorium for community events, and outdoor areas for gathering and reflection.

“Public libraries are some of the most trusted places in our city, and each branch library has an opportunity to be responsive to the unique needs of their community. The Brooklyn Public Library continues to demonstrate their commitment to their communities, supporting designs that offer transformative visions for their libraries,” said Karen Fairbanks, Founding Partner of Marble Fairbanks Architects. “Here at the New Lots Library, we hope this project expands that trust by acknowledging past wrongs and offering spaces inside and out that empower the East New York community to grow, to make, to learn, to advocate and to continue their journey.”

By embedding these spaces within the community, the New Lots Library will be an anchor of social infrastructure in the New Lots and Brooklyn community—strengthening inclusion, deepening community connections, and contributing toward a more equitable future.

Yesterday marked an exciting milestone as we celebrated the groundbreaking at the National Parks of Boston Headquarters, formerly known as Building 107, in the Charlestown Navy Yard. The ceremony included remarks from Acting Deputy Secretary of the Interior, Laura Daniel-Davis, and a program outlining the restoration of the historic building. The groundbreaking ceremony was part of a larger tour of Boston, featuring sites funded through the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA). 

We were honored to join the Acting Deputy Secretary of the Interior, National Parks of Boston staff, and members of the General Services Administration for this momentous occasion. We extend our gratitude to everyone involved in this project and look forward to sharing further updates as the renovation progresses.