Overview

This is an unusual and somewhat puzzling project. Its location on Madison Avenue between 30th and 31st Streets is somewhat unglamorous, despite a very obvious centrality. The building itself is an eight-story, 90-year-old brick structure with some ornate detailing to which Cardinal Investments and SHoP Architects have added 5 new floors to fashion 7 two-bed floor-through apartments, one duplex penthouse and one triplex penthouse with striking angled cantilevered windows spanning the original window boxes. The result is either an ugly duckling or a stirring juxtaposition of old and new depending on your aesthetic. Initial marketing was under Stribling’s auspices but sales are now being handled exclusively by Corcoran. The marketing materials don’t give a precise origin of the name “M127” although one must figure it’s a reference to the street address of 127 Madison Avenue, and a play on the bus routes nearby. The Real Deal has an interesting perspective which can be found here. Hopefully the name clever branding works out, because the project is slowly nearing completion and three units still remain. (more…)