According to developer Sherwood Equities, the main foundation work for a new condominium development in the High Line community in West Chelsea has been completed.
Designed by international architects Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF), under the direction of Paul Katz, 500 West 21st St. will provide a prominent new streetscape for the full block-front on Tenth Ave. between 20th and 21st Sts. The condominium will offer 32 one to four-bedroom residences.
500 West 21st St. will be further distinguished by its lush garden, designed by TriBeCa-based Rees Roberts + Partners LLC, to be a response to the High Line, which is immediately to the west of the property. The landscape will include 40 ft. high trees and layers of mature foliage, providing a visually engaging amenity for owners.
"We are creating an urban sanctuary that extends the peacefulness and natural beauty of the High Line," said developer Jeffrey Katz, president of Sherwood Equities.
According to Jeffrey Katz, 500 West 21st St. offers an opportunity "not only to own a remarkable living space, but even more than that: the proximity to the High Line, the excitement, and the unobstructed views of iconic landmarks such as the Empire State Building make this new residential building among the most desirable that N.Y.C. has to offer."
Paul Katz of KPF said that the design of 500 West 21st St. "is influenced by the "industrial" style of apartment residences developed in western Europe, especially London and Paris, early in the 20th century. The stone-and-metal grid surrounding enormous industrial windows impart a look of distinction that is fully compatible with the building's urban setting. And since the High Line too is a product of the industrial age, what could be more appropriate?"
Katz of KPF also notes that the presence next door of the nearly-200-year-old General Theological Seminary, with its neo-Gothic features, provides a rich and diverse architectural heritage for the immediate location.
Mark Zeff, president of his eponymous interior design firm, points out that 500 West 21st St.'s interior features drew inspiration from the building's exterior. "For the residences we decided on bold choices that continue the industrial motif, with parquet floors consisting of four-inch oak boards, for example," he said. The bathrooms make lavish use of marble, with limestone mosaic floors and adjoining powder rooms, and include highly customized vanities, as well as fixtures and accessories that Zeff himself designed and were made by Watermark.
As for the kitchens, the approach taken was to design them with all of the finest modern amenities - but in an unobtrusive manner, so that the appliances are almost hidden, Zeff explains. Open kitchens are outfitted with Miele appliances, including speed ovens and seamlessly integrated dishwashers and refrigerators. Counter tops feature two-inch thick honed marble slab and custom-built cabinetry.
"The lobby has been designed for comfort and serenity," Zeff said. "With a quietly ornate special entrance" and a traditional reception area composed of oak wood, limestone, leather and bronze. Decorative wall lighting ("sconces resembling diamonds") will be provided by Hector Finch in London, whose family has been renowned in the field for more than a century.
"The residences at 500 West 21st St. evoke the downtown loft culture, while maintaining a sense of warmth and a relatable residential sensibility," said Jeffrey Katz. "Nothing else will be quite like it."
Sherwood Equities is a New York City-based, privately held real estate investment and development company established in 1952. Long known for its contribution to the development of Times Sq., Sherwood has become a major player in the High Line and Hudson Yards area, as well as other parts of Manhattan. In addition to owning, developing or managing some of Manhattan's most prominent properties, such as 2 Times Sq., 1 Times Sq. and 1600 Broadway, Sherwood is currently expanding its acquisition and development pipeline throughout the city. Tags: