It is not often that a single block stands out in a city like New York. But a huge transformation is occurring at the junction of 29th Street.
West 29th Street, in between 10th and 11th Avenues, is the transition point between three neighborhoods: West Chelsea, Hudson Yards and the Far West Side. The massive changes on West 29th Street are due to the West Chelsea zoning regulations developed in 2005. Foreseeing the seismic Hudson Yards development, Mayor Bloomberg changed the zoning status to allow for more flexible residential and commercial development to ease the transition from West Chelsea to Hudson Yards and the High Line (the zoning area is bounded by Tenth and Eleventh Avenues from West 30th Street south to West 16th Street).
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Previously zoned for light manufacturing and commercial use and dominated by low- to mid-scale industrial buildings and art galleries that were former clubs, the renovations on this block will provide a new residential and mixed-use neighborhood with character-filled, lower-scaled, slower-paced living within walking distance for those working in the next door, bustling, shiny high-rise filled Hudson Yards. That, coupled with the completion of the High Line which brought developers who transferred air rights throughout the neighborhood, the transition between Chelsea and Midtown neighborhoods is becoming less dramatic.
According to Massey Knakal Realty, over $27 billion of capital has been invested in the Hudson Yards neighborhood. In addition to the actual Hudson Yards development (the 28 acre, seven full city block development), the surrounding Far West neighborhood is undergoing an investment boom. This investment includes major projects like the transformation of Madison Square Garden (estimated $1 billion), the extension of the Number 7 Subway line expansion (estimated $2.4 million) and the High Line (estimated cost $240 million).
The Post Office facility between Tenth and Ninth avenue is considered a possible location for a new Madison Square Garden.
Despite all the large projects, there are also a lot of smaller projects remaking the West Chelsea neighborhood. On the 29th Street block alone, there are nine different residential projects either recently completed or under construction that will change the face and make up of the neighborhood. This block is one block from Hudson River Park, directly south of Hudson Yards, bisected by the High Line and a short walk from Chelsea Park with its ballfields and basketball courts.
507 West Chelsea, Maestro ↑
Developed by Lalezarian Properties, the Maestro is comprised of three buildings, the tallest of which will be 35 stories and the two others will be 13-stories each, and have a total of 375 apartments. The 35-story building will be the tallest in the neighborhood. The Maestros three lots are bisected by the High Line.
There was a lottery to offer the 75 affordable units in the buildings, which ranged from $596/month studios to $979/month two-bedrooms.
West Chelsea’s rezoning requires almost 30% of all new housing in the district to be affordable.
There was a lottery to offer the 75 affordable units in the buildings, which ranged from $596/month studios to $979/month two-bedrooms.
West Chelsea’s rezoning requires almost 30% of all new housing in the district to be affordable.
505 West 29th Street, The Abington House ↑
Completed in 2014, the Abington House, a 33-story rental building built by Related Companies Abington Properties sits directly across from the entrance to Hudson Yards' Coach tower. The Abington House was designed by New York architectural firm Robert A.M. Stern, with biophilic-inspired interiors by designer Clodagh. The building also has a huge landscaped front yard facing 29th Street.
515 Highline ↑
515 Highline is being developed by Bauhaus and designed by Soo K. Chan, from the Singaporean firm SCDA. 515 High Line is a rehab and an addition to a pre-existing industrial building. This is the only building that is framed on two sides by the High Line park.
515 Highline features 12 units with approximately 32,000 square feet of residential space and 4,600 square feet of commercial space. It boasts individual outdoor spaces (each with their own fire pit), private elevators that opens directly into the residence. In addition, the building has separate chef’s kitchen “which provides caterers a full facility in which to prepare culinary delights for gatherings such as dinner parties or philanthropic events.”
515 Highline features 12 units with approximately 32,000 square feet of residential space and 4,600 square feet of commercial space. It boasts individual outdoor spaces (each with their own fire pit), private elevators that opens directly into the residence. In addition, the building has separate chef’s kitchen “which provides caterers a full facility in which to prepare culinary delights for gatherings such as dinner parties or philanthropic events.”
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517-523 West 29th Street ↑
Developer Six Sigma, purchased the six-story Tuck-It-Away Self-Storage warehouse at 517-523 West 29th Street and plan to replace it with a luxury residential building. The 55,000-square-foot warehouse is zoned for up to 74,000 buildable square feet and will contain 61 residential units.
550 West 29th Street ↑
Architect and developer Cary Tamarkin planned a 12-story, 55,000 square foot condominium building at 550 West 29th, which is nearly topped out. The building is slated to have 32 apartments and roughly 5,000-square-foot commercial space. The mix will also include two duplexes and some floor-through apartments. Cary Tamarkin recently finished another condominium building at 508 West 24th, also on the High Line.
AVA High Line - Avalon Chelsea ↑
Comprised of two buildings—mostly on West 28th but wrapping around to West 29th—the AVA High Line is a rental building that was completed in 2014. It has studio to two-bedroom apartments that start at $3,255.
The Soori High Line ↑
The Soori High Line, will feature 27 ultra-luxury apartments with private, interior pools, a Japanese restaurant and lobby bar, modern design and views of the High Line and Hudson River. The penthouse was recently listed for $22.5M.
539 West 29th Street ↑
539 West 29th Street is a 100% affordable housing residence being built by Related Companies (developer of Hudson Yards). According to a 2014 Wall Street Journal article, the 139 units will be made available to artists, seniors and low-income community members.
606 West 30th Street ↑
On the adjacent block, between 29th and 30th Streets and 11th and 12th avenues, Lalezarian Properties paid $36 million (close to $1,200 per square foot) for 606 West 30th in the hopes that the block will be rezoned soon. At this point, the Far West block only allows for an approximately 30,000-square-foot building to be built on its site. But if Lalezarian’s hunches are correct, the Far West Side will follow suit and prime sites will be harder to come. For now, Lalezarian must wait and hope he has made the right bet that the Midtown march will continue toward the Hudson.
Would you like to tour any of these properties?
Just complete the info below.
Or call us at (212) 755-5544
Would you like to tour any of these properties?
Contributing Writer
Michelle Sinclair Colman
Michelle writes children's books and also writes articles about architecture, design and real estate. Those two passions came together in Michelle's first children's book, "Urban Babies Wear Black." Michelle has a Master's degree in Sociology from the University of Minnesota and a Master's degree in the Cities Program from the London School of Economics.
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