Do you think there are too many new glass and steel high-rise condominiums in Manhattan? I think about that sometimes as well, but each new project brings with it developers and architects who manage to innovate and improve upon their prior projects. “Platinum NYC” is no exception.

SJP Residential and Costas Kondylis have teamed up for yet another incredible project. They’re also currently working on 45 Park Avenue, covered below.

The lobby, one of the more impressive ones I’ve learned about, will have a floating island surrounded by a moat of water, a 26-foot fireplace, and a 15-foot wall of plasma screens. What should we make of this? Is it too over-the-top? Apparently some buyers are already very impressed with the building. Word on the street is that nearly 25% of the units sold within a month of the sales office opening. Not bad considering 8th Avenue and 46th Street was a hangout for prostitutes and drug dealers only a short decade ago.

Prices

Units run from $1,000-$1,600 per square foot. 1-bedrooms which range from 750 feet and many of which are about 1,000 feet, start at around $900,000. The larger 1-beds with the west exposure are going for about $1.5 mil. The sales office quoted me roughly “$1 per square foot” for the monthly common charges. I think it may actually be a few cents below that. The taxes are relatively low because of a 421-A tax abatement (10 years). Occupancy is expected for summer of next year (2008) but don’t hold your breath. When you buy in pre-construction you should always be prepared to wait. Note: I believe there are still a few studios left as well. They are unique apartments, located on lower floors with 11 foot ceilings. They are roughly 800 feet. This could be a cool space for somebody who wants top amenities and space but old wants to shell out $7-800,000.

My camera managed to snap this photo. I still haven’t figured out what it is.

Amenities

Platinum is all about the amenities. The fifth floor is entirely dedicated to a resident’s club (“the Zone”) which has everything from a fitness room, to a “relaxation room,” spa rooms, programmable showers (?) and a billiards table. The outdoor portion of the residents club has cabanas, a fireplace, a water wall, and other wacky but modern stuff. Like the lobby, the amenities floor is among the best I’ve heard about.

The apartment features are beautiful. The kitchens are essentially a mixture of stone, quartz, steel, and wood. The cabinetry is modern yet functional and the Thermador appliances are beautiful, and functional as well. I believe each kitchen has the essential “wine fridge” as well.

The baths have short but deep soaking tubs, modern “bowl looking” sinks and large, glass vanities. Most units have a separate shower and tub, with the exception of a few smaller units.
Area

I’ve gotta be honest here. I don’t love Times Square as a residential neighborhood. I live in Hell’s Kitchen and the whole area feels like it needs a face lift. Platinum is on 8th Avenue just north of Port Authority. This area has a more commercial feel to it and is highly congested with cars and tourists. To its credit, the neighborhood has improved dramatically since Rudy Guiliani was mayor. I don’t know that I’d want to live here, but it is somewhat cetrally located, and convenient to transportation, restaurants, and midtown Manhattan. In fact, you may view the lack of residential buildings in the neighborhood as an advantage.

This entry was posted on Friday, May 11th, 2007 at 8:08 pm and is filed under Blogroll, The Platinum - 247 West 46th Street. 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.