Abi Chelsea, 455 West 19th Street: Review and Ratings

Review of 455 West 19th Street by Carter Horsley

This distinctive, 12-story building at 455 West 19th Street in Chelsea was erected in 2020 and has 10 condominium apartments. 

It was developed by Al Amir Holdings and designed by Raed Abillama Architects with Paik Architecture serving as the architect of record.   The Abillama family has been active in real estate in Lebanon since 1476. 

The developer bought the site in 2014 for $22.5 million from the foundation of Robert Rauschenberg, the artist.

Bottom Line

A rather startling. asymmetric, mid-block, mid-rise development in Chelsea with a central tower with thin piers and only 10 apartments.

Description

The building has an asymmetric design with a central tower with closely spaced thin piers rising two stories higher than its west wing.  Its east wing is five stories tall. 

An April 9, 2019 article by Michael Young at Newyorkyimby.com wrote that "The 50-foot-wide southern exterior features two contrasting architectural dialects." 

"More than half is comprised of a series of thin vertical fins separating narrow windows," it continued, adding that "To the left of this are several levels of broad rectangular glass panels, each within an indented framework. This juxtaposition illustrates the development’s combination of visibility and privacy, and the two patterns span the height of the building, including an inward push with a setback at the fifth and sixth floors....The northern façade has the opposite architectural language, with narrow horizontal windows and several private balconies with views of Midtown. The ground level will have floor-to-ceiling windows and will contain a proposed 5,000-square-foot commercial space that will most likely become an art gallery. A landscaped courtyard will be situated in the back of the property."

Amenities

The building has a full-time doorman, a porter, cold storage, a landscaped roof deck and pool, and storage.  It allows pets.

Apartments

Apartments have 8-inch-wide smoked and white oiled hardwood flooring, Lutron lighting, high-performance low-e PanoramAHI window systems, hydronic radiant heat floors, Dalkin HVAC units and Electrolux washers and dryers. 

There will be two duplexes and a penthouse triplex on the upper floors. 

A November 12, 2019 article by Fang Block at mansionglobal.com noted that "occupying the 10th to 12th floors of the building on West 19th Street between Ninth and Tenth avenues, the penthouse includes almost 3,800 square feet of interior space and an extra 1,365 square feet outdoors." 

"The interior living space," it continued, "is configured as four bedrooms, three full bathrooms, two powder rooms, a living room with 21-foot high ceilings, wide French oak hardwood flooring and 17-foot-tall European glass windows, as well as a dining room and a kitchen equipped with steel cabinets and stainless steel countertops."