OFFICES
The former Codorus Homes public housing site is situated along a bend in Codorus Creek which runs through the city of York. Poor soils and loose foundations had caused structural damage to several of the existing homes and many more homes were in danger of the same fate.
Similar to many public housing sites built in the mid-20th century, the buildings had little character and were arranged around cul-de-sacs, forcing the homes to turn their backs to their neighbors and creating an unconnected community within the city. Adjacent to the site is Thackston Park, named in memory of a local community activist. This park, popularly viewed as an amenity, has been unable to maintain a consistent reputation as a safe place for recreation.
Over several months, Torti Gallas held a series of public meetings, prior to a week long on-site design charrette, all involving city and county officials, residents, neighbors and a variety of stakeholders in the project. Utilizing the feedback from these meetings and the charrette, a communal vision for the Codorus Creek neighborhood was developed. After several site plan options were presented, a Consensus Plan was created. This plan included reclamation of the Codorus Creek waterfront which became home to a relocated Thackston Park. The park is fronted by new townhouses, relocated commercial/retail amenities, and a new mixed-income neighborhood for both new residents and former Codorus Homes residents.
Relationships to regional context and the surrounding neighborhood fabric were important considerations in the creation of this physically and socially vibrant neighborhood. Regional building styles and local character inspired the architecture of the Community, while building heights are similar to the two and three story scale of adjacent historic neighborhoods.
