Construction has topped out on 241 West 28th Street, a 22-story two-tower residential project in Chelsea. Designed by COOKFOX for MAG Partners, Atalaya, Safanad, and Qualitas, the 235-foot-tall, 400,000-square-foot development will yield 480 residential units with 30 percent reserved for low- and middle-income households. King Contracting Group is in charge of brickwork and Urban Atelier Group is the general contractor for the complex, which is located between Seventh and Eighth Avenues. MAG Partners acquired the Midtown, Manhattan property in December 2018 when it was still an open-surface parking lot and established a 99-year ground lease with Edison Properties.
Work has progressed rapidly since our last update in October, when the superstructure was less than halfway to topping out. Now the reinforced concrete has reached its pinnacle and work has shifted to window installation and the assembly of the walls.
241 West 28th Street. Photo by Michael Young
241 West 28th Street. Photo by Michael Young
241 West 28th Street. Photo by Michael Young
241 West 28th Street. Photo by Michael Young
The first lower levels on the main southern elevation are having the waterproof membrane installed around the tight grid of windows.
241 West 28th Street. Photo by Michael Young
241 West 28th Street. Photo by Michael Young
241 West 28th Street. Photo by Michael Young
241 West 28th Street. Photo by Michael Young
241 West 28th Street. Photo by Michael Young
241 West 28th Street. Photo by Michael Young
241 West 28th Street. Photo by Michael Young
241 West 28th Street. Photo by Michael Young
The opposite northern side of 241 West 28th Street is at a comparable state of progress.
241 West 28th Street. Photo by Michael Young
241 West 28th Street. Photo by Michael Young
241 West 28th Street. Photo by Michael Young
241 West 28th Street. Photo by Michael Young
241 West 28th Street. Photo by Michael Young
The start of the brick envelope can be spotted on one of the windows above the sidewalk scaffolding, providing a preview of the quality of the hand-laid craftsmanship. The surface of each stretcher is not a flat solid color, nor does it look too stale in its textural appearance, and thus makes it look more like a traditional brick façade with light and dark shades. On the lower part of the columns is a series of subtly protruding strips of bricks. This design feature will only be implemented on the first two levels of 241 West 28th Street. At the top is a rectangular spandrel divided into flat square panels and above that are bricks laid in soldier orientation. There is also a decorative dark metal screen with a symmetrical pattern of curving and intersecting lines that will be installed in front of every windowsill.
241 West 28th Street. Photo by Michael Young
241 West 28th Street. Photo by Michael Young
241 West 28th Street is aiming for LEED Silver certification, and is expected to include about 8,500 square feet of ground-floor retail space. Residential amenities include lounges, a fitness center, a children’s playroom, and an outdoor lounge with a swimming pool and adjoining terrace. Thirty percent of the units, or approximately 144 residences, will be designated as permanently affordable housing.
The following aerial and street-level rendering depict the two buildings, which will be separated from each other by a private central courtyard. On the upper setbacks are landscaped terraces reserved for a select number of units. Around the center of the walls facing the interior of the lot are flat walls lined with what seems to be a dark gray metal surface that would contrast with the overall construction. These external parts of the edifice rise and extend toward a pair of mechanical bulkheads that follow the pattern of upper setbacks.
241 West 28th Street. Rendering by COOKFOX
241 West 28th Street. Rendering by COOKFOX
241 West 28th Street. Rendering by COOKFOX
The central courtyard of 241 West 28th Street. Rendering by COOKFOX
241 West 28th Street. Rendering by COOKFOX
241 West 28th Street is slated for completion in July 2023.
Subscribe to YIMBY’s daily e-mail
Follow YIMBYgram for real-time photo updates
Like YIMBY on Facebook
Follow YIMBY’s Twitter for the latest in YIMBYnews
Construction stood on its place of the project, these photos don’t shut updating progress moving. Set facade and windows, blend to neighbors; that’s overspread on brick: Thanks to Michael Young.
Brick looks much darker than in the renderings. Not as appealing. I’m never sure why they include trees in these renderings, they are never going to plant them.
Nothing special.
I’m guessing the affordable units will be on the lower floors facing the airshaft.
Nice.
Matches well with the surrounding buildings.
Massive.