Ray Harlem by Ray, LMXD and design by Frida Escobedo Studio launches leasing

Harlem, NY Ray began commencement of leasing at Ray Harlem, designed by architects Frida Escobedo Studio in partnership with Handel Architects, a transformative 21-story mixed-use building at 2035 Fifth Ave. (National Black Theatre Way). Anchoring the historic intersection of 125^th St. and Fifth Ave. Ray Harlem, developed by Ray and LMXD, combines modern living with hospitality flourishes, offering 222 mixed-income apartments designed to optimize light and expansive views of lower Manhattan. Ray Harlem’s amenities include a communal kitchen and outdoor grilling stations, sunny coworking lounge, fitness center and yoga studio, library curated by Phaidon Press, living room lounge, 21st and 5th floor terraces, TULU smart vending machine, and ample bike storage. Ray works with architects who traditionally design institutional art and culture spaces to build residential buildings that are aesthetically dynamic, historically informed, and influenced by cultural precedents and practicality. 

National Black Theatre (NBT) and Ray are partners in the redevelopment of the site that has been home to NBT since its founding in 1968. The existing collaboration to build a mixed-use cultural hub in Harlem will maintain the Tony award-winning producing company’s ownership model and establish a thoughtfully-designed, contextual residence for renters in the nation’s cultural mecca. Ray's flagship building comprises 17-stories of apartments atop 27,000 s/f of space owned and operated by NBT. Designed by Marvel, NBT’s spaces consist of a 250-seat immersive technology performance space, a 99-seat flexible studio theater, rehearsal rooms, offices, classrooms, and a set-building shop to support workforce development in theatrical trades. Commencement of NBT’s interior fit-out is anticipated to begin fall 2025 with a grand opening scheduled for 2027.

“Ray Harlem represents a defining moment in our vision to seamlessly blend art, culture, and community living,” said Suzanne Demisch, creative director at Ray. “By partnering with the historic National Black Theatre and assembling an exceptional female-led design team, we've created more than just a building – we've crafted a cultural landmark that honors Harlem's rich heritage while providing a contemporary home for its future. Each detail of this flagship project reflects our commitment to creating spaces where residents can experience art and culture as part of their everyday lives."

“At LMXD, we believe development must enhance and preserve what makes neighborhoods special,” said Laura Rog, managing director at LMXD. “Ray Harlem exemplifies this philosophy by bringing thoughtfully designed mixed-income housing alongside the reimagined National Black Theatre – an institution that has been vital to Harlem's cultural fabric for generations. This collaboration creates not just apartments, but a true community hub that will benefit residents and the broader neighborhood for decades to come. We're particularly proud of utilizing the City's first Visual and Performing Arts bonus to ensure cultural sustainability alongside residential development.”

“The architectural vision for Ray Harlem was to create a dialogue between National Black Theater’s rich Harlem-based past and its vibrant and important future,” said Deborah Moelis at Handel. “Working alongside Frida Escobedo Studio, we designed a building that serves as both a functional living space and a cultural statement. The building's form respects the neighborhood's scale while introducing elements that maximize light, views, and community connection. Ray Harlem demonstrates how thoughtful design can create spaces that not only house residents but also inspire and connect them to the cultural heartbeat of their neighborhood.”

Ray Harlem’s interior design was completed by an all star, female-led team: Studio & Projects (Little Wing Lee), with Frida Escobedo and Ray’s in-house design team–led by Creative Director Suzanne Demisch–contributing. 

Little Wing Lee is an award winning interior designer with over 15 years of experience in cultural, commercial and residential projects. In 2019, she started her own interior design practice, Studio & Projects. She also publicly launched Black Folks in Design, an organization whose mission is to bring awareness to and promote the cultural contributions, excellence, and importance of Black designers. Lee was included in the 2025 edition of Architectural Digest’s AD100, a list of creatives who are changing the landscape of design, and was the 2025 Award winner in the Interior Design category for the Cooper Hewitt’s National Design Awards.

Suzanne Demisch is co-founder of the renowned West Village gallery Demisch Danant, which specializes in twentieth century French design with an emphasis on the late 1950s through the 1970s. The building is Frida Escobedo's first project in New York City. After completing concept design for Ray Harlem, Escobedo was awarded the new Modern & Contemporary Wing for The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, becoming the youngest and first woman to design a building for the institution. 

Ray Harlem is the flagship building for the burgeoning multi-family real estate brand, founded by Dasha Zhukova Niarchos in 2019. Zhukova Niarchos was inspired by her work in developing cultural institutions and public art spaces to create a residential lifestyle brand that encompasses art, architecture, culture, and community. She is a co-founder of Artsy, a digital platform for collecting and discovering art. She serves on the Boards of Trustees of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Shed, and the Membership Collective Group Inc (NYSE: MCG / Parent company of Soho House). The building will partner with NYC-based artists to acquire artwork for the amenity spaces and will offer programming to residents that encourages them to engage with each other through arts & culture experiences. The project is especially notable for being the first to utilize the City’s Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) bonus, specifically designed by former New York City Council member Inez E. Dickens. First of its kind, this VPA empowers the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) and the Department of City Planning to work with a local arts advisory council as part of a 2008 comprehensive rezoning, to spur revitalization and sustain the cultural growth of Harlem-based organizations in concert with mixed-income development along the historic 125th Street corridor. The building also includes substantial commercial space on the ground and 2nd floors, available for lease through RIPCO.

Ray Harlem offers studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments. The lease-up is being completed by Compass.