This building is a formerly dilapidated, five story single-room occupancy hotel that we converted to a multi-family residential building. The building was designed to create spaces with the historic, intimate scale of traditional New York townhouses, but with modern planning and amenities.

Throughout the building, there is an appreciation for simple, elegant materials and systems used in unexpected ways. The façade system is a kit of mass-produced parts that achieve ambitious aesthetic goals while maintaining sensitivity to cost. A standard black-anodized aluminum storefront system is used to frame the principal openings. Operable elements within the façade are detailed in wood to create a softer, natural counterpoint to the bulkier metal framing. On the interior, floors are an inexpensive grade of white oak installed in a pattern of varying widths. The kitchens are cost-effective, prefabricated units installed within a customized envelope that gives them a unique architectural presence.

project multifamily residential development location New York, NY size 6,200sf client MA Real Estate scope of services feasibility, planning, design, construction completion 2008 photography Bjorg Magnea