Carter's Review

Avalon West Chelsea at 282 Eleventh Avenue between 28^th and 29^th Streets is a 13-story, red-brick building with 305 rental apartments.

It is part of a large complex that also includes AVA High Line, an adjacent, 27-story tower with 405 rental apartments.

The combined development will contain a total of 142 “affordable” apartments.

Avalon Bay Communities is the developer and SCLE was the architect.

The complex was completed in 2014 and is to the west of the High Line.

Bottom Line

A huge residential complex near the Hudson River and the High Line with all the charm of a cheery college dorm.

Description

The building has an 8-story base and a setback tower.  It does not go through the block to 29^th Street.

Its long length is nicely modulated by several large projecting bays with re-brick, rusticated masonry piers in contrast with the large broad horizontal windows of the recessed portions of the building.

The building has many corner windows and discrete air-conditioners and an exposed roof-top watertank enclosure.

It has a large entrance marquee and no sidewalk landscaping.

The mailbox area has very large and colored and illuminated typing-character signs.

The lobby area has large hanging light boxes whose deep insides are painted blue, bookcases and walls of angled blue glass and some communal tables. 

Some areas in the fitness center have hanging blue baffles.

Amenities

The building has a concierge, a bicycle room, a garage, package acceptance with cold storage, a pet wash, a resident lounge with kitchen, WiFi in common areas, an 8^th floor terrace, and a smoke-free environment, 

Apartments

Most units have floor-to-ceiling windows and washer/dryer units.

Kitchens with cherry cabinets, stainless-steel appliances and black quartz countertops.

A two-bedroom unit on the 8^th floor has an entry foyer that leads to an 18-foot-long living/dining room with an open kitchen and a very large terrace.

A one-bedroom unit on the 4^th floor has an entry foyer next to a 9-foot-long windowless home office that leads to a 17-foot-long living/dining room and a pass-through kitchen and a small terrace.

Another one-bedroom in the 4^th floor has an small entry foyer that leads past an open kitchen with a pass-through to a 14-footlong living dining room and a small terrace.

A studio apartment has an entry foyer that leads to a 16-foot-long dining area adjacent to an enclosed kitchen and a 9-foot-long sleeping alcove.

A studio unit on the 4^th floor has an entry foyer that leads past an open kitchen to am 18-footlong living/dining/sleeping area and a large angled terrace.

Another studio unit on the 4^th floor has an open kitchen and a 15-foot-long living/dining area with an angled terrace.