The Bronx County Courthouse, also known as the Mario Merola Building, was constructed between 1931 and 1934 and is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places as well as designated New York City Landmark No. 0928. The nine-story limestone building, set on a rusticated granite base, is an exemplary Art Deco structure featuring four identical façades, an interior courtyard, and a sculptural frieze by noted artist Charles Keck.
Velocity’s design scope focused on preserving the building’s historic character while modernizing its vertical transportation systems. Particular attention was paid to protecting original architectural finishes in the elevators, lobby areas, and other historically significant interior spaces. Velocity prepared the architectural and MEP/FP design for the replacement of 18 passenger elevators across four elevator banks, two ADA-compliant lifts, and two freight elevators. The design also encompassed all related work for upgrading elevator machinery along with mechanical and electrical systems within six separate elevator machine rooms.
