Press Release

ASPCA to Unveil Newly Renovated New York City Shelter Monday, September 18th

$5 Million Space, Only Vertical Shelter of Its Kind, Accommodates 40% More Cats & Dogs in Deluxe, State-of-the-Art Enclosures and Communal Housing

September 13, 2006

ASPCA Media Contact

NEW YORK—The ASPCA^® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals^®) will unveil its newly renovated animal shelter at 424 East 92nd Street in New York City during a grand opening today on Monday, September 18 at 11 a.m.

The placement of 200 cats and dogs in their new habitats, as well as ribbon cuttings and acknowledgements by community leaders and ASPCA President Ed Sayres, will mark the occasion.

The grand opening marks the completion of a $5 million remodeling effort that began in 2005 and covers 12,000 square feet. The new interior, which includes two full floors, can house 86 more animals a 40% increase over its previous capacity. That’s twice as much colony housing for cats and four times the space for dogs.

“We took away people space and moved the animals in,” said Steve Musso, the ASPCA’s Executive Vice President of Operations who oversaw the project. “Not only did we want to be able to accommodate more animals, we also wanted to provide them with premium quality, long-term housing space in an environment that reduces the animals’ stress and increases their chances of adoption.”

The 6,000-sq.-ft. lobby-level adoption center is named “The ASPCA Onyx and Breezy Shefts Adoption Center” in memory of two black Labrador Retrievers once owned by Mark and Wanda Shefts. The center has 16 large glass enclosures for dogs, six community cat rooms (for up to 75 cats) and 24 individual cat habitats. The fourth floor, also 6,000 sq. ft., which previously housed office space, now boasts 112 cat and 19 dog habitats. There are two generous playrooms on both floors where dogs can romp and play. In all, the building can house up to 350 cats and dogs on any given day.

The ASPCA’s new adoption center is highlighted by a photography exhibition entitled "ASPCA Families: Celebrating Pets & Their People."  The exhibit, comprised of heartfelt images portraying ASPCA pets and their proud adopters, is a specially commissioned project by Geoffrey Tischman Photography of New York City.

“This is by far the most innovative shelter space that New York City has ever seen,” said Ed Sayres, ASPCA President. “It’s the only vertical shelter of its kind, and complements our urban environment while incorporating several innovative features not usually seen in shelters. Because we didn’t have the luxury of space, we worked with what was available and made the most of our limitations.”

For example, housing units for animals are not all uniform in size, but space is still maximized. Portals in single cat habitats allow movement from one unit to another, both horizontally and vertically, and less space is allotted to common areas such as hallways.

High-grade, water-proof materials were used to minimize maintenance issues, odors and animal stress. Terrazzo floors, Corian surfaces and furnishings and plastic wainscoting are easier to maintain and more attractive than previous institutional-looking epoxy and cinder block surfaces. Shower glass (?-inch thick) and acoustical ceilings help keep noise localized and reduce echoes.  Shelter residents also listen to species-specific music piped in via ceiling-mounted speakers: calming recordings of “dog laughter” for dogs and babbling brooks and birdsongs for cats.

The most expensive component of the renovation—HVAC—delivers air exchanges 8 to 12 times per hour, which prevents odors from creeping into common areas and minimizes spread of air-borne illnesses. There are also separate supplies and returns of air in each animal habitat and radiant heat to keep room temperatures consistent—so the animals have a comfortable climate controlled environment no matter the season.

The ASPCA’s new interior takes advantage of natural light wherever possible, with north and south exposures on the lobby and a wall of windows on the fourth floor. Colorful glass tiles accent common areas, and well-appointed extras, like “scent holes” on habitat doors, allow animals to sniff people as a friendly introduction before they enter. There is also a flat-screen TV that projects images of animals available for adoption and a pet-friendly acoustic system.

The re-design was engineered by Paul Bonacci and Lucinda Schlaffer of ARQ Architects, a nationally renowned firm known for serving the needs of humane societies. ARQ is based in Kittery, Maine. Contractor for the project was Interior Construction Corporation in New York City.

The five-story ASPCA headquarters opened in April 1992 and was occupied mainly by administrative offices. The building’s first floor houses the Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital, a 5,000-sq. ft., full-service hospital open to the public.

“More than 50,000 unwanted pets are surrendered each year in New York City,” said Sayres. “As a founding member of the Mayor’s Alliance for New York City’s Animals, we collaborate with other animal welfare groups in working toward our shared goal of making New York a humane community, where no adoptable animal is euthanized for want of a home. This increased space will give our life-saving efforts a much-needed boost.”

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