APRIL 5, 2015

In late 2010, Boricua Village welcomed it’s first residents. This massive mixed-use project lies in an area of the Bronx known as Melrose, a neighborhood that had once been abandoned by the city. The arrival of Boricua Village after nearly 2 years of construction, signaled a new birth for the community. The $300 million complex encompasses 4.5 acres. The Village includes 7 buildings from 8 to 14 stories tall. There are nearly 700 apartments, 45,000 sq. ft. of retail space and 200 underground parking spots, plus the 120,000 sq. ft. tower containing Boricua College, which has been called one of the first “vertical campuses” in the country. Several challenges were posed to all window suitors before anything was to be approved.

• Windows had to achieve documented AAMA heavy-commercial rating requirements
• Horizontal sliders, casements and fixed units had to be made by the same manufacturer
• Windows needed to meet sound attenuation levels because of the heavy city traffic
• A special color to meet the designers exterior color scheme was also requested
• Anchoring systems would be necessary for installation purposes
• Because the entire project was slated to take almost 2 years to complete, products needed to be delivered in slotted time frames.

Quaker came through on all requests. Eventually supplying more than 650 heavy-commercial sliders, casements and fixed units to the project. All windows, plus their corresponding sub-sills, were painted in a custom off-white color which was provided at a minimal upcharge. Insulated glass incorporated 3/16” panes of glass to reduce sound transmission by about 25%. Special anchor straps were included to ensure a firm install. And windows were delivered in several phases to assist installers in streamlining their schedule.