10 Madison Square West – located in the former Toy Building – is making strides in its conversion to residential space, and the project’s 5-story vertical addition is now taking shape. Located at 1107 Broadway, the development will eventually house 125 new condominiums, and marketing is geared towards families – current plans call for no studios, with units ranging from one to five bedrooms.
The project’s architect is Alan Wanzenberg, and Douglas Elliman is handling sales – the firm’s page on the development has renderings and further details, though the building’s official website is simply a registration page that looks like a Tommy Hilfiger ad. The Observer also covered 10 Madison Square West.
Adaptive re-use is an absolute necessity in cities like New York, where pre-war architecture not necessarily designed for residential use is still in enormous abundance. The old Toy Building was particularly nice, but its conversion to residential will result in something actually suited to the new Flatiron/NoMad surroundings – the neighborhood is at the center of New York’s ‘Silicon Alley’, and the demand for new housing is through the roof.
Preservationists should also be satisfied with the minor increase in 10 Madison Square’s height, which could easily be emulated in historic districts throughout the city. If a conversion can successfully blend a contextual addition with the old bones of the existing project – with no real visual difference between the two parts – there is absolutely no harm in renovating historic structures.
Though botched expansions certainly do occur, it appears that 10 Madison Square West will be a prime example of how to redevelop correctly, and the renovated building will still exude pre-war beauty – just with modern interiors.
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