Firm Profile

CGA Studio is an award-winning architectural design firm, founded in 1988 and renamed to CGA Studio Architects in 2018. The firm has extensive experience creating innovative and uplifting designs within the residential, commercial and public sectors, with a focus on sustainability and net zero energy projects. 

The firm is a civic-minded, known for community projects including a nature center, a library park, a school playground, downtown plazas, a firehouse extension, and affordable housing. Notable community projects include “Pocket Change Communities,” a model living collective based on conservation of energy and the environment, and making use of local farming to support the new community, which received AIA Design Award in 2016, and “Sugar Pond Nature Center”, in Hastings-on-Hudson, which was awarded an AIA Design Award in 2017. 

CGA Studio has a strong presence in designing multifamily housing in the Rivertowns. The firm has designed over 60 residential units on Dobbs Ferry, including the “Broadway Flats”, a 10-unit multifamily modern building which received an AIA WHV Design Award in 2017. The firm has designed mixed-use buildings in the downtowns of Hudson River villages that are multi-faceted in responding to local vision plans and design guidelines, and in harmonizing with the existing patterns of building and historical context. The firm is currently working on the design of new and retrofitted mixed-use downtown buildings, with new residential units above commercial space. These buildings are designed to address the housing crisis by providing more diverse, affordable, and ADA compliant housing in Westchester County.

The firm has experience with renovation and extension of historical buildings throughout Westchester County. Recent projects include a retrofit of an 1815 farmhouse in Dobbs Ferry, NY, to meet the Passive House standard, which was awarded an AIA Design Award in 2019 for in 2019.  The firm is currently involved in the restoration of an 1880 Historical Landmark mixed-use building in Yonkers, NY, designed to meet Passive House and Zero Energy standards, expected to be completed in 2025. 

The design professionals at CGA Studio work in a studio environment, with experienced licensed architects and an interior designer, two with LEED AP (Leader in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional) credentials, who all share a passion for design. The firm has a reputation for visual beauty and creativity in our work. Characteristic themes include light and airy interiors, gracious proportions, integrated indoor and outdoor spaces, and a sensitive balance of architectural structure and materials with the surrounding environment.  Our designs seek to elevate the quality of life, whether in creating a welcoming communal space, a comfortable and serene living area, or an assembly of dramatic architectural forms.

CGA Studio specializes in eco-friendly designs, and has the distinction of designing the River Town House in Hastings-on-Hudson, NY, which received the first Platinum LEED for Homes certification in Westchester in 2009, and a Westchester/Hudson Valley A.I.A. Design Award in 2010. The firm designed the first LEED for Homes certified project in the City of White Plains, which earned a gold rating from the USGBC (US Green Building Council), and won a Westchester/Hudson Valley A.I.A. 2013 Design Award, a HOBI (Home Builder's 

Association of Connecticut) 2012 Award for the Best Energy Efficient Green Remodel, and a Westchester Magazine 2014 Renovation of the Year Design Award. Christina Griffin is president and co-founder of the not-for-profit Center for Sustainable Development since 2013, which has energy workshops at the office of CGA Studio, to provide a think tank for architects, engineers, and contractors to explore ways to build and promote environmentally sensitive buildings. The US Department of Energy (DOE) awarded CGA Studio a national Housing Innovation Award and a grand “Decarbon Copy” award for designing a replicable and economical prototype for zero energy retrofits in Hastings-on-Hudson. The firm was again awarded with a DOE Housing Innovation Award in 2024 for a residential project in Ossining, NY, which received certifications for Passive House, Zero Energy, and LEED Platinum. According to the DOE, the project was given recognition for “spurring the housing industry to construct more efficient, healthy, and resilient homes.” 

CGA Studio is a woman-owned business with all women staff members.

Christina Griffin AIA CPHC LEED AP

Christina Griffin is principal of CGA Studio, an award-winning architectural firm known for designing environmentally conscious buildings in the Hudson Valley area for the past 38 years. She studied at Syracuse University and the Architectural Association of London, and has been a registered architect with the State of New York since 1985. She is also a member of the AIA Westchester/Hudson Valley, Passive House Institute US, and New York Passive House.

Christina Griffin is a LEED AP accredited professional in 2009, and designed the first Platinum LEED for Homes project in Westchester County in 2010. She received her certification as a Passive House Consultant from PHIUS (Passive House Institute of United States) in 2012, and from Passive House Institute in Darmstadt, Germany in 2015. In 2014, Christina co-founded the Center for Sustainable Development, a not-for-profit organization formed as a think tank to develop strategies for raising the level of sustainability in the built environment.

As Principal of CGA Studio Architects, founded in 1988, Christina Griffin has actively promoted sustainable design through her civic engagement and collaboration within the design and construction community. After designing her first LEED for Homes Platinum project in 2010, she co-founded the Center for Sustainable Development, a not-for-profit think tank to bring together like-minded professionals to explore ideas for raising the level of sustainability in the built environment.

She became a Certified Passive House Consultant (CPHC) with PHIUS in 2012, and a Certified Passive House Designer with PHI in 2015. To help address the climate crisis, Christina co-wrote the Hastings Green Building Code in 2016, and has been conducting Passive House workshops and tours of zero energy projects, including her own carbon neutral home. She emphasizes the importance of integrating building science and energy modeling into the design process, and the architect’s role in creating low-carbon environments. T

he US Department of Energy awarded CGA Studio a national Housing Innovation Award and a grand “Decarbon Copy” award for designing a replicable and economical prototype for zero energy retrofits. Recently, her residential project in Ossining, NY, raised the standard for homes designed by CGA Studio, by achieving Passive House, Zero Energy, and LEED Platinum certifications, and again received a DOE Housing Innovation Award in 2024.

    • Passive House Institute (PHI) Certified Passive House Designer 2015

    • Member of Hudson Valley Passive House Alliance 2014 and NY Passive House 2015 

    • Passive House Institute United States (PHIUS) Certified Passive House Consultant (CPHC) 2012

    • Member of Hastings Green Building Code Committee, writing the Green Building Code for the village of Hastings-on-Hudson, NY, adopted in 2013 and updated in 2020

    • President of the Center for Sustainable Development, a non-profit organization to promote ideas and strategies to raise the level of sustainability in the built environment, founded 2013

    • Co-founder of Green Building Professional Consortium, a development company to build and promote environmentally conscious buildings, founded 2013

    • Development of the AIA Sustainable Design Database with AIA Westchester/Hudson Valley, which won the AIA NYS Empire State Challenge in 2011

    • Chairperson of the Hastings Design Guidelines Committee, and co-writer of the Hastings Design Guidelines for the commercial district in the Village of Hastings-on Hudson, adopted in 2011

    • LEED AP (Leader in Energy and Environmental Design) accreditation, 2009

    • Received the first Platinum LEED for Homes certification in Westchester, 2009

    • President of the Center for Sustainable Development, a non-for-profit organization to promote ideas and strategies to raise the level of sustainability in the built environment

    • Chairperson for the Hastings Architectural Review Board, 1996-2007

    • Member of the Hastings Land Use Committee 2016

    • Member of the Hastings Affordable Housing Committee 2016 – present

    • Co-founder of Phius Passive House Alliance Southern Hudson Valley 2024 

    • Speaker at AIA WHV Symposium 2024, “How Architects Practice to Adress the Climate Crisis”

    Professional Affiliations:

    • American Institute of Architects Westchester Hudson Valley Chapter (AIA WHV)

    • Passive House Institute United States (PHIUS)

    • New York Passive House Alliance 

    • PHIUS Alliance New York

    • Center for Sustainable Development, Co-Founder and President   

    • Green Building Professional Consortium, Co-Founder

Suzanne Levine

  • Coming Soon

Lizette Garcia-Elias

  • Lizette Garcia-Elias is a dedicated Interior Designer with a strong foundation in both creative vision and practical execution. A graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology, Lizette earned her BFA in Interior Design in 2013 and has since cultivated a reputation for crafting thoughtful, elegant spaces that balance aesthetics with functionality. With a passion for transforming interiors into meaningful environments, she brings a keen eye for detail and a deep understanding of spatial planning to every project. 

    Before joining the CGA Studio team, Lizette worked in healthcare and commercial design. Over time, she discovered a deep passion for residential design, where she now specializes in crafting warm, livable spaces that reflect each client's unique story.

    One of her proudest achievements includes contributing to the first LEED Platinum Zero Net Energy home in Westchester County—an innovative project that reflects her commitment to sustainability and thoughtful design.

Karen Chubak

  • Karen Chubak joined CGA Studio in 2021 as Project Architect. She is dedicated to creating distinctive, context-responsive designs that emerge from a deep understanding of both place and people. With an approach rooted in careful listening and thoughtful exploration, Karen views each project as a collaborative process—one that balances the client’s aspirations with the unique characteristics of the project’s surroundings.

    Whether working on larger-scale buildings or custom single-family residences, Karen takes great care in understanding her clients' goals and priorities. She ensures that each design not only meets the user's needs but also resonates with the environment in which it is situated. In addition to her keen sensitivity to context, Karen is known for her rigorous attention to detail and robust organizational skills, which ensure the smooth and successful execution of each project.

    Before joining CGA Studio, Karen led projects across a wide range of typologies, gaining valuable experience in diverse architectural contexts. While she enjoys working on various project types, she has a particular fondness for residential projects, where she is able to develop a deep understanding of each client’s unique needs and interests.

    Karen holds a Master of Architecture from Parsons School of Design and a Bachelor of Arts from Barnard College, Columbia University. She is a licensed architect in New York.

    Karen has been an architect and project manager for numerous residential, commercial, and institutional properties. Her notable projects include 155 East 79th Street, the Brooklyn Law School, Wetherby-Pembridge School, Turtle Bay Music School, Bronx Museum of the Arts, Battery Playscape, and the Lambaye Learning Center, a community library and educational center located in a remote village in Senegal, Africa.