Rendering of 142 West 19th Street (Credit: Urban Standard Development/Think!)
The vibrancy of Chelsea has been muted in recent months as the COVID-19 pandemic has shuttered businesses and well-heeled Manhattanites have fled (likely temporarily) to quieter, leafier locales. However, during normal times it's clear the neighborhood has been one of the fastest-growing areas of Manhattan in terms of population growth as dozens of new rental and condo buildings that have sprung up over the years. According to data from NYU's Furman Center, the number of residents in the district encompassing Chelsea, Hell's Kitchen, and the Garment District has grown from 122,241 in 2000 to 165,452 in 2018.
Slipping into an atypical loft-dominated block, a new 10-story condo at 142 West 19th Street will introduce ten full-floor residences topped by a roof deck. Steered by Seth Weissman, Chelsea-based Urban Standard Development petitioned for a zoning variance from the city's Board of Standards and Appeals to build to ten stories. The project needs special approvals since the lot measures just 26-feet wide and according to the city's Sliver Law, which applies to certain high-density zoning districts, developers cannot construct new buildings taller than their neighbors from such narrow sites. Approved building permits still reflect a seven-story structure though posted renderings and project details show ten.
Slipping into an atypical loft-dominated block, a new 10-story condo at 142 West 19th Street will introduce ten full-floor residences topped by a roof deck. Steered by Seth Weissman, Chelsea-based Urban Standard Development petitioned for a zoning variance from the city's Board of Standards and Appeals to build to ten stories. The project needs special approvals since the lot measures just 26-feet wide and according to the city's Sliver Law, which applies to certain high-density zoning districts, developers cannot construct new buildings taller than their neighbors from such narrow sites. Approved building permits still reflect a seven-story structure though posted renderings and project details show ten.
Demolished walk-up at the site and the surrounding context
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The shorter, as-of-right design that would have complied with the city's nonsensical 'Sliver Law' (Think!)
Hammering bedrock. Excavation in progress as of July 2020 (CityRealty)
Now with approvals in place, the team is carefully excavating the foundation. As several past projects have shown, foundation work puts adjacent buildings at risk, especially the century-plus-old, load-bearing type, like the Murray Hill walk-up that collapsed yesterday.
Brooklyn-based Think Architecture and Design conceived of a compatible infill design that pays homage to the Ladies Mile staid and dignified vernacular. Unsurprisingly, the homes inside promise to be pricey as the average unit size is an impressive 1,800 square feet. The developer explains the building will accommodate ten floor-through two bedrooms with high-level interior finishes, millwork closets, home offices, and individual rooftop terraces.
Brooklyn-based Think Architecture and Design conceived of a compatible infill design that pays homage to the Ladies Mile staid and dignified vernacular. Unsurprisingly, the homes inside promise to be pricey as the average unit size is an impressive 1,800 square feet. The developer explains the building will accommodate ten floor-through two bedrooms with high-level interior finishes, millwork closets, home offices, and individual rooftop terraces.
Average closing PPSF of a Chelsea condo compared to Manhattan
The median listing price of a two-bedroom condo in Chelsea is an unsettling $2.863M Three-bedrooms are nearly unattainable coming in at a median of $5.35 million. Two doors down from the project site is the 2006-built condo Chelsea House. The 64-unit building has one apartment available, a large 12th-floor two-bedroom asking $2.595M.
While the building isn't tall enough for sweeping views of the city, an approved variance will allow high-floor units to peer over neighbors for interesting city views. Stay tuned for construction updates and a sales launch in the coming year.
While the building isn't tall enough for sweeping views of the city, an approved variance will allow high-floor units to peer over neighbors for interesting city views. Stay tuned for construction updates and a sales launch in the coming year.
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