REAL ESTATE
Hell’s Kitchen Savories
Adjacent to the Great White Way, a Manhattan neighborhood now ahead of the pack
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BY LAUREN PRICE
“There is no doubt that Hell’s Kitchen is undergoing an exciting transformation,” says Stephen McArdle, senior managing director of Halstead Property Develop-
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An interior at Gotham West at 420 West 45th Street.
From Silverstein Properties,
SILVERSTEIN PROPERTIES
What’s on the Market?
GOTHAM ORGANIZATION
ts established roots are still very evident. Hell’s Kitchen has always been a closely-knit neighborhood rich in cultural opportunities and Old New York history. But while the area of town bounded by West 37th and 57th Streets was once dotted with warehouses, parking lots, and walk-ups, for more than a decade developers have been eyeing the possibilities of building luxury rentals. Residential revitalization — coupled with expanded dining, shopping, and nightlife options — is now the order of the day, so much so that as of two months ago, sale prices and rents now surpass the averages for Manhattan as a whole. None of this should really be surprising for a neighborhood with globally famous landmarks — Broadway’s playhouses, Theater Row, and Restaurant Row. Lee Strasberg’s Actors Studio has — over the years — made this part of town home to renowned red carpet stars from James Cagney and James Dean to Jerry Orbach, Tom Hanks, Larry David, and Alicia Keys. And television has also been part a big part of the scene. In their first US appearance in 1964, the Beatles played the Ed Sullivan Theater on Broadway and West 53rd Street, which has been home for decades now to David Letterman’s show. John Stewart’s “Daily Show” has had two Hell’s Kitchen homes — first on West 54th and now on 11th Avenue. “The Colbert Report” films at the original Stewart venue. Two world renowned dance companies — the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and the Baryshnikov Arts Center — have also been Hell’s Kitchen stalwarts for quite some time.
movie screen, with an adjacent Sky Lounge. Amenities also include playgrounds, a bike porter for last minute tune-ups, free weekday shuttles to and from 42nd Street and Sixth Avenue for evening and morning commutes, on-site parking, and doorman/concierge services. The ground-level indoor/ outdoor blocklong Gotham West Market features artisan vendors and restaurants. No-fee monthly rentals currently begin at $2,900. (gothamwestnyc. com)
An aerial shot of Hell’s Kitchen and beyond shows the Silver Towers at 42nd Street and 11th Avenue.
ment Marketing. “Reaching this milestone demonstrates that savvy homesteaders who now choose to live and invest in New York City not only see the potential of this particular neighborhood, but also want to be at the forefront of its revitalization.” It might seem as though Hell’s Kitchen has become a labyrinth of glass-wall residential towers and luxury loft conversions, but plenty of mid-rise apartment houses and walk-ups remain, especially closer to Ninth Avenue, preserved in good measure because of specific zoning laws that have long been in place.
Developed by the Gotham Organization , Gotham West at 420 West 45th Street leases studios to three-bedroom homes, replete with condo-like finishes and ame-
nities such as quarter sawn oak floors, washer/dryers, floor-to-ceiling windows, and kitchens outfitted with the likes of KitchenAid appliances and honed Absolute Black granite worktops. Some units offer walk-in closets, separate kitchen pantries, and Hudson River views. The communal amenities list is long and includes a lounge, which serves daily breakfasts, a business center, a screening room, a demo kitchen used by invited professional chefs, and a game room with a handcrafted pool table. The fitness center has a motion studio and yoga/ spinning classes. The building also includes three outdoor spaces: a huge courtyard garden, the Perch, with an outdoor fireplace overlooking the garden, and the Sky Terrace, with misting walls, a bar, and an outdoor
Silver Towers is an enormous complex with million-dollar views of the Hudson River and Manhattan’s skyline. Located at 42nd Street and 11th Avenue, two glass towers offer studios to two- bedrooms, including lofts and penthouses. Some have private outdoor space. All feature floor -to-ceiling windows, Afromosia wood floors, and washer/ dryers. Floors two through seven in the North Tower are outfitted with furnished units for corporate residents. Open kitchens boast stainless steel appliances, custom-designed wenge wood grain laminate, and aluminum-framed glass cabinetry with engineered stone worktops. Porcelain-tiled bathrooms come with Carrera marble-topped floating vanities as well as vessel sink vanities, rain showers, and soaking tubs. For tenants, the Entertaining Terrace has cabanas, chaises, daybeds and misting showers, a BBQ grill, and a wet bar. The fitness center offers spa and nail services and a yoga room. There’s a 75-foot indoor pool and sundeck, too. Other communal amenities include a lounge, a screening room, a playroom, on-site parking, and concierge services. Complimentary weekday shuttles connect residents to and from multiple locations during morning and evening commutes. A quarter -acre public park designed by Thomas Balsley show-
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HELL’S KITCHEN, continued on p.66
June 26 - July 09, 2014 | www.gaycitynews.com