Preserving the Past, Designing the Future: Anabella’s Mastery in Adaptive Reuse

The future of the city and real estate isn’t about building something new. It’s about breathing life back into the past.

Anabella Acevedo Peña is leading this shift by transforming forgotten buildings into high-end, sustainable homes that reflect both history and modern sophistication. Her work proves that luxury doesn’t require starting from scratch. It can mean honoring the past while shaping the future.

As a young professional specializing in adaptive reuse, Anabella takes overlooked structures and transforms them into vibrant, functional spaces. Her projects balance the charm of historic buildings with the comforts of contemporary design.

From 6 Mulberry in Rhinebeck, where an abandoned school is getting repurposed into affordable housing, to the meticulous development of 14 White Street in Tribeca, where the facade recognizes the historical character of the area, Anabella is redefining what it means to create timeless, meaningful spaces. Every building has a story to tell, and her designs give these stories a new chapter.

In the Historic Village of Rhinebeck, 6 Mulberry is more than just a building. It’s a piece of local history.

Once a lively school, it stood empty for years. Now, at NAVA, Anabella is co-leading the transformation of this former school into affordable housing units for 40 residents, giving the structure a new purpose, while retaining its historic charm. 6 Mulberry is all about preserving a historic building, while addressing the dire need for affordable housing.

“6 Mulberry is not just about transforming a structure. It’s about revitalizing a community and giving more housing opportunities. We had to draft together new resolutions with the Planning and Zoning board, which introduced adaptive reuse in the code” Anabella explains. “The Village understands the project and the value it brings to the neighborhood. We’re preserving a space that holds memories, while giving it a future that benefits generations to come.”

Her approach to adaptive reuse goes beyond aesthetics. She performs urban and historical analysis, incorporates energy-efficient systems, proposes passive design principles, and high-performance insulation to reduce energy costs and minimize environmental impact, making the space comfortable for future residents and enhancing cost-efficiency in the project.

In Tribeca, where cobblestone streets meet sleek, modern design, 14 White Street stands as a perfect example of how historic areas can also offer current and comfortable homes.

Located in one of New York City’s most desirable neighborhoods, this project allows Anabella to showcase her expertise in balancing heritage and urban scape, with high-end living. 14 White Street introduces original facade elements to complement the area’s historic character, while also introducing avant-garde design.

“14 White Street was a chance to show that contemporary living can also acknowledge history,” Anabella shares. “We wanted to preserve Tribeca’s rich history, while introducing features and modern amenities that align with today’s lifestyle and enhance comfort and convenience.”

A key part of this transformation was the use of Building Information Modeling (BIM), a digital tool that streamlined the design and construction process. By adopting BIM, Anabella and the rest of the team were able to spot and fix potential issues, ensuring that the project stayed on schedule and maintained the highest quality standards.

Beyond 6 Mulberry and 14 White Street, Anabella’s portfolio reflects her ability to reimagine spaces and improve urban areas. Her work includes projects that enhance life quality, some of them showcasing ground-up construction, others by turning old underutilized spaces into vibrant homes.

Each project demonstrates her belief that old buildings can meet modern demands without losing their character.

In a recent project, she renovated a century-old apartment in Upper East Side, preserving its original aesthetic qualities, while introducing modern amenities that complied with current code and optimizing spaces. The result was an apartment that retained its historic charm while offering the comforts of contemporary living.

“Adaptive reuse isn’t just about restoring or renovating buildings. It’s about reimagining how people experience space and how to improve life-quality,” Anabella explains. “Of course, there’s a careful process in which we study the code and update the space system in order to comply with current regulations that ensure safety. But on the other side, when we breathe new life into old structures, we create environments that feel familiar, yet forward-thinking.”

For Anabella, sustainability isn’t just a trend, it’s a guiding principle. Adaptive reuse inherently reduces environmental impact by repurposing materials and minimizing demolition waste. But she takes it further by integrating energy-efficient systems that ensure her projects meet today’s highest environmental standards.

The designs she is working on include passive house principles, high-performance glazing, and advanced insulation to minimize energy consumption while maintaining comfort. At 6 Mulberry, the team carefully retrofitted the building to reduce heat loss and maximize energy efficiency, ensuring that the project remains both eco-friendly and cost-effective.

“Sustainability isn’t an afterthought. It’s part of the design process from day one,” Anabella says. “We’re not just creating spaces that look good. We’re building environments that are healthier for people and the planet.”

Adaptive reuse projects often come with unexpected challenges, from navigating zoning regulations to addressing unforeseen structural issues. For Anabella, these challenges are opportunities to think creatively and problem-solve. Her ability to pivot while staying true to the original vision sets her apart.

At 14 White Street, unforeseen site conditions required real-time design adjustments to maintain compliance with energy codes and zoning requirements. Anabella’s adaptability together with the experience of the teams ensured that these challenges were met with solutions that kept the project on track.

Strategies for managing complexity included anticipating challenges and developing contingency plans, as well as collaborating with diverse teams. Leveraging technology was also key in order to optimize design and construction workflows. Anabella’s skills and experience in construction contributed to smooth project execution.

Looking ahead, Anabella is committed to pushing the boundaries of adaptive reuse. She continues to explore emerging technologies, speculative design, and sustainable solutions that can redefine how cities evolve.

Her work goes beyond transforming buildings. It’s about shaping sustainable urban environments that balance the past and the future.

“Adaptive reuse is more than a design approach. It’s a way of thinking about the future,” Anabella reflects. “It’s about recognizing that every structure holds untapped potential, and that by reimagining these spaces, we can create communities that are richer in both culture and comfort.”

In a world where rapid development often wipes out pieces of urban and architectural history, Anabella’s work shows that the past can be preserved while meeting the needs of modern living. Her expertise in adaptive reuse has proven that forgotten buildings can be transformed into beautiful, comfortable, and sustainable homes that still honor their original character.

From Tribeca’s lively streets to Rhinebeck’s quiet charm, Anabella’s projects reflect her deep understanding of how to balance historic preservation with modern innovation.

Her careful attention to detail and ability to incorporate new technologies and sustainable practices have earned her a reputation as a leader in her field. As more architects and developers see the value in blending old and new, Anabella’s work is setting a higher standard for quality design and sustainability.

With each project, she isn’t just designing buildings. She is shaping a future where thoughtful design leaves a lasting legacy for generations to come.