Take A Bite of the Big Apple With These Four Historic NYC Buildings
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New York City is well on its way to turning the COVID corner. From Mets games to museums, the reopening process promises to bring both locals and visitors back to Manhattan.
So what does the market look like for those thinking of taking a bite of the Big Apple? According to Forbes, record-low interest rates and competitive pricing stimulated sales throughout the first quarter. Inventory, which had climbed as high as 9,600 units last fall, dropped to just over 7,000 by the end of March.
Among the residences available are luxury, one-of-a-kind condominiums in the city’s historic buildings. From downtown Manhattan to the Upper West Side, several of the newest upscale properties had former lives as banks, offices, and libraries.
“Since land is at such a premium in New York today, developers are looking for every square inch of real estate they can find,” Christopher Totaro, an agent at Warburg Realty, told Architectural Digest. “Historic buildings are often it because zoning and landmark preservation laws don’t allow them to be torn down.”
100 Barclay
Designed by famed starchitect Ralph Walker in 1927, 100 Barclay was the world’s first skyscraper built in American Art Deco style. Magnum Realty Group converted the top 22 floors of the landmark building—originally home to the American Telephone Company—into high-end loft apartment homes.
Hand-painted murals in the lobby depict the history of communication—think carrier pigeons, smoke signals, and early telephones. Amenities abound, including four terraces, 365-degree city and river views, an 82-foot lap pool, fitness center, children’s playroom, and wine tasting and storage room.
Number of residences: 156
Starting price: $4.48 million
67 Vestry
This Tribeca property was built in 1896 as a warehouse for The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company (better known as A&P grocery). After being converted into artist lofts in the 1970s, an impressive roster of 20th century creatives lived and worked in the building including Andy Warhol, John Chamberlain, and Dan Flavin.
Today, the revival landmark has been transformed into 13 contemporary full-and half-floor loft-like units. Homes feature spacious rooms, elegant finishes, unobstructed views, and club-like amenities. Masterminding the renovation: the acclaimed Gachot Studios, known for its high-profile projects including Detroit’s Shinola Hotel.
Number of residences: 13
Starting price: $7.3 million
The Woolworth Tower Residences
These loft-like Tribeca apartments sport some serious cred. For starters, they’re located on the top 30 floors of what was once the tallest building in the world. Architect Cass Gilbert, an early proponent of the American skyscraper, designed the original structure in 1913.
Fast forward almost a decade. World-class designer Thierry Despont—best known for his work on the Getty Center, The Ritz Paris, and Claridge’s London—was tapped to renovate the landmark building. The conversion to residences included a restoration of the striking terra-cotta façade and F. W. Woolworth’s original coffered ceiling.
Apartments feature spacious layouts, elevated ceilings, oversized windows, and cinematic views. Amenities run the gamut, from a wine cellar and tasting room to a 50-foot lap pool.
Number of residences: 32
Starting price: $5.6 million
The Library at 61 Rivington
This hip renovation of New York Public Library’s downtown branch is also among the most affordable: Residences start at $1.25 million. Built in 1905 on the Lower East Side, it was the first library in the city to feature a rooftop reading room.
Before being acquired by the Horizon Group in 2018, the property had housed both a dance hall and the Church of the Nazarene. The conversion, launching later this month, sports many original features such as the terrazzo floors in the lobby and three floors of façade. Apartments feature floor-to-ceiling windows, dark wood cabinetry and paneling, and a rooftop deck.
Number of residences: 11
Starting price: $1.25 million
