Carter's Review

Cass Gilbert (1859-1934) was one of the city s most important architects in the early 20th Century and his legacy is highlighted by the Woolworth Building fronting on City Hall Park, which for many years was the city's tallest and remains one of its most famous and popular skyscrapers.

This building was designed by Mr. Gilbert and is named after him.

It is considerably less flamboyant and visible than the Woolworth Building, which was erected in 1913. This building was completed in 1927, when architectural styles changed from neo-Gothic to Art Deco, and it served as a commercial building until its renovation and conversion to condominium apartments in 2003.

While most of Gilbert's famous buildings, which also include the New York Life Building at Madison Square Park and the Federal Courthouse at Foley Square and the United States Custom House at the foot of Broadway, are quite decorative, classical and very elegant, this structure is surprisingly spartan yet quite monumental. It has several setbacks and the central portion of its façade has decorative spandrels and thin bronze piers separating the multi-paned windows. The façade has rather exotic two-tone terracotta panels and friezes depicting Assyrian winged horses, roaring lions and racing chariots that were executed by the same company that worked with the architect on the Woolworth Building.

The 20-story building is registered as a national historic landmark and has 45 apartments. It was designated as "The Cass Gilbert Building" with the approval of the architect's grandson and representatives of the Cass Gilbert Society that was formed to perpetuate the legacy of the architect whose other important New York City buildings include the New York Life Building at Madison Square Park and the Foley Square Courthouse.

The mid-block building has two-bedroom loft residences whose initial prices started at $875,000. The largest unit occupies a full floor and contains 3,850 square feet with three bedrooms, a den, 900 square feet of terraces and a 52-foot-long living room. It was offered at $3.2 million. The building also has two duplex penthouses with ceiling heights up to 18 feet and private terraces.

Henry Justin of HJ Development Corporation is the developer.

All apartments have at least two full baths as well as washers and dryers. The building has a doorman, 11-foot-ceilings, and open gourmet kitchens with Calacatta marble counters and backsplashes, SubZero refrigerators, Miele dishwashers, and stainless steel ovens and wine coolers. It has 21 different apartment layouts and individually controlled central heating and cooling.

The building has no sidewalk landscaping, no balconies and no garage. It is just to the east of the handsome, castellated 23rd Police Precinct.

Walter Melvin, Alfredo Carballude and Shamir Shah were architects involved in the conversion.