It’s night and day between how the two buildings at 14th and Washington Sts.’ southwest corner looked when they were owned by the Gachot & Gachot meat company and now that they are being renovated by fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg. The exterior of the buildings, which were originally residential, were black from years of soot, but are now being restored to their natural brick color, with the architectural details once again visible. Von Furstenberg plans her new showroom in the buildings and will live on the top floor, legal under a “caretaker” regulation for the manufacturing-zoned district. From a large skylight, a shaft of light will stream down through the buildings’ interior to the ground floor. At right, an inside view of the construction. Von Furstenberg is also renovating two adjacent buildings into a new studios-and-event complex. The designer supported the effort to landmark the Meat Market and is also a major backer of the High Line park project.
