Wood-covered residences are in very short supply in Manhattan, but this handsome development is the first in many decades to add to the inventory.

The lower half of the 14-story building is partially "wrapped" in "off-the-shoulder" style in large sheets of nicely dark stained wood. The "wrapping" is around the southeast corner of the building but only extends up to the 10th floor, giving the building, the rest of which is covered in light-colored masonry, an asymmetrical "look."

The thin panels are extremely attractive and despite their material appear very high-tech. Indeed, at first glance one is tempted to think they are bronze or aluminum, perhaps because of the dark metal covering a very modern art gallery structure at the northeast corner of Tenth Avenue at 23rd Street just down the block. (Just to the north of this building, a car-wash occupies the southwest corner at 24th Street and for an older generation nothing is much more high-tech than a car-wash.) Directly across Tenth Avenue is the distinguished, full-block residential enclave known as London Terrace.

This may not be the South Pacific, but it is not hard to imagine Mary Martin singing that she will "wash that man right out" of her hair on this quintessential block of the "new" Chelsea, a Chelsea that teems with energy, abounds in artsiness, glories in some landmarks and a rejuvenated riverfront forested with some industrial blockbusters.

When this development opened its sales office in the fall of 2004,...