Corcoran has released a new rendering detailing a possible renovation for a nine-story residential building at 19 West 55th Street in Midtown East, Manhattan. Located between Fifth and Sixth Avenues, the property’s $58.5 million price tag includes complete plans to transform the façade and interior organization for a multitude of use types.
Details from Corcoran specify flexibility to redevelop the property for a private corporate or institutional headquarters, traditional office space, a consulate, or retain the building as a residential property with ground-floor retail.
19 West 55th Street. Photo: Google
In its current state, the building is clad in red brick with black-painted masonry on the bottom two levels. The rendered concept shows this replaced with a stately white limestone façade. The new design adds three stories atop the parapet, complete with multiple outdoor terraces, including one enclosed with a colonnade. The concept also shows a reworked fenestration with double-height windows spanning the first and second stories, as well as on the outer edges of the fourth and fifth stories. Though no architect of record is credited, the overall impression is reminiscent of the work of Robert A.M. Stern Architects.
Once known as The Branson, the existing property comprises 39,000 square feet and was previously configured as a rental building. The residential component included 29 units ranging from one- to three-bedroom floor plans.
Its former owner, Salim Assa of Assa Properties, was accused by city officials of operating an illegal hotel in the building and was forced put the property on the market. In 2018, the property was purchased by Abraham Leifer, president of Aview Equities, for a neat $50 million. At that time, the property was fully leased including all ground-floor retail area.
Today, the building enters the market fully gutted and vacated with the exception of four rent stabilized tenants. The listing for the property is currently active with Corcoran’s Carrie C. Chiang as the lead brokering agent.
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
Interesting reuse project. Good stuff.
Foolish sham revetment.
Either build a truly contemporary structure or repair and renovate the existing fabric.
The current building is not unattractive, merely the victim of thoughtless handling and miserable maintenance.
Nah
Well done!
If it’s not a Stern project, he should sue for ‘Style Infringement’ 🙂
The design is not by Robert A.M. Stern Architects.
Love the lower floors. Everything above the cornice has to be simpified. And what is going on at the very top of the building?
I think is an excellent project. Reusing an existing building and making it look absolutely beautiful, and then adding a very nice addition on top of it. This is truly how a lot of smaller scale projects should be done, and possibly larger supertalls too. Really nice.
Now we’re talking. Enough glass boxes
Yet another building expansion with an overall loss of housing. This needs to stop.
The building is empty and gutted except for four tenants. This isn’t a “loss of housing.”
My name is Ms. Brown I’ m interested in one of your units. I’m wanted know if you have an studio available. And you accept cityfep vouchers.
Very tastefully done transformation in a very traditional New York style. Great design.
“No Architect of Record is credited.” Nice. Would it have killed the writer to ask who the designer was?
Would it kill you do it yourself? RUDE!