Rendering of 39-41 West 23rd Street by COOKFOX Architects
A new chapter has unfolded in the long-running saga to build a tower at 39 West 23rd Street. A recent pass by the site shows that developer Anbau has begun foundation work at the through-block lot located between Fifth and Sixth Avenues in Flatiron. What’s planned is a pair of residential buildings, 24- and 10-stories tall. They will hold 39 condos, 4 affordable rentals, ground-floor retail and a 50-car garage.
Anbau acquired the parking lot site in 2011 for $23.4 million. Previous plans drawn up by Horizen Global entailed a sculptural glass hotel whose design by Carlos Zapata was likened to the Pope’s hat. Though committed to Zapata’s design at first, Anbau later selected COOKFOX Architects to design a residential project for the site.
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Construction work beginning as of early December (CityRealty)
CityRealty
The lot was previously zoned exclusively for commercial uses and needed a special permit to allow for residences. Additionally, the lot is located within the Ladies' Mile Historic District and the project’s design and scale had to pass muster with the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission.
COOKFOX
COOKFOX’s rectilinear design greatly differs from Zapata’s. Resembling a gridded Connect Four game board, the stone façade significantly projects from a glass and metal enclosure, allowing for planted terraces outside many units.The taller 23rd Street wing grows 24 floors with a setback at the 18th floor. A cantilevering section and changes in fenestration make it appear as if the tower is composed of two dynamic volumes, with the upper half rotated 90 degrees from its lower half. The project merges its zoning lot with the walk-up to the east, allowing the team to provide lot-line windows with views to Madison Square Park along upper levels.
COOKFOX
The north tower will have no more than two apartments per floor and the shorter south wing at 22 West 24th Street will have several duplexes. Amenities are to include lounge areas, a children’s playroom, a fitness center and a communal terrace. The building will be doors down from Eataly and a short walk from Madison Square and its namesake park.
Anbau, whose name is German for “to add onto,” has completed several high-end residential buildings around Manhattan such as the BKSK-designed Citizen at 124 West 23rd Street, the newly-finished Citizen360 in Yorkville and the nearly-complete 207 West 79th Street designed by Morris Adjmi.
Ground floor rendering of 39 West 23rd Street (Anbau)
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New Developments Editor
Ondel Hylton
Ondel is a lifelong New Yorker and comprehensive assessor of the city's dynamic urban landscape.
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