This project attempts to revitalize the Harlem Center, located at 125th Street & Malcolm X Blvd. This building was built in 2001 by the Abyssinian Development Corporation as a “big box” retail and office complex.
The Abyssinian Development Corporation was established in 1989 by the Abyssinian Baptist Church with the goal of rebuilding the social and physical capital of Harlem. Their initiatives include home-ownership literacy; social services to the homeless, elderly, and youth; and educational programs. However, there is a disconnect between their initiatives and their actual development projects.
As inspired by the historical “Street Corner University,” here at Harlem’s Corner University, you will find various spaces that aim to collectively uplift all members of the Harlem community through community engagement, education, and wellness.
The intervention is primarily circulation; it is a catalyst for connection and contact between otherwise separate entities. The first set of circulation paths cut through the “big box” retail spaces. The second set exists adjacent to the upper office spaces. The connecting joints between these two circulation systems are the Education/Multipurpose Rooms, where community members can attend educational workshops and/or counseling provided by the government agencies/programs occupying the office spaces.
