Overview

It’s very clear what architecture firm Della Valle Bernheimer is trying to do here: carefully blend a glass and steel condominium into the west Chelsea art scene such that it appears to be artwork. While it may sound like a stretch, the renderings are incredible. The all-glass building will have stainless steel panels which reflect light in various ways throughout the seasons. I’m very impressed and can’t wait for this tower to go up. I wish Emory Roth (my favorite architect of the 20th century) were still alive to see what’s happening to the skyline. I can’t tell if he’d be happily surprised or shudder with disdain.

The building will be developed by Grasso Holdings, a Philadelphia-based developer with a broad portfolio of very attractive projects. Corcoran group will do the marketing. Here’s an interesting note about the website: If you go to www.24510thave.com, instead of www.245tenthave.com, you’ll accidentally learn about the Packard Grande, which also happens to be developed by Grasso. I’m sure that’s not a pure coincidence, although it doesn’t make much sense, since Grasso has already registered www.thepackardgrande.com for info on that building.

Prices & Units
The building is expensive. I say that not because the price per square foot is unreasonable or out of range with comparable projects. I say that because 1-bedrooms, located on the second floor, start at $1.75 million! It’s not that crazy… the units are 1,500 feet. In fact, all of the 1-bedrooms have 2+ bathrooms. The two-bedrooms, which go at $3 million and up, are about 2,500 feet. I will be checking in with the Corcoran group this week to see what’s still available. The Corocran website still shows a bunch of units on the market, but often those listings stay up far too long to generate extra buzz.

Interiors

The art theme is continued on the inside. The website and renderings emphasize the “understated” elegance of the interiors. You’ll notice serenity and minimalism, combined with “rich materials.” Each apartment has its own elevatored entrance–something I haven’t seen much of in my condominium adventures. The only thing I don’t love (although I’m yet to truly understand it) are the exposed concrete ceilings. I think this might be a strech on the “contrast effect” but again, I need to see it and understand it before passing judgement.

The appliances will be top-of-the-line and I like the mix mentioned on the website. Some of the condos I’ve seen try to keep the appliance brands consistent and argue it makes “customer service issues easier.” While I can appreciate this, I think a broader mix of appliances is necessary if you’re truly looking for the best of the best. Also impressive is the partnership between DVB and Ristra, the Italian manufacturer. Rifra makes fixtures and cabintery which appeal to the most discerning buyers. Most of the RIFRA stuff I’ve seen is both modern and usable, and often customizable.

The Area
Many people who live in Chelsea and the West Village understand the feel of the neighborhood and want to be there. 10th Avenue specifically is far west and near to meatpacking hotspots and art galleries. You’re a hop and a skip from great restaurants, nightclubs, boutiques, tree-lined streets, and even the west side highway. It’s quite a different place to live than say, Murray Hill, or even the Upper East Side. Note that 10th Avenue and 11th Avenue are still developing neighborhoods. A few years from now the residential and retail environment will probably have changed a bit. They certainly have in the last 10 years.

This entry was posted on Saturday, June 2nd, 2007 at 2:53 pm and is filed under 245 10th Avenue, Blogroll. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.