Beyer, Blinder Belle Architects and Planners, LLC
Riverdale Country School, established in 1907, is located on two wooded campuses in the Bronx. MNLA has been engaged in planning and design services at both campuses since 1994.
The Hill Campus master plan linked a new 7.5-acre property with the existing 11-acre campus on Fieldston Road. The master plan for the middle and upper school community created two competition-level athletic fields, tree-lined walkways and plazas linking the two properties, a new vehicular entrance, improved circulation, and service access. Other key elements included the relocation and preservation of a building of historical importance and the creation of a new detention basin designed to meet the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Wetland Regulations.
MNLA led the team's effort in site planning and landscape design. Extensive mapping and fieldwork were undertaken to prepare submission documents for the New York City Department of City Planning (DCP) as part of a Special Natural Area District (SNAD) Application. The team participated in community outreach meetings and made regular presentations to the school's board of trustees. Throughout the process, MNLA worked closely with the school to maintain the special natural character that its campus offers.