The Westminster, 180 West 20th Street: Review and Ratings

Review of 180 West 20th Street by Carter Horsley

The Westminster is a very handsome, 15-story rental apartment building at 180 West 20^th Street in Chelsea designed by Robert A. M. Stern and Ismael Levy for The Related Companies in 2002. 

It has 254 units.

The building is also known as 153 Seventh Avenue and 159 West 19th Street.

Bottom Line

The Westminster has a very prime Chelsea location that is convenient to transportation, shopping and dining. With its corner windows and setbacks, it has a very strong architecture presence designed by Robert A. M. Stern.

Description

In their great book, "New York 2000, Architecture and Urbanism Between the Bicentennial and the Millennium," Robert A. M. Stern, David Fishman and Jacob Tilove wrote that the building "maintained the street wall on the avenue but set back from the property line on the north and south sides to respond to the quieter character of the side streets," adding that "To break down the scale of the building as a whole, the avenue-facing façade featured alternating recesses and was set back above the tenth floor. At the ground floor, which contained retail spaces along Seventh Avenue, the façades, reflecting the Art Deco character of many buildings in the immediate neighborhood, were clad in limestone with detailing in satin stainless steel at the residential entrance on Twentieth Street, while the upper floors were clad in gold-colored bricks with brown and white accents." 

It has a curved entrance marquee and a revolving door entrance. 

The attractive lobby has Cipolini marble and raised panels of Swiss pearwood.

Amenities

It has a 24-hour concierge, a garage, a fitness center, a bicycle room, a roof-top terrace, a party room, corner windows and some terraces. It has glass door kitchen cabinetry and granite countertops and walk-in closets. 

The building also has a business video-teleconference center.

Apartments

Each apartment has a washer and dryer. 

Studio units with one bath have 22-foot-long living/dining rooms with enclosed kitchens and 12-foot-long entry foyers. 

Alcove studio units with one bath have 14-foot-long living room with 8-foot-long sleeping alcoves and 9-foot-long entry foyers with enclosed kitchens. 

One-bedroom units with dining areas and one bath have 20-foot-long living room with 10-foot-long dining room/bedrooms. 

One-bedroom units with dining areas and one-and-a-half baths have 17-foot-long living room with 11-foot-long dining areas and and enclosed kitchen. 

The corner two-bedroom units with dining area has a 17-foot-long living room with an enclosed kitchen and a 10-foot-long dining room/bedroom. 

Two-bedroom units with two baths have a 24-foot-long living room adjacent to a dining area and a pass-through kitchen.

History

The building replaced a gas station.

Location

It has a prime Chelsea location in the Ladies' Mile Historic District and is not far from Madison Square Park and Greenwich Village. 

There is good public transportation nearby.