Demolition is about to get underway on six abutting structures along Gramercy Park to make way for a new 20-story residential building addressed as 38 Gramercy Park East in Gramercy, Manhattan. Designed by Roman & Williams and developed by Legion Investment Group and Gindi Capital, the building will yield 57 condominium units. The project will also become the largest building of its kind constructed in a century in the area surrounding the nearly 2-acre private park. SLCE Architects as the architect of record for the property, which is bound by Gramercy Park East, East 21st Street, and Third Avenue.
A sidewalk shed has been assembled in front of the five-story co-op building at 37 Gramercy Park East, the narrow gray structure seen on the right in the below photo. The assemblage also includes the five-story red brick rental building at 38 Gramercy Park East, which extends east from the corner; 38 Gramercy Park North, another five-story red brick building in the middle of the block; 258 Third Avenue, a two-story commercial building that spans the remainder of the block to Third Avenue; and 252-256 Third Avenue, three additional low-rise structures with frontage along Third Avenue. A sidewalk shed and construction fencing are also in place around the latter four buildings.
258 Third Avenue, 38 Gramercy Park North, 38 Gramercy Park East, and 37 Gramercy Park East. Photo by Michael Young
38 and 37 Gramercy Park East. Photo by Michael Young
38 Gramercy Park East. Photo by Michael Young
38 Gramercy Park North and 38 Gramercy Park East. Photo by Michael Young
258 Third Avenue, 38 Gramercy Park North, and 38 Gramercy Park East. Photo by Michael Young
38 Gramercy Park East. Photo by Michael Young
258 Third Avenue. Photo by Michael Young
256-258 Third Avenue. Photo by Michael Young
252-258 Third Avenue. Photo by Michael Young
The preliminary renderings in the main photo and below and below show a prewar-inspired design featuring a multifaceted massing with volumes that step upward toward the east. Numerous cascading setbacks are positioned across the structure with gently curving transitions that complement the use of arched window openings throughout. The building is shown clad primarily in warm gray brick, with stone enclosing the first three stories. The design also incorporates ornamental touches including cylindrical light fixtures and trapezoidal metal rooflines, and the structure culminates in a tall bulkhead with a pyramidal roof and a flagpole.
Finalized architectural renderings have yet to be released.
The upper setbacks will create space for numerous landscaped terraces, such as the one depicted below. Living rooms will feature floor-to-ceiling windows, giving west-facing units views of the park.
Legion Investment Group purchased 252-258 Third Avenue in a deal with Korean investor Hee Nam Bae for $72 million in February 2024 with $33.5 million provided by JP Morgan Chase. The acquisition of 37 Gramercy Park East and 38 Gramercy Park North, which was bought for $47 million along with its air rights, allows for the project to secure a Gramercy Park address and provide private access to the gated garden to its residents.
More recently, the developer acquired a $335 million construction loan from BDT & MSD Partners and Eyal Ofer’s Global Holdings. Newmark’s Jordy Roeschlaub, Nick Scribani, Adam Spies, and Adam Doneger arranged the deal. Corcoran Sunshine has been tapped to handle sales and marketing.
The nearest subway from the development is the 6 train at the 23rd Street station along Park Avenue South. Also nearby to the south is the 14th Street-Union Square station, served by the 4, 5, 6, L, N, Q, R, and W trains.
Demolition is slated for completion on June 1, 2025, as noted on site.
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Looks like RAMSA has new competition. Looks very nice!
What a tragic mistake, one of the very few truly historic areas that’s left in Manhattan. Thatpark won’t so exclusive anymore, pathetic.
I live on Gramercy Park north and look at the units coming down, which were nondescript. The new building has a chance to be a stunning addition to the park. 100 years is a long wait.
Destruction of this historical neighborhood has begun.
I beg to differ. This looks more authentic and original than what’s there. Especially that ugly gray facade of 37 Gramercy Park East, and those commercial properties on Third Avenue
Good riddance to that.
Hilarious. On what planet?
What a tragic mistake, one of the very few truly historic areas that’s left in Manhattan. Thatpark won’t so exclusive anymore, pathetic.
What a terrible idea! Where’s the landmark commission? Most likely in the builder’s pocket.
Nope, that NIMBY tactic doesn’t work here. Nice try though and educate yourself on what beauty really looks like. Roman & Williams never makes anything look cheap or value engineered
Wow,this building evokes..the rendering at least is time traveling back to NY’s pre-war greats..let’s hope the result stays true.
Wow!!! That looks splendid! A great fit for the neighborhood.
Wow, this is stunning architecture. The details and massing are beautiful and quirky. Love it.
Very sad to see the demolition of all these old buildings.Some of them are over a hundred fifty years old.
5 out of 6 of the buildings being knocked down look like complete sh*t. The red brick building is nice, but it’s not something on the level of Versailles, or the Plaza Hotel.
what a shame!
Get.
Head.
Examined.
Could be a lot worse.
Shame on whom and for what
Really exciting project if they keep to the proposed design of the building!
Love everything about this project… Especially the renascence era flag!
isn’t all of gramercy park surrounding landmarked?
No. None of the buildings on the north are landmarked along with this corner; the rest of the park is.
I’m not thrilled about the destruction of the corner building facing the park, but this design, if executed correctly, is really quite amazingly good. The super privileged never know how good they have it, which explains a lot.
I’m surprised you’re not commenting on the net housing units resulting from this. Can’t be a gain, and likely some “cheaper” walk-up units going away here, to be replaced with entirely super high end units. Not that this should be the only factor considered in this project, but worthwhile acknowledging.
Stunning! Two of my favourite designers,
Stephen Alesch and Robin Standefer aka Roman & Williams.
It will be lovely!
Gorgeous — love to see this design style moving back south. Keep inching down…
My gosh, this is going to sell extremely well. The design is classically elegant plus Roman & Williams does fantastic work and is a favorite among many in the design world.
The entrance is very reminiscent of Rosario Candela’s One Sutton Place with the big archways. This building will be a nice addition to Gramercy Park.
I took a look online and I have to say the scaling of this project is appropriate. It is very quirky- which adds to its character, which feels appropriate for Gramercy Park. The red brick building is nice and will be missed, but not so much the others. I think the very fortunate residents will love it.
At first glance, this project looks like a grouping of multiple buildings. Notice the floors of the Gramercy Park side do not align with those on 3rd Ave. As is the case with locations facing Central Park, this is an “Oh say can see” site. Every effort was made to provide a view including multi-story oriels that might be otherwise omitted. I presume this will have a limestone facade. I am not aware of many residential buildings in the city surmounted with flags.
The little Royal Tenenbaums flag at the top in the rendering is a nice touch 🙂
How many units are being demolished to make way for the 57 in the new building?
Most of the buildings being raised on single story shops, so it appears a big net gain in housing.
There are about ~45 apartments spread across all the buildings on the current site. I am not sure if all of them are habitable, as some appear to have been vacant for a few years. Overall this should be about a 20% increase in housing units, and an even greater increase in overall housing capacity as I expect there will be a lot more bedrooms.
R & W do here what they always do and do best–screw-up a good design opportunity. The project is way too fussy. It is not a cohesive composition with its extraordinarily unorganized facades. The project cost per square foot will be high with amortization via “curb appeal” not fully realized. This is a design thesis project for a 5-yr. architecture student. Like their interior designs, R & W have created a mish-mash–one that would not have occurred by the hand of many of the great pre-War NYC architects.
I struggle to see how The Fitzroy, for example, “screwed up” a good design opportunity. That building both fits perfectly with the context and stands out. And then 211 Elizabeth looks like it has always been there.
Absolutely beautiful.
I think it’s disgusting. 38 Gramercy is beautiful. How does this fir a landmarked area.
How awful to destroy 38 Gramercy Park, Isn’t it landmarked? Money talks. Isn’t the district landmarked?
Who paid off who for this one?
I am curious…
Just how old is the current No. 38 (the red structure)? I always thought it a gracious, if understated, structure. I’m actually sad to see it go.
I’m sure the existing buildings are really old a d function obsoletely, but the new building looks like an agglomeration of tan LEGOs with no rhyme or reason. Ugh!
It’s a beautiful building, but how many new keys will it be allotted?
Thirty-eight is described:
“Built around 1853 as the Sanderson family hotel, this property has undergone a succession of alterations in design and use. It is presently a cooperative with approximately 35 units with an elevator, central laundry, bike storage, storage lockers and a live in resident manager. For several years starting in 2008 the building went through an extensive renovation and the entire façade of the building was given a beautiful face lift.”
57 units? On 20 stories. $500 million in acquisition and construction cost. 10 million a unit? Something doesn’t seem right. Those are going to be massive units if there are only 57. Maybe it’s 157?
It’s a Gramercy Park address. Of course they are going to be huge units for very rich people. Nothing out of the ordinary here
Obviously no “affordable” units in this project. I think every residential structure built in NYC should have at minimum a small amount of “affordable” units.
why ? these are for sale condos. you want we should just give them away? making the other units even more expensive to cover the cost.
and who should get said units? Who is more deserving than others?
The taxes paid by the developers, buyers go to the city coffers which spends billions already on subsidized housing.
The sense of entitlement knows no bounds.
My comment to YIMBY is NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard).
At 20 floors, this will be the tallest building on the park and will forever change the landscape. Architecturally interesting, or not, we can only hope that it doesn’t result in the park losing so much light that trees die.
In any event, the biggest problem, which no one here has yet mentioned, will be the additional traffic. The entrance is shown to be on 21st street, which is the major westbound trangress for the police precinct one block over. With Lexington Ave also dead ending all its traffic into this same stretch of 21st Street, and the police permanently reserving all the parking on the north side, the traffic is already highly problematic on this street. I hope the new residents like the sound of horns honking.
Sunlight exposure is the strongest and most optimal for trees and plants in the midday hours, not during sunrise or sunset when light rays are weaker.
How do you think all of the tall & mature trees that fill the park managed to grow and survive longer than most of us have been alive? Because they DO get enough light. Plus the new building steps back from the park and is taller along Third Avenue.
Actually, in some areas of the park, the beautiful and mature trees have already struggled with lack of light. In the southwest corner, many have died and had to be removed. A year or two ago they decided to try a moss garden to work with, not fight, the lack of sunlight – and even the moss garden is now faltering. Of course you are correct that sunlight is strongest midday, when directly overhead. I also appreciate that the building was designed to step back from the park with the tallest bit by third avenue. Doesn’t change that its still more than doubling in height on the park front. And, to my main point, the increased density brings that much more traffic onto E21st in a block that is already problematic. Moving the main entrance to the third ave side, or adding an alternate side entrance there, would go a long way to easing the traffic situation – without changing the prestigous address.
Pleasant asymmetry and nice sense of solid wall and various window fenestration groupings- much better than some modern curtainwall squeezing out every last centimeter of sellable area. Devil will be in the details and how well it gets put together amd ages.
The New Building looks quite splendid. I’m all for preservation, having always lived in great olde houses! And worked in great olde buildings. However, they come with many problems. We can build Classic Architecture; and have all of the high technology of Today. I’m sure they felt the same way with Paris in the mid 1800s, however! Look at the End Result there!
This looks to have the potential to be a truly exceptional building
38 Gramercy Park is a co-op? they got all the owner shareholders to agree to sell? how much?
Look, no problem tearing down and building on the third avenue side, and I get them wanting the Gramercy Park address (and premium buyers will pay and yes the key to the park). But yes the existing is very nice and part of the whole district.
the new building is very nice, but its a strange precedent. This was done on Park avenue (55th street?) with a grand pre-war co-op torn down.
Does anyone know who is doing sales for this building?