Location: 750 Fifth Avenue (at 59th Street)
Size: 181 condominium units and 152 hotel-condo units
Prices: Starting at $1.5 million – the sky’s the limit
Occupancy: Late 2007
Developer: Elad Group
Architect: Originally Henry J. Hardenbergh; renovations by Costas Kondylis
Interior Design: Gal Nauer
Sales & Marketing: Stribling & Associates
Website: www.theplazaresidences.com

Overview: Buying a Slice of History
F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote here. Frank Lloyd Wright visited here. The Beatles were headquartered here in 1964; the Plaza Accord was signed here in 1985; kings and queens have enjoyed royal visits here and every U.S. president since Theodore Roosevelt has spent time here. Occupying the corner of Fifth Avenue at Central Park South, the Plaza Hotel, a French Renaissance château-style building, is steeped in history.

Fans of New York City history have heard a lot about the Plaza’s décor, its beauty and its famous landmarks like the Palm Court, the Edwardian Room, the Oak Room, and the Pulitzer Fountain. Many movies have been filmed at the hotel, beginning with Hitchcock’s masterpiece, “North By Northwest.”

For almost one hundred years, flying the flags of the countries of visiting dignitaries over its Fifth Avenue canopy, The Plaza mirrored the social history of Manhattan: its tastes in design, entertainment, restaurants and accommodations, as well as the Great Depression, two World Wars, the Cold War, women’s rights and British rock-and-roll.

This city’s best chateau defined grandeur for a century and, like a fine wine, it has aged well. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1986. In 1998, it was also designated as a literary landmark and eight of its public rooms were declared interior landmarks in 2004.

In 2004 the Plaza Hotel was sold to the Elad development group, and in April 2005 the developers began renovating the hotel with the aim of converting it into 181 condominium units, 134 hotel rooms and 152 hotel condos. The hotel’s historic rooms will be restored to their original 1907 appearance. Even the Palm Court’s glass ceiling, which was removed during the 1940s, will be recreated.

Anybody buying a condo at the Plaza is truly getting a slice of history. There are two separate groups of condominiums. The 152 ‘hotel condominium suites,’ which are being marketed as pied-a-terres, are something like former hotel rooms at the Plaza – only in mint condition. The Palm Suites are about 550 feet and start at $1.6 million; the Plaza and Terrace suites start at $5 million and are considerably larger.

The private residences are a separate ballpark altogether. Starting at $2.5 million per unit, these will be the newest and most unique spaces at the Plaza. The apartment sizes vary widely from 1 bedroom (about 800 square feet) to 5-bedroom, duplex penthouses. The new residents here include Robert Kraft, the owner of the New England Patriots, who bought an 11th-floor condo for $14 million, and real estate baron Harry Macklowe, who bought several contiguous apartments for close to $60 million, a record-breaking number for New York City – and, quite frankly, the world. Tommy Hilfinger and Flavio Briatore, James Cayne and Jocelyn Wildenstein are also on the the purchasers list.

The “Private Residences” at The Plaza Hotel have their own entrance on Central Park South and a large garden court with cascading fountain at the bottom of the building’s large rectangular lightwell. Entry to the hotel rooms is on the south side along 58th Street.

The bathroom fixtures have been designed exclusively for the Plaza residences. The kitchen will have Nero Marquina stone kitchen countertops (gorgeous) and Callacata Marble tiled backsplashes.

The massive public spaces such as the Terrace Room, Edwardian Room, Grand Ballroom, and Oak Bar are still in place. In addition, because the Plaza is a hotel in addition to a condominium, it offers every possible service, from room service to maid service, to a private butler, to valet parking, to pet care. Everything.
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Location: 200 West End Avenue (entrance on W. 70th Street)
Size: 173 condominium units, 29 stories
Prices: $.7 – $4.6 million
Occupancy: Late 2007
Developer: Clarett Group
Architect: Costas Kondylis
Interior Designer: Celerie Kemble
Sales & Marketing: Corcoran Group Marketing
Website: www.200wea.com

Overview: Exquisite Attention to Detail Pays Off
Originally a planned development of American Continental Properties, 200 West End Avenue was acquired by the Clarett Group in May 2006. Although it is still under construction, this 29-story, 170-unit luxury condominium, architected by the ubiquitous Costas Kondylis and designed by Celerie Kemble, is now open for occupancy, slightly ahead of schedule.

The building façade is predominantly glass, with some limestone trim. This luxury condominium did not participate in “affordable housing” plans, and 13,000 square feet of retail space is expected.

Floor-to-ceiling windows are complemented by occasional smaller windows with ledges in kitchens and bathrooms. Considering the height of the surrounding buildings, residents would have to live above the 16th floor to experience the more open views.

Brazilian cabreuva hardwood flooring works well with kitchen cabinetry. Walnut vanities in master baths provide ample closed and open storage. Each home is delivered with a full-size washer and dryer.

Amenities at 200 West End Avenue include:

- Fitness center with billiards room
- Wine tasting room
- Peter Sis playroom
- On-site valet parking
- Landscaped community terrace
- Bicycle storage and general storage
- Hotel-style concierge service from Abigail Michaels

Other Clarett Group projects include the recently completed Place 57 with Baccarat crystal lobby and garden designed by Vicente Wolf; and the 55-story, brick-faced Sky House condominium tower under construction at 11 West 29th Street, which is attached to the Church of the Transfiguration (“The Little Church Around the Corner”) whose air rights the developers bought.
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Location: 10 West End Avenue (between W. 59th and W. 60th Streets)
Size: 191 units, 33 stories
Prices: $710,000 – $5.7 million
Expected Occupancy: Late 2007
Developer: Apollo Real Estate Advisors
Architect: SLCE Architects
Interior Designer: Nick Dine
Sales & Marketing: Sunshine Group

Overview: Available for Immediate Occupancy!
10 West End Avenue joins the spate of new condominium developments (Adagio, The Element) in the Lincoln Square vicinity – the West End Avenue to Amsterdam, W. 59th Street to W. 60th Street quadrant. While the building is commanding in height, the exterior design of 10 WEA is not distinguishable from the plethora of all-glass new developments.

River views are impressive from the 31st floor, particularly the two corner three-bedroom apartments with their 24’ x 14’ great rooms.

We arrived just in time to see two of the four designer apartments that 10 West End Avenue had commissioned from four home publications: Annie Selke for Country Living, Celerie Kemble for House Beautiful, Samantha Cook for O at Home, and Barclay Butera for Veranda. Interesting to see the different use of space by nationally recognized designers. You can see the designed apartments at www.designervisionsonline.com.

Ordinary folk have a wonderful basis to complete their own home designs: 10 WEA condominium interiors include tasteful Pianeta Legno Afrormosia wood floors, similarly colored kitchen cabinets with Sub-Zero refrigerators, Viking range/convection oven, Bosch dishwasher, and U-Line temperature-controlled wine storage.

Amenities at 10 West End Avenue include:
50’ pool in a spa-like retreat with silver blue slate floors and abundant natural light.
State-of-the-art fitness center designed by Ari Weller
Children’s Activity Center created by the Children’s Museum of Manhattan.

10 West End Avenue offers world-class concierge services — utility setup, move-in coordination, maid services, dinner reservations — through Abigail Newman and Michael Fazio. www.abigailmichaels.com/services.html.

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Location: 219 W. 81st St. (at Broadway)
Size: 111 units, 12 floors – not all are condominium units
Prices: From $.7 million – $3 million
Occupancy: Late 2007
Developer: Group of real estate professionals/institutional investors
Architect: Originally designed by Gaetano Ajello; renovation by Gruzen Samton
Interior Designer: Allen + Killcoyne
Sales & Marketing: The Marketing Directors, Inc.

Overview: Old-World Charm Meets New-World Comfort
With a variety of influences and people, a jumble of parks, theaters, historic buildings, museums and prestigious universities, the Upper West Side boasts its own unique character and charm. Co-ops with high ceilings, crown molding, and hardwood floors make up most of the pre-war inventory here. You say you want a condo apartment in a pre-war building that has new finishes? Wow, is that a rare jewel!

Yes, Avonova is that rare jewel. This pre-war condo conversion combines old-world charm with new-world comfort. A mid-rise with 12 floors and 111 apartments, the building was originally designed in 1911 by the eminent architect Gaetano Ajello, who is responsible for much of the characteristic “look” of the Upper West Side. It has been lovingly restored by Gruzen Samton, an architectural firm specializing in period restorations.

The renovations include a façade restoration with new windows; a roof and parapet wall replacement; new plumbing and electrical highways; and new elevator cabs and mechanical systems.

Some rent-stabilized and rent-controlled tenants remain. Market rate tenants are being offered the option to buy, so as their leases come up, more apartments may become available.

Amenities include doorman; fitness center; residents’ lounge with catering kitchen; children’s playroom; courtyard; roof terrace; owner storage and bike storage.
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Location: 18 W. 48th Street (at Fifth Avenue)
Size: 34 floors, 152 luxury condominium units
Prices: $.9 million – $2.5 million
Occupancy: 2007
Developer: JD Carlisle Development Corp
Architect: Perkins Eastman
Interior Designer: Philip Koether
Sales & Marketing: The Marketing Directors

Overview: A Home Away from Home for Traveling Executives
At the southeast corner of Rockefeller Center, the Centria is a striking floor-to-glass condominium, steps away from the NBC studio and the Ice Rink, and across the street from Saks Fifth Avenue.

The Centria caters especially to business executives, as reflected by its unusual sales strategy: It never had a first offering in Manhattan. Instead, this condo was sold, pre-development, to two Irish hedge funds, which then sold individual units to their investors. Many investors bought several units.

The businesslike lobby is upscale and welcoming. The staff is exceptionally pleasant and helpful.

Apartments are on the small side. Kitchens are mostly Pullman, or alcove, kitchens – compact, but with stoves that vent out, as opposed to filtering and recirculating the air. Microwave ovens are placed so high as to make them unusable. (Who cooks when you’re on an expense account?)

In addition to the now usual high-tech business center and health club, the Centria condo boasts a humidor and wine lounge.
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Location: 16 W. 19th St. (at Fifth Avenue)
Size: 57 condominium units, 12 floors
Prices: $.5 million – $3+ million
Occupancy: 2006
Developer: The Copper Group
Architect: Perkins Eastman
Interior Designer: YOO (working in collaboration with Jade Jagger)
Sales & Marketing: SHVO

Overview: Romantic Spell, Otherworldly “Pods”
On a recent snowy afternoon I took a tour of the Jade Building, located at 16 W. 19th St. in Chelsea, to get myself in sync with Jade Jagger’s idea for “pod” designs in loft living. I was immediately spirited into Jagger’s romantic spell when I walked into the reception room and saw soft seating, a Moroccan carpet and Moroccan lanterns.

Jagger’s “pod” was conceived for efficiency of space, and to give each condo apartment a loftlike feel. It is a cubelike structure incorporating a mosaic-tiled bathroom, a sleek kitchen (with Miele and Sub-Zero appliances), a closet and a washer-dryer.
When it’s closed, the pod looks like an architectural cube set down in the middle of the living space. It comes in color variations from gold to black and red.

Even though big chef’s kitchens have become important to marketing New York loft condominiums these days, the truth is that most of us eat out seven nights a week, and the kitchen is used only for very simple cooking. For efficiency of space, the Pod kitchen really makes sense.

The “pod” makes the condos in this building function more like glorified hotel suites. That may not work for everyone, but it is very suitable for the young professionals who live in New York like global nomads.
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Location: 101 W. 24th St. (at Sixth Avenue)
Size: 204 condominium units, 40 stories
Prices: From $.75 million to $4.5 million
Expected Occupancy: 2008
Developer: LCOR
Architect: SCLE
Interior Designer: BBGM
Sales & Marketing: Prudential Douglas Elliman
Website: chelseastratus.com

Overview: Woof, Woof on the Roof
The Chelsea Stratus condominium, located in the heart of Chelsea and soaring a remarkable 40 stories, is a sophisticated building that offers understated elegance and unparalleled service for Manhattan living.

If art and fashion are passions of yours, there is no more exciting place to be than here. The Stratus is the tallest building in the area, with ultra-chic condo apartments featuring spacious rooms and balconies or terraces with outstanding Manhattan views. It is a sensational home in the sky, right in the midst of the New York art scene – there are 200 art galleries at your feet, showing work by upcoming and established artists.

Building amenities include 24-hour doorman and concierge service, a ground-level entertainment area with media lounge, billiard area, fitness center and basketball court, along with ground-floor and rooftop terraces designed by landscape architect Thomas Balsley.
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Location: 151 East 85th Street (at Lexington Avenue)
Size: 110 units, 18 stories
Prices: From $1.95 million
Expected Occupancy: Late 2008/Early 2009
Developer: Extell
Architect: Cook + Fox
Interior Designer: S. Russell Groves
Sales & Marketing: Corcoran Sunshine

Overview: Green, Glamorous, a Little Glitzy
Many months ago, when my husband and I attended the cocktail opening for the Lucida Sales Office, we thought: The Lucida is not for us. Though definitely high-quality, it was, well, just a bit glitzy – “chocolate-stained” solid oak floors and doors, high-contrast polished ceramic kitchen cabinets with shiny metal trunk-like handles. Also, because it’s a mid-rise building, the views are not great, compared with other new developments.

Some months later, when I revisited the model apartments with my father, I found the quality and design of Lucida more pleasing – it’s clearly one of the highest-quality condominiums currently in development.

As the “Upper East Side’s first green condominium registered for LEED certification,” Lucida is a 20-story hybrid rental-condo building with first-floor retail space and rental units on lower-level floors. Lucida is developed by Extell. Retail and rental spaces are leased from Goldman.

Lucida’s architects Cook + Fox are known for both residential and commercial projects including On Bryant Park, Henry Miller Theater and The Caroline.

Amenities include:

- The exclusive La Palestra fitness center with pool.
- Kidville playground.
- Private wine cellar.
- Bicycle storage room.
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Location: 450 E. 83rd St. (between First Avenue and York Avenue)
Size: 128 units, 28 floors
Prices: From $.7 million to $7+ million
Occupancy: 2006
Developer: JD Carlisle
Architect: Perkins Eastman
Interior Designer: Philip Koether
Sales & Marketing: The Marketing Directors, Inc.

Overview: Natural Wood, Stone, and Lots of Light
This beautiful new condo building is a standout and welcome addition to York Avenue. Unlike most new condo buildings, the Cielo isn’t all glass. The combination of stone and dramatic oversized windows gives the building a sense of true substance while maximizing interior natural light.

Indoors, the impression of substance still holds. I was wowed by the soaring ceilings, solid beech hardwood floors, massive solid wood doors, European-style kitchens with larchwood cabinets and Wolf, Sub-Zero and Miele appliances, and the limestone bathrooms with soaking tubs and glass-enclosed showers. Even the powder rooms have volcanic stone flooring and frosted glass tiled walls.

The building includes all of the amenities that have become “table stakes” for high-end developments: 24-hour doorman and concierge, a state-of-the-art fitness center, a children’s playroom, bicycle and stroller rooms, and on-site parking.

This is a condo building that my husband and I seriously considered, but I couldn’t tear him away from Park Avenue. Personally, I much prefer new development and would give up Park Avenue in a snap!
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