Carter's Review

The Badge Building at 10-55 47^th Avenue in Long Island City combined a four-story loft building with a new 8-story addition to create a very handsome residential complex with 44 condominium apartments. 

The building, which is also known as 46-38 11^th Street, was developed by Drasdn Enterprise Inc., of Brooklyn of which Tibi Zickerman is a principal. 

It was designed by Douglas Pulaski of Bricolage Design and completed in 2006. 

Front Studio Architects was the interior designer.

Bottom Line

Now here is a roof-top addition and expansion to write home about!  A handsome 8-story new structure with a brown façade was grafted onto an existing four-story loft building with a light-colored façade one block away from the Vernon Jackson subway station in Long Island City.  What really makes this attractive project special, however, is its sensational lobby with a curved, dark blue-and-white, oceanic, mosaic wall and curved concierge station and its rusted steel entrance.

Description

The former loft building with its very large, multi-paned windows dramatically contrasts with the dark masonry addition at its rear that partially rises over it but has more conventional fenestration as well as some balconies, two of which wrap around it. 

The building has an unusual and quite dramatic albeit relatively small projecting entrance surround of rusted steel that is vertically angled away from the building. 

The boldness of the small entrance braces one for the heavenly deep blue and white curved mosaic wall and concierge station that is rather dazzling. One wonders, however, how the addition could have been so restrained given the audacious and splendid lobby and the Richard Serraesque rawness of the protruding steel entrance. 

The addition is setback from the street and has its own setbacks that manage to create a graceful composition with the original building. 

Clearly this project was designed to test the sophistication of contextual urban planners. The addition manages not to overpower the smaller and older building and its darker “complexion” gives it a shadowy, even ghost-like character.

Amenities

The Badge Building’s amenities include parking, a roof deck, a part-time doorman and a rooftop deck. It is convenient to public transportation and is near many restaurants and shopping.

Apartments

Many of the building’s apartments feature private balconies and elegant kitchens, and some units are equipped with individual washers and dryers. 

Apartment 5D on the 5^th through the 7^th floors is a two-bedroom unit with a 27-foot-long living/dining room and a pass-through kitchen and an 11-foot-wide balcony. 

Apartment 5F is a two-bedroom unit with a 25-foot-long living/dining room with a pass-through kitchen, a 9-foot-wide study and a 23-foot-long terrace. 

Apartment E on the third and fourth floors is a one-bedroom unit with a 19-foot-long living/dining room with a pass-through kitchen and a 12-foot-wide balcony and a 8-foot-wide study by the entrance foyer. 

Apartment D on the 4^th and 5^th floors is a two-bedroom unit with an 18-foot-long living/dining room with a pass-through kitchen.