Design firm Leroy Street Studio was founded by Marc Turkel and Morgan Hare in 1995 on Leroy Street in New York City. Shawn Watts joined the partnership in 1997. Leroy Street Studio’s practice includes architecture, interiors, and construction management, with a diverse portfolio that spans residential, community, and institutional projects. The studio, in their own words, emphasizes “craft in construction and a collaborative design process.” Dedicated to participatory design, the firm also founded Hester Street in 2002, an independent nonprofit with a mission to improve the built environment for underserved New York City communities.

Completed projects include:

Alley Pond Environmental Center This new welcome center forms a gateway to Alley Pond Park, the largest wetland preserve in New York City, and houses environmental education programs which serve over 60,000 school children per year.

Hester Street Founded by Anne Frederick and Leroy Street Studio in 2002 as a participatory design/build workshop, the non-profit—which recently closed after over 20 years of operation—offered planning, design, and community development technical assistance to community-based organizations, government, and other agencies. 

English Farm This preservation and adaptive reuse project updates a cluster of 19th century Victorian stable buildings to contain new spaces including an indoor swimming pool.

Current and upcoming projects include:

140 Jane Street Inspired by the architectural heritage of the West Village, this 15-unit residential building overlooks the Hudson River.

Timber Townhouse This adaptive reuse project inserts a mass timber structure into a historic former carriage house to create a new private residence, in collaboration with TYLin and Creation Holz.

West Village Townhouse & Apartments This project integrates a new apartment building and townhouse into the historic urban neighborhood, with attention to contextual materials and details.