Urban Studio conducted an intensive planning study to evaluate potentials for expanding this historic midtown building with commercial and residential additions. Grappling with a century-old structural system, the challenging metrics of midtown zoning, and landmark-property floor area transfers, Urban Studio prepared proposals for 50,000-100,000-sf of new space.
Commercial proposals include seven new stories wrapped in a fully glass facade that showcases Herald Square and downtown views, and a vertical expansion of existing building cores maintains tenant access through the existing avenue lobby and prevents disruption to current tenants. In residential proposals, a new concierge residential lobby opens quietly onto the side-street frontage, with a canopied entry announcing residences. Upstairs, 24 new luxury units with two, three, and four bedroom layouts feature expansive views downtown and westward with private terraces.
Understanding the client’s context in the midst of a sale transaction on the property, the study was geared towards value-add concepts for the building to benefit bid negotiations. Urban Studio began the investigation with a review of comparable residential units, and continued through all coordination of engineering work and budget pricing.
Location
New York, NY
Year
2015
