Bizzi & Partners Development has taken on a unique twist with its luxury condos in a new skyscraper located at 125 Greenwich Street in the Financial District of Manhattan.
The first turn around, mentioned in a recent article in The New York Times, is unlike the usual model of having amenity spaces on the lower floors, this new building has them on the 86th through 88th floors, at the tippy top of this magnificent 912-foot structure. This new development also reversed where the largest apartments normally go. Bigger units tend to be on the higher floors, but all the studio apartments in this building are above the 61st floor. Another major style change is this new building has mainly small units starting at a mere 418-square-feet, oppose to the recent trend toward vast wide-open spaces in high-end homes.
Marc Palermo, a senior vice president at Douglas Elliman Development Marketing, which marketing and managing the sales for the building, told The Times, “With all the amenities at the top of the building, everyone has an opportunity to live at the top – not only that one special buyer.”
Rafael Viñoly Architects has designed this 273-unit building. Rafael is gaining recognition in New York for its tall slim towers, and just designed 277 Fifth Avenue and 432 Park Avenue. It was the developer’s love for the tall thin 432 Park that influenced the choice in architect.
Bizzi & Partners’ chairman Giovanni Castellaneta told NYT, “Viñoly had already done one tower in midtown Manhattan that we liked a lot. We chose Viñoly because we thought he was the best in the market for this kind of building.”
Viñoly described his design as “a double I-beam” standing on end, with curved glass corners on the tower that is supported by a central core.
He said, “It’s more like a column than a block. The whole intent was to try to make it appear as something more omnidirectional than just fronting the north, east, south and west.”
According to The NYT, “Those curved corners open up sightlines along diagonals, including toward the nearby National September 11 Memorial & Museum, he said, while also making the building more aerodynamic for stability in high winds. The tower is broken up by two bands with smaller footprints on floors 16 and 17, and 57 through 60, which are illuminated at night. The 16th floor houses a full-floor unit with private terrace and the other floors house mechanical equipment. The apartments and common areas are designed by March & White, a design firm with experience working on the interiors of superyachts and London private members clubs.
‘We used our background in designing superyachts, and applied our learning of how you design small spaces to the interior of the smaller units here,’ said Elliot March, who runs the firm with James White. Details include kitchen cabinet doors that slide out of the way when open, concealed appliances and closets that come fully built out with shelves, drawers and hang rods.”
March explained that by using fine materials and acute detail, he said, “We were looking at making almost jewel-like objects.”
A 50-foot lap pool, spa, yoga studio, fitness center media room and conference and dining room are all included among the amenity spaces.
Apartments will be available for purchase starting later this month. According to The NYT, “studios starting at 418 square feet and $1.2 million, one-bedrooms starting at 752 square feet and $1.775 million, two-bedrooms starting at 1,268 square feet and $3.225 million, and three-bedrooms starting at 1,932 square feet and $4.625 million.”
By Mark Snyder