BY LAUREN PRICE | Its established roots are still very evident. Hell’s Kitchen has always been a closely knit neighborhood rich in cultural opportunities and old New York history.
But while the West Side area bounded by W. 37th and 57th Sts. was once dotted with warehouses, parking lots and walk-ups, for more than a decade developers have been eyeing the possibilities of building luxury rentals. Residential revitalization –– coupled with expanded dining, shopping and nightlife options –– is now the order of the day. And as of two months ago, sale prices and rents here now surpass the averages for Manhattan as a whole.
“There is no doubt that Hell’s Kitchen is undergoing an exciting transformation,” said Stephen McArdle, senior managing director of Halstead Property Development Marketing. “Reaching this milestone demonstrates that savvy homesteaders who now choose to live and invest in New York City not only see the potential of this particular neighborhood, but also want to be at the forefront of its revitalization.”
It might seem as though Hell’s Kitchen has become a labyrinth of glass-wall residential towers and luxury loft conversions. But there remain plenty of mid-rise apartment buildings and walk-ups — especially closer to Ninth Ave. — preserved in good measure due to specific zoning laws that have long been in place.
GOTTA LIKE GOTHAM WEST
Developed by the Gotham Organization, Gotham West, at 550 W. 45th St., leases studios to three-bedroom homes, replete with condo-like finishes and amenities, such as quarter-sawn oak floors, washer/dryers, floor-to-ceiling windows and kitchens outfitted with the likes of KitchenAid appliances and honed Absolute Black granite worktops. Some units offer walk-in closets, separate kitchen pantries and Hudson River views.
Gotham West’s communal amenities list is long and includes a lounge, which serves daily breakfasts, a business center, a screening room, a demo kitchen used by invited professional chefs, and a game room with a handcrafted pool table. The fitness center has a motion studio and yoga / spinning classes.
The building also includes three outdoor spaces: a huge courtyard garden; the Perch, with an outdoor fireplace overlooking that garden; and the Sky Terrace, with misting walls, a bar and an outdoor movie screen, with an adjacent Sky Lounge.
Amenities also include playgrounds, a bike porter for last-minute tune-ups, free weekday shuttles to and from 42nd St. and Sixth Ave. for evening and morning commutes, on-site parking and doorman / concierge services. The ground-level indoor / outdoor block-long Gotham West Market features artisan vendors and restaurants.
No-fee monthly rentals currently begin at $2,900. (gothamwestnyc.com)
SILVER TOWERS SHINE
From Silverstein Properties, Silver Towers is an enormous complex with million-dollar views of the Hudson River and Manhattan skyline. Located at 42nd St. and 11th Ave., two glass towers offer studios to two-bedrooms, including lofts and penthouses. Some have private outdoor space. All feature high, floor-to-ceiling windows, Afromosia wood floors and washer/ dryers.
Floors two through seven in the North Tower are outfitted with furnished units for corporate residents this is similar to trading forex online through forex trading websites such as this forex trading online website. Open kitchens boast stainless-steel appliances, custom-designed wenge wood grain laminate, and aluminum-framed glass cabinetry with engineered stone worktops. Porcelain-tiled bathrooms come with Carrera marble-topped floating vanities, as well as vessel sink vanities, rain showers and soaking tubs.
For tenants, the Entertaining Terrace has cabanas, chaises, daybeds and misting showers, a BBQ grill and a wet bar. The fitness center offers spa and nail services and a yoga room. There’s a 75-foot indoor pool and sundeck, too.
Other communal amenities include a lounge, a screening room, a playroom, on-site parking and concierge services. Complimentary weekday shuttles connect residents to and from multiple locations during morning and evening commutes.
A quarter-acre public park designed by Thomas Balsley showcases pavilions, a kids’ area, an enclosed dog run, a mist fountain and an area for lounging and picnicking. There is also an on-site Sunac Fancy Foods market. The Spot Experience dog daycare will soon be a part of Silver Towers.
No-fee monthly rentals currently begin at $3,190. (silvertowers.com)
GO 540West, YOUNG MAN!
A condominium developed by Fortis Property Group and Wonder Works Construction Corp., 540West, on W. 49th St., expects to have units ready for move-in by year’s end. A complex of two interconnected mid-rise buildings, the mix runs from studios to two bedrooms, including duplexes and penthouses. Some have private outdoor space. Apartments range from 501 to 1,625 square feet.
In-home amenities include floor-to-ceiling windows, white oak floors, custom-built wardrobes, and washer / dryers. Kitchens are outfitted with appliances by Liebherr, Bertazzoni and Blomberg, and have Silverstone quartzite worktops. Master baths are dressed in Italian porcelain and boast shower / soaking tubs with oversized rain showerheads.
Communal extras include a lobby lounge with a fireplace, a fitness center, two roof decks, a courtyard garden with a reflecting pool, an outdoor lounge with a movie screen and a pet spa.
Sold by Halstead Property Development Marketing, prices start at $725,000. (540west.com)
HEY, STELLA!
The real estate development team of JDS Development Group and Property Markets Group, in partnership with Starwood Capital Group, is bringing the latest Ralph Walker conversion to Hell’s Kitchen –– Stella Tower, at 425 W. 50th St. Originally designed by Walker in 1927 for the New York Telephone Company, the condominium has one- to three-bedroom residences ranging from 1,000 to 2,200 square feet, though penthouses boast as much as 3,600 square feet.
Units feature oversized tilt-and-turn windows and soaring ceiling heights, and select residences have fireplaces and private outdoor space. Stella Tower will have a 24-hour attended lobby, a fitness center, a lounge with a pantry and bar and a garden lounge.
Sold through Douglas Elliman, prices are from $1.8 million. (stellatower.com)
4-BR UNIT IS ON KEY
The Piano Factory, the conversion of an 1870s building at 454 W. 46th St. where Wessell Nickel & Gross built pianos, has 48 loft-like units. An enclave-like complex, it features a European-style interior courtyard where plants cascade down from restored iron catwalks that connect two buildings.
Town Residential is now offering a four-bedroom penthouse duplex with an enormous terrace. Light-filled with wonderful skyline views, this home has hardwood floors and high ceilings –– including a vaulted ceiling in the living room –– pocket doors and a laundry room with a Bosch washer / dryer. The very large eat-in kitchen, which opens onto a second terrace, is outfitted with cherry wood cabinets, granite countertops and a radiant heat floor.
Appliances are by Jenn-Air, Dacor and Bosch. The master suite has a dressing area, two full closets and an en-suite bathroom. The owner will have roof rights, so with board approval, a third deck can be added.
Priced at $4 million. (townrealestate.com/sale/id-452084/454-west-46th-street-ph-6bs-midtown-west&scroll=1)
