Altair 18, 32 West 18th Street: Review and Ratings

Review of 32 West 18th Street by Carter Horsley

A majestic mid-block building in Chelsea at 32 West 18^th Street between Fifth Avenue and the Avenue of the Americas, the Altair 18 was designed by Maynicke & Frank in 1908, the architects of many of the most elegant buildings in the Flatiron District.

This 12-story building has large and lavish 21 condominium apartments.  It was converted from a commercial building in 2006 by Extell Development and Cetra/Ruddy was the architect for the conversion

The mid-block building is just to the west of a construction site for a new rental apartment building.

Extell also developed another pre-war commercial building nearby at 15 West 20^th Street, which it is calling Altair 20.  At the time, Extell liked to name its buildings after celestial objects.  Its other projects include the Ariel West and Ariel East on Broadway at 99^th Street and the Orion on West 42^nd Street and One57 on West 57^th Street, all new construction projects.

The building is a bit to the east of Adorama, one of the city’s premier photography stories, and close to the Ladies’ Mile retail strip.

Bottom Line

A prime pre-war building with very large apartments just off the fabulous Ladies’ Mile strip in Chelsea.

Description

The mid-block building has a three-story, rusticated limestone base with a half-story granite base beneath a beige-brick façade and a large cornice.  

Amenities

The building has a 24-hour concierge in the lobby that features laurel wood wrapped walls and ceilings.

The building also has a fitness center by La Palestra, and a landscaped rooftop deck with cabanas.

Apartments

Apartments have wood-burning fireplaces, ceilings that range in height from 10 feet 6 inches to 11 feet 2 inches and radiant heat flooring with a choice of limestone or wide plank white oak flooring. 

Kitchens are lined with rosewood by Valcucine of Italy and have Miele coffeemakers with cup and plate warmers and select residences with have refrigerated drawers in addition to a full integrated Sub-Zero refrigerator, double-wall ovens and wine coolers, and white glass countertops and backsplashes.

Apartments range in size from about 3,000 to 3,300 square feet.

Bathrooms have a Bain Ultra Thermo Masseur tub and Dornbracht fittings, a Sony Wega flat panel television and walls lined with Bleu de Savoie and Grigio Carnico marbles.

Apartment 9B is a three-bedroom unit with an entry foyer that opens onto a 26-foot-loong dining area and a 29-foot-long living room with a fireplace and a 23-foot-wide open, pass-through kitchen.

Apartment 9A is a two-bedroom unit with an entry foyer that leads to a 32-foot gallery past a 24-foot-wide open kitchen with an island and a 25-foot-wide dining room that opens onto a 28-foot-wide living room with a fireplace next to a 15-foot-wide study.

Apartment 3B is a three-bedroom unit that has a very long entry foyer that leads to the large living/dining room with a fireplace and a study alcove and a large open, pass-through kitchen.

Apartment 4A is a two-bedroom unit with an entry foyer that opens onto a 33-foot-long living/dining room with a fireplace and a 16-foot-long den and an open 18-foot-wide kitchen with an island.