The Keller (Compass)
Between its status as a New York City Landmark and its distinctive design by former New York City Superintendent of Parks Julius Munckwitz (best known for his design of the Central Park Boathouse), details about the restoration and renovation of 150 Barrow Street amidst its conversion to a condominium dubbed The Keller were readily available. Now that sales have launched, details have emerged about the apartments and amenities inside.
Roughly 40 years after the onetime hotel was converted to an SRO, the interiors have been transformed into 24 spacious, sumptuous condominiums. An offering plan with a $107.7 million sellout was approved in mid-March 2023, and a number of listings, including two penthouses, have already entered contract. Current availabilities start at $2.64 million for one-bedrooms, $3.54 million for two-bedrooms, and $5.59 million for three-bedrooms. The average price of $3,131 per square foot is above the neighborhood average of $2,593 per square foot (per CityRealty data).
Roughly 40 years after the onetime hotel was converted to an SRO, the interiors have been transformed into 24 spacious, sumptuous condominiums. An offering plan with a $107.7 million sellout was approved in mid-March 2023, and a number of listings, including two penthouses, have already entered contract. Current availabilities start at $2.64 million for one-bedrooms, $3.54 million for two-bedrooms, and $5.59 million for three-bedrooms. The average price of $3,131 per square foot is above the neighborhood average of $2,593 per square foot (per CityRealty data).
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“The Keller Hotel has a special character and a special historical and aesthetic interest and value as part of the development, heritage, and cultural characteristics of New York City” – Landmarks designation report
The sales launch comes 125 years after 150 Barrow Street was constructed as The Knickerbocker Hotel, which catered to seamen and travelers on cargo and cruise ships. As both industries declined, particularly in the years following the Great Depression, the building was converted to a home for itinerant seamen. It was converted to an SRO in the 1980s and a welfare hotel in the 1990s.
As per Acris, real estate investor William Gottlieb bought 150 Barrow Street in the 1980s, and his estate was at the helm of the long-planned residential conversion. Village Preservation notes that this has been slow going; in 2014, the Landmarks Preservation Commission (“Landmarks”) issued a Notice of Violation against them for failing to maintain the building. Three years later, in 2017, Landmarks approved plans by Morris Adjmi Architects to build a rooftop addition, restore the facade, and install flood barriers. However, BKSK Architects ultimately took charge of the design of the residential conversion.
The surrounding area has come a long way from when the hotel’s retail space was home to the “leather bar” where the Village People shot their debut album cover. The building is across the street from Hudson River Park, which was established in the late 1990s to bring beautiful public space to a derelict industrial strip. Not only does its address allow for easy access to West Village hot spots, but it is a short distance from Soho shopping and the offices, including the new Google and Disney headquarters, remaking Hudson Square.
The Keller also takes its place amidst a number of in-demand West Village condominiums. Practically around the corner, The Shephard was constructed as a warehouse but has emerged as a highly successful condo conversion; there are no current availabilities, and closed sales in the building come to an average price of $2,833 per square foot. Newer construction neighbors include One Morton Square, which has counted Daniel Radcliffe, Mary-Kate Olsen, and Ashley Olsen among past residents; celebrity favorite and top sales mainstay 150 Charles Street; and the Richard Meier-designed condos at 173 Perry Street and 176 Perry Street, where Oscar-nominated and Grammy, Emmy, and Tony Award-winning actor Hugh Jackman’s triplex is on the market for $34,800,000.
↓ Interiors feature high ceilings, custom-stained European white oak flooring, quarter-cut walnut entry doors, high-efficiency central heating and cooling, and in-unit washers and dryers that vent out.
↓ Bespoke kitchens feature custom cabinetry, honed White Macaubas slab marble countertops and backsplash, and top-of-the-line appliance package.
↓ There is generous storage space throughout, and primary bedrooms enjoy walk-in closets.
↓ Primary baths come outfitted with walls of honed Empress White marble slab, custom walnut finish double vanities, glass-enclosed standing showers, and brushed nickel fixtures and accessories.
↓ Residents arrive to an attended lobby, and the building offers such services as bike storage, private storage for purchase, and a package room with cold storage.
↓ The Keller is a short distance from Equinox Printing House, but a fitness center in the building measures over 1,100 square feet and comes with top-of-the-line cardio and strength equipment.
↓ The residents’ lounge features custom millwork, a kitchen, a bar, and a large-screen TV.
↓ The lounge is adjacent to a landscaped courtyard with BBQ grill that offers a peaceful alternative to the crowded Hudson River Park.
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