211 East 51st Street: Review and Ratings

Review of 211 East 51st Street by Carter Horsley

This 14-story, white-brick rental apartment building was offered for sale in early 2007 for $42,500,000 and Allied Properties of Brooklyn entered into a contract to buy it from Uned Associates of which Unni Edelman was president and enlarge it by adding 7 more stories as part of a conversion to residential condominiums.

David Mandl of Meltzer-Mandl Architects told CityRealty.com earlier this year that it has recently revised its designs for an expansion of the mid-block building to 21 stories with 72 apartments and that a demolition permit is expected shortly for the project, which will utilize its existing steelwork. A complete demolition would not have permitted the project to become as tall because of building and zoning regulations for new construction.

The white-brick building was erected in 1958.

Mr. Mandl, whose firm designed the curved and handsome residential building at 57 Bond Street, the 13-story Paradigm at 146 West 22nd Street, and the very attractive 6-story building at 647 Ninth Avenue between 45th and 46th Streets, estimated that the project would be completed in early 2009.

The deal with Allied Properties, however, fell through and Henry Justin acquired the building in May and plans were filed May 30 by Alfredo G. Carballude of CMA Design Studio PC with the Department of Buildings to remodel all 85 apartments as part of a conversion of the building to a condominium.

Mr. Justin converted to the handsome, 1913 printing house on Ninth Avenue and 26th Street to a residential condominium building known now as the Heywood and he also converted a mid-block commercial building to residential condominiums at 130 West 30th Street, a project known as the Cass Gilbert.

The mid-block building on 51st Street between Third and Second Avenues adjoins Green Acre Park, designed with a 25-foot waterfall by Hideo Sasaki.

The site is close to the Waldorf=Astoria Hotel and the Citibank tower and it is convenient to public transportation.