Adding several floors, Meltzer/Mandl Architects has been retained to design Park Columbus, a residential condominium building to be converted from rental apartments at 101 West 87th St., on the corner of Columbus Ave., according to Marvin Meltzer, AIA, president of the firm. The building, located in the Central Park West Historic District, is currently a 10-story structure with an adjacent four-story portion on West 87th St. Meltzer/Mandl is redesigning it into an 11-story building with a penthouse along with a six-story wing, while upgrading and expanding the property. The first floor will continue to be for retail use. Park Columbus, set to be completed in 2009, will be a 121,900 s/f building offering studios and one to four-bedroom homes. Amenities will include a landscaped courtyard, children's play area, recreation room and fitness center. "The developer wants to modernize the building, but also maintain its exterior design to be consistent with the surrounding historic neighborhood," said David Stuart, AIA, project director at Meltzer/Mandl. "As a result, we preserved the building's appearance, but improved specific elements to transition it into a viable residence for the 21st century." The project team also includes DeSimone Consulting Engineers, PLLC as the structural engineer, Dagher Engineering, PLLC as the mechanical/electrical/plumbing engineer and Newmark Construction Services as the general contractor. Meltzer/Mandl Architects, P.C., a collaboration of residential designers led by founding partner Marvin Meltzer, AIA, NCARB, has been responsible for the creation of more than 10,000 units of luxury and affordable housing in the greater New York Metropolitan area. The firm combines the expertise of architects and construction managers, along with other professionals having real estate development and finance backgrounds. For more information, please visit www.meltzermandl.com.