Love this Property
54 Bond Street
New York is a city that is constantly in flux. When someone talks about the good old days, they usually mean the 1980’s. So if you don’t like change then this City is not for you. A case in point is 54 Bond, a collection of loft apartments in a building formally known as the Bouwerie Lane Theatre. This building is a rare example of French Second Empire style and originally housed the Bond Street Savings Bank from 1879 to 1964.
All I can say is wow! As a real estate agent it takes a lot to impress me but this building is spectacular. It is all about this corner with the high ceilings and over sized windows. Bright, elegant and airy.
The finishes speak for themselves.
The triplex penthouse is to die for and is offered at $15,450,000. If that is too rich for your blood then one of the single floors in the upper 4mill range might work for you. Check out more incredible images at 54Bond.com
The Ardea
When a broker tells me ‘It’s not for everyone’ with regards to a building or an apartment, it immediately gets my attention. It is often code for ’unique and wonderful’ which is an apt description of The Ardea.
This has to be one of the most charming, quirky, and at the same time elegant buildings in the Village. High ceilings and large windows combine with Victorian detail, that will place you soundly in another era as soon as you enter the building.
Built by George A Hearn in two stages beginning in 1895 it was called The Ardea, Latin for heron. A subtle play on words and indirect way to name a building after himself.
By today’s standards the layouts are challenging. You enter the apartment though a grand set of double doors, similar to those found in townhouses of the time, however the hallways within are narrow. There is always an elegant south facing living room that has wonderful proportions and an adjoining library that is used in many ways, sometimes as a bedroom. My favorite feature is on the back stairs off the kitchen; you often find the original box where ice was delivered and stored in the hot summer months.
It may not be for you for a number of very practical reasons, but the next time an apartment comes on the market at 31-33 west 12th street make sure you take the opportunity to see one of the great Village buildings. It is a treat for those who value the unusual and historic.
Another building that is contemporary would be The Dakota, much grander, but linked together in pedigree.
200 Eleventh Avenue
One of the coolest buildings downtown has to be this Annabelle Seldorf design on Eleventh Avenue. I have a lot of reasons why I like this project, but frankly they are over ridden by the one amenity that flips me out; the indoor parking.
Imagine a elevator takes your car to your floor where you can park in in it’s own windowed garage. Hi brow: James Bond. Low brow: Transporter.
All very sexy.
Time Warner Building
Last week we did a post about Amelia Earhart and I thought where would she live if she were alive today? After a couple of days it came to me; the Time Warner building at Columbus Circle, of course. Amelia was a modern girl, who liked wide open spaces. Where else in New York can you get the big sky sensation that this building delivers.
The towers opened to mixed reviews. Ada Louise Huxtable of the Wall Street Journal described it as soaring, shining and glamorous. Whereas Nicolai Ouroussoff of the LA Times called it a vertical shopping mall and likened it to an airport terminal in a foreign country; wow harsh! Both of these statements have some truth to them, but for me the good far out weighs the bad.
It is definitely a glamorous New York destination. Drinks at the Lobby Lounge at the Mandarin Oriental. Dinner at Per Se or sushi at Masa. How about Jazz at Lincoln Center? One of our holiday traditions is the Red Hot Holiday Stomp at the Rose Theater.
But what I really like about The Time Warner building is how modern it is, not just an updated copy of traditional pre war architecture. I think New York could do with more buildings that look to the future with the same optimism.
Interior images of Tom Brady’s apartment really illustrates the drama of this great New York City landmark.
Jean Nouvel-100 Eleventh Avenue
Kirsten Dunst superimposed on the 100 Eleventh Ave wearing BOY
Long long ago in a real estate market since past, I attended a party to launch 100 Eleventh Avenue. People have much to say about the recent bubble, but a lasting benefit will be the input of some of the world’s great architects to the NewYork City skyline. In this instance, Jean Nouvel.
When you see a building by Frank Gehry you immediately recognise his signature style. That is not true of Nouvel. His process begins with the site, then a building is designed that he believes works best in the context. I find this fascinating, because it says that art takes precedence over the ego of the man. It is that passion that has him fighting so hard for his vision in front of the City planning commission for the MoMa tower; Tower Verre.
Back to 100 Eleventh Avenue, which is well on its way to becoming an iconic residential building.
The exterior is clad in 1700 pieces of glass, no two of which are set in quite the same way. As you can see the light is amazing with the Hudson river providing a panorama of open sky, so rare in a major city. The interiors are designed to be as open and airy as possible, bringing the sense of freedom the river provides indoors. Apparently there is an open core at the centre of the building that will have planted window boxes continuing that outdoor/indoor play. I love that.
Jean Nouvel is the architect of many great public buildings, and I envy the lucky people who are able to live in one of his masterpieces.
‘Green’ with Envy
Last week we decided to take a field trip to One Jackson Square. After many years of new buildings that rarely live up to the marketing hype, I must confess that our expectations were not that high. So it was a very pleasant surprise to be wrong.
From the moment you enter the lobby you can’t help but be impressed by the level of design, and more importantly the quality of the workmanship. This is a building that walks the walk; from the attention to detail to the eco friendliness of the materials used. Above right is a cross section of the bamboo that makes up the paneling. Above left you can see a glass light well that brings natural light to the basement. This is where the gym will be located.
In keeping with the high standards elsewhere, the gym is outfitted by Antonio Citterio.
I had to return over the weekend to get photographs of the roof because it was so cool. The glass railings help preserve the openess of the view, the brazilian Ipe wood is beautiful, and most of all I love the green roof that borders the deck, all planted and maintained by the building.
The kitchen in the one bedroom apartment. Loving the contrast between the white high gloss cabinets and the dark wood, also the paneled ceiling is very striking. Notice the opening between the cook top and the overhead cabinets. When you enter the apartment you see though to the floor to ceiling windows which is very dramatic.
The floors are infinity floors, as in infinity pool. This is achieved by dropping the window a few inches below the floor. Very effective.
So our conclusion is One Jackson Square is a very elegant addition to the architecture of New York City. The workmanship is some of the best we have seen in new construction, proving you can be ‘green’ and live with style.
The Dakota
The Dakota is one of the great real estate Icons of New York. It was built in the 1880’s and was an immediate success amongst the elite of the city. It is easy to see it’s ‘age of innocence’ appeal.
Even though the exterior was influenced by North German architecture the interiors are laid out enfilade style, in the manner of great french palaces and homes such as Versaille. The main living rooms are formally aligned with connecting doors running on a single axis; providing an uninterrupted vista through the apartment when opened. All very grand- and with a separate pathway for the servants.
At the time it was built the Dakota was a combination of luxury and modern convenience. The drive Porte Cochere allowed carriages to park inside and an elevator lifted them to higher floors for storage. The dumb waiter that brought food up from the dining hall was powered by the building’s private plant.
With the advent of the great classic apartment buildings of the 1920’s the Dakota may seem outmoded by today’s standards, though it greatly raised the bar in its day. However to many, especially the artistic it has always had strong appeal. Rudolph Nureyev and Leonard Bernstein called it home. The most famous occupant of our time to live there was John Lennon.
Detail of mahogany fireplace and exterior wrought iron.
The opening sequence of Rosemary’s baby features the Dakota in the 1960’s. Sadly a little run, down but you get a glimpse of it’s original grandeur.
4500 square foot three bedroom floor plan.
Lofts on Crosby
They say it is easy to sell something you love and that is absolutely true. Over the years we have sold a couple of lofts on Crosby Street. Below a classic loft in a cast-iron building at 16 Crosby Street.
Also raw space in another beautiful building, at 129 Grand Street on the corner of Crosby, and this incredible loft below at 30 Crosby Street.
Exterior of 30 Crosby Street.
An understated exterior masks the very desirable address; 76 Crosby Street.
Interior images of 76 Crosby courtesy of the Real Estalker.
Pierre Hotel Penthouse
The Pierre; its mansard roof famously inspired by the architecture of a french chateau. When it opened in October of 1930 the penthouse was a New York hot spot, a members only club with the interior design inspired by a Zeppelin air ship. That is probably the last time it was ‘cool’.
Back in the harsh reality of the Depression New York socialites sipped champagne and were entertained by the best live bands of the day. Shep Fields and the Ripping Rhythm Orchestra made regular appearances.
In the movies we make believe that Carrie and Big live in palatial New York penthouses such as the one at the Pierre Hotel. In reality the penthouse is owned by Mr Pincus.
According to a lawsuit filed by Mr Pincus’s sons, this billionaire was quite frugal, until he fell into the clutches of Princess Firyal of Jordan. Allegedly it was at her behest that he bought the penthouse in 2006 for 50 million dollars. She is described in the suit as a woman ‘with a long history of dating wealthy men’, what ever that means. We do know that they spent 17 million dollars decorating their seven thousand square foot triplex love nest with all kinds of tchotchkes, including a pair of Chinese pottery horses that set them back over $750,000.
Alas the apartment is back on the market for a reduced price of 35 million. Yes it is a victim of the new market reality. The buyer will need to pay all cash, no mortgages allowed at the Pierre Hotel, and be able to afford the half million a year in maintenance fees. An interesting twist is that if the apartment sells before Mr Pincus dies, the proceeds will go to charity. If he happens to pass away before the sale, the apartment belongs to Princess Firyal. Me thinks it might be a little difficult for brokers to get an appointment to show their clients.
This is such a great story it makes me wish Dominic Dunne was still alive to write a delicious piece in Vanity Fair. It would be great tribute if some of his best articles were republished in book form. He is missed.
Downtown Chic
Where to live if you seek to combine a downtown lifestyle with some uptown polish? The Superior Ink is one of the few condominiums south of 14th Street to combine pedigree and ambiance. The pedigree comes from Robert A M Stern, the ambiance from the West Village location, and its proximity to the Hudson river.
This development came on the market at the height of the real estate boom and on the heels of another Stern design, 15 Central Park West, the most successful residential condominium in America. The Superior Ink building has sixty nine apartments and seven apartments. According to the sales person on site many of the units were combined into large homes priced in the mid seven figures.
Renderings of the kitchen and corner living room.
As you can see from the image of the living room above, the scale is very grand, with high ceilings that are reminiscent of the great Park Avenue buildings and also the warehouse it replaced.
Lobby has a mid century feel.
So far sales have been brisk. Marc Jacobs has signed up for one of the townhouses and there is a rumor that Hilary Swank is in contract for a two bedroom apartment. That’s pretty good company, a two time Oscar winner and a world class designer of two major fashion labels.
Oh and most important it is Leed certified.
