Miller Building Supportive Housing

The Miller Building is a rehabilitation project converting a vacant building in downtown Rochester into 24 transitional housing apartments. The building has 13 studio apartments and 11 one-bedroom units. The ground floor includes a lobby, office, meeting spaces, laundry, and a community room for the residents. The building owner, Open Door Mission, will be providing onsite support services to its tenants from its neighboring facility. Made possible with a grant from the NYS Homeless Housing Assistance Program (HHAP).

The building is located in the Bridge Square Historic District and required close collaboration with the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), the NYS Homeless Housing Assistance Program (HHAP), and the city of Rochester. Extensive modifications were made to simplify the existing floor plan and bring sunlight in while restoring character defining elements of the original building. Design considerations prioritized the experience of those using the building with ease of wayfinding, abundance of sunlight, and celebration of existing building elements. With a mission to provide spaces of warmth, dignity, and value for all of those who call the Miller Building home, the rehabilitation demonstrates how existing vacant buildings can be re-used to address and meet the need for transitional housing in the city.

Award of Merit, Landmark Society of Western New York (2023)
Reshaping Rochester Large Project Design Award, Community Design Center of Rochester (2023)