The Verdesian, 211 North End Avenue: Review and Ratings

Review of 211 North End Avenue by Carter Horsley

This 27-story rental apartment building, which opened in 2006, was the first residential high-rise structure in the United States to be award Platinum LEED certification by the U. S. Green Building Council.

The 252-unit building, which has one setback, was erected by The Albanese Organization of Garden City, Long Island and was designed by Rafael Pelli of Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects and Schuman Lichtenstein Claman & Efron.

The Albanese Organization had previously erected the Solaire at Battery Park City, which was the first ever green residential high rise in the country.

The Verdesian is 40 percent more energy efficient than standard building code requires. Each apartment has central air-filtration that removes 85 percent of particulates and has digital, programmable thermostats as well as EnergyStar appliances, high-efficiency lighting fixtures, master residence light switches and highly insulated windows and a centrally filtered water system with secondary filtration at refrigerator dispensers.

The exterior wall system includes a vapor and air barrier to minimize random air-infiltration and a natural gas-fired microturbine and cooling system contributes to 48 percent lower peak electric demand in the building.

The building has a concierge, a fitness center, a landscaped roof garden, a children's playroom, maid and valet services, bicycle storage and 24-hour garage.

Apartments have floor-to-ceiling windows, cherry wood kitchen cabinetry with granite counters, EnergyStar refrigerators, Bosch washers and dryers, Beech floors and custom solar shades in the living rooms.