The Munitions Building, 60 Warren Street: Review and Ratings

Review of 60 Warren Street by Carter Horsley

This 1882, five-story, red-brick loft building in TriBeCa was converted to condominium apartments in 2000 when several floors were added and it is also known as 79-83 West Broadway.

In a December 3, 2001 article, The New York Observer reported that Edward Bazinet bought the four-story penthouse in this building for $13.15 million from Fernando Espuelas, chief executive officer of StarMedia Network Inc., who had bought in 2000 for $6.1 million. The penthouse contained about 9,300 square feet and consisted of three terraces and a private roof deck and had been originally offered as a 6,000-square foot triplex and a 3,300-square-foot single-floor apartment.

According to the article Mr. Bazinet was a Minnesota businessman who "made millions selling minature decorative porcelain and ceramic houses."

Mr. Espuelas started to renovate the combined spaces but his company's stock fell and he put it on the market for $10.95 million.

Mr. Bazinet, the article continued, had purchased two adjoining penthouse apartments in 1997 at the Chelsea Atrium at 245 Seventh Avenue at 24th Street for $1.698 million and put that apartment on the market in January 2001 for $5.87 million, subsequently reducing it $4.9 million in October 2001.

The building has rusticated quoins, a doorman and is across the street from Raccoon Lodge, a bar that has a pool table. It also has fire escapes on its West Broadway frontage. It has no sidewalk landscaping and no garage.

This location is convenient to City Hall and Ground Zero and there is excellent public transportation and many restaurants in the vicinity.