This eco-conscious Williamsburg condo building is set to break a number of city records.
179 N. 10th St. will top out at 75 feet, making it the tallest mass timber building in New York City when complete. Just as notably, the project will also be the first mass timber building in the city to achieve the ambitious Passive House building standard, making it one of the most energy efficient structures in the five boroughs. We spoke with KSK Construction Group, the team behind the project, about the benefits of mass timber and why Local Law 97 will encourage other properties to seek the Passive House certification going forward.
Going tall with mass timber
Located at 179 N. 10th St. in Williamsburg, the project will feature 23 luxury condos, including one-, two- and three-bedroom units ranging in size from 600 to 2,200 square feet. The project also includes a gym and an amenity space adjacent to the lobby on the first floor and seventeen parking spaces equipped with electric vehicle charging outlets. The project is expected to be completed by early summer 2026.
“KSK was able to execute on a very unique project in an urban infill setting,” says Erik Churchill, a mass timber consultant who worked with KSK Construction on the project. “What sets this project apart is that they were able to do it with a very small, integrated team with a vision for development, construction, engineering and installation in as few hands as possible.”
Mass timber production outputs significantly less carbon emissions than comparable materials like steel and concrete, making it the more sustainable option. The material has another benefit: consumer preferences are shifting toward an earthier aesthetic, often highlighted by exposed wood and other natural materials, making mass timber an attractive choice for developers.
“This is a modern return to some of those basic building principles that already exist,” explains Churchill. “Part of what makes the product very appealing is the ability to create great soaring spaces with beautiful wood beams rather than the typical drop ceiling over drywall.”
By combining mass timber with prefabrication during the construction process, KSK has created a model for building stylish, environmentally-conscious residential buildings using methods that cut down on construction time and labor costs.
“This was an incredibly exciting project to be a part of,” says Churchill. “It’s a testament to KSK and their vision of how buildings can get built with prefabrication and mass timber.”
Raising the bar on energy efficiency
In addition to its eco-conscious construction, 179 N. 10th St. follows the Passive House building standards for energy efficiency, allowing it to operate sustainably into the future.
Developed in Germany in the early 1990s, Passive House is a voluntary building standard focused on achieving extremely low energy consumption for heating and cooling. Passive House design emphasizes high levels of insulation, airtight construction, all-electric components and energy-efficient ventilation systems to minimize energy consumption.
Fresh air comes in through the ventilation system and the “dirty” air from kitchen and bathroom exhausts goes out through an energy cover ventilator. So if it is cold outside, the outdoor air is climatized or warmed before it comes into a unit, minimizing the energy required to heat the building’s interiors.
“That helps to reduce the energy usage, and because the units are so tightly built, the monthly electricity bill is very low,” says Ulgur Aydin, principal at KSK Construction Group. “The result is financial loss that is minimal.”
179 N. 10th St. is the first Passive House mass timber project to be built in New York City. The project also will be certified by the Passive House Institute, making it one of just 41,600 certified projects globally.
Complying with Local Law 97
While Passive House standards may seem extreme, New York City builders are likely to follow the guidelines more often in the future in light of recent legislative changes. Starting in 2026, New York City is going to start charging fees to building owners for their carbon footprint as part of Local Law 97. Owners of buildings that exceed emissions limits could potentially end up paying tens of thousands of dollars per year in fines, which buildings like 179 N. 10th St. will avoid.
“Those are crazy high numbers, which is why mass timber, and especially an all-electric building that uses Passive House design, is a more sustainable option,” says Aydin, whose company has developed an expertise in mass timber in anticipation of this shift in demand.
Mass timber is more than just a trendy design choice. According to data from U.S. Woodworks, there are more than 2,100 mass timber projects complete or underway in the country, including multifamily, commercial and institutional projects.
A key catalyst for the material coming to New York City was a 2021 building code change that allows for mass timber, including cross-laminated timber (CLT), to be used in certain types of building construction.
“Much of the growth so far has been in institutional projects,” says Aydin, “but we do see mass timber eventually growing into the mass market.”
KSK Construction plans to leverage its expertise in mass timber to work with developers as a partner or general contractor on additional projects. To learn more about the company and 179 N. 10th St., visit KSK’s website.