An aerial shot of Hell’s Kitchen and beyond shows the Silver Towers at 42nd St and 11th Ave.
BY LAUREN PRICE | Hell’s Kitchen has always been a closely knit neighborhood rich in cultural opportunities and old New York history.
But while the West Side area bounded by W. 37th and 57th Sts. was once dotted with warehouses, parking lots and walk-ups, for more than a decade developers have been eyeing the possibilities of building luxury rentals. Residential revitalization –– coupled with expanded dining, shopping and nightlife options –– is now the order of the day. And as of two months ago, sale prices and rents here now surpass the averages for Manhattan as a whole.
“There is no doubt that Hell’s Kitchen is undergoing an exciting transformation,” said Stephen McArdle, senior managing director of Halstead Property Development Marketing. “Savvy homesteaders who now choose to live and invest in New York City not only see the potential of this particular neighborhood, but also want to be at the forefront of its revitalization.”
It might seem as though Hell’s Kitchen has become a labyrinth of glass-wall residential towers and luxury loft conversions. But there remain plenty of mid-rise apartment buildings and walk-ups — especially closer to Ninth Ave. — preserved in good measure due to specific zoning laws that have long been in place.
Developed by the Gotham Organization, Gotham West, at 550 W. 45th St., leases studios to three-bedroom homes, replete with condo-like finishes and amenities, such as quarter-sawn oak floors, washer/dryers, floor-to-ceiling windows and kitchens outfitted with the likes of KitchenAid appliances and honed Absolute Black granite worktops. Some units offer walk-in closets, separate kitchen pantries and Hudson River views.
Gotham West’s communal amenities list is long and includes a lounge, which serves daily breakfasts, a business center, a screening room, a demo kitchen used by invited professional chefs, and a game room. The fitness center has a motion studio and yoga / spinning classes.
The building also includes three outdoor spaces. Amenities also include playgrounds, a bike porter for last-minute tune-ups and free weekday shuttles to and from 42nd St. and Sixth Ave. No-fee monthly rentals currently begin at $2,900. (gothamwestnyc.com)
From Silverstein Properties, Silver Towers is an enormous complex with million-dollar views of the Hudson River and Manhattan skyline. Located at 42nd St. and 11th Ave., two glass towers offer studios to two-bedrooms, including lofts and penthouses. Some have private outdoor space. All feature high, floor-to-ceiling windows, Afromosia wood floors and washer/ dryers.
Floors two through seven in the North Tower are outfitted with furnished units for corporate residents. The Entertaining Terrace has cabanas, chaises, daybeds and misting showers, a BBQ grill and a wet bar. The fitness center offers spa and nail services and a yoga room. There’s a 75-foot indoor pool and sundeck, too.
Complimentary weekday shuttles connect residents to and from multiple locations during morning and evening commutes.
A quarter-acre public park designed by Thomas Balsley showcases pavilions, a kids’ area, an enclosed dog run, a mist fountain and an area for lounging and picnicking. The Spot Experience dog daycare will soon be a part of Silver Towers.
No-fee monthly rentals currently begin at $3,190. (silvertowers.com)
The real estate development team of JDS Development Group and Property Markets Group, in partnership with Starwood Capital Group, is bringing the latest Ralph Walker conversion to Hell’s Kitchen –– Stella Tower, at 425 W. 50th St. Originally designed by Walker in 1927 for the New York Telephone Company, the condominium has one- to three-bedroom residences ranging from 1,000 to 2,200 square feet, though penthouses boast as much as 3,600 square feet.
Units feature oversized tilt-and-turn windows and soaring ceiling heights, and select residences have fireplaces and private outdoor space. Stella Tower will have a 24-hour attended lobby, a fitness center, a lounge with a pantry and bar and a garden lounge.
Sold through Douglas Elliman, prices are from $1.8 million. (stellatower.com)
The Piano Factory, the conversion of an 1870s building at 454 W. 46th St. where Wessell Nickel & Gross built pianos, has 48 loft-like units. An enclave-like complex, it features a European-style interior courtyard where plants cascade down from restored iron catwalks that connect two buildings.
Town Residential is now offering a four-bedroom penthouse duplex with an enormous terrace. Light-filled with wonderful skyline views, this home has hardwood floors and high ceilings –– including a vaulted ceiling in the living room –– pocket doors and a laundry room with a Bosch washer/dryer. The very large eat-in kitchen, which opens onto a second terrace, is outfitted with cherry wood cabinets, granite countertops and a radiant heat floor.
Appliances are by Jenn-Air, Dacor and Bosch. The master suite has a dressing area, two full closets and an en-suite bathroom. The owner will have roof rights, so with board approval, a third deck can be added.
Priced at $4 million.
