The Langston, 68 Bradhurst Avenue: Review and Ratings

Review of 68 Bradhurst Avenue by Carter Horsley

The Langston is the handsome, the 180-unit residential condominium building at 68 Bradhurst Avenue between West 145th and 146th Streets in Harlem near Hamilton Heights.

The 10-story building was the second development in Harlem for the Gotham Organization Inc., and the Richman Group Development Corporation, which built the Hamilton, a 77-unit residential cooperative located at West 145th Street and Edgecombe Avenue, in 2002.

The Gotham Organization, of which Joel I. Pickett is a principal, also developed Harlem USA, the groundbreaking entertainment and retail destination located on West 125th Street, 90 East End Avenue, Key West at 750 Columbus Avenue and the New Gotham at 520 West 43d Street.

The Richman Group Development Corporation and its affiliates (The Richman Group) is one of the nation s largest developers of multifamily housing and is the 10th largest apartment owner in the country.

The Langston was part of the Cornerstone Program to develop new middle-income and market-rate housing on vacant city land of the New York City Housing Preservation and Development Department. The New York State Affordable Housing Corporation provided $720,000 in funding to make 18 of the apartments affordable to low-income buyers. These units ranged in price from $147,000 for a one-bedroom to $192,000 for a three-bedroom for buyers with a household income between about $40,140 and $58,300.

Of the remaining units, 102 are for mixed-income households, which means that persons with a maximum household income of about $103,620 could qualify, and 59 are market-rate.

Market-rate two- and three-bedroom apartments and penthouse duplexes are priced from $620,000 to $1,125,000. The three-bedroom duplexes have 18-foot double-height window walls, electric fireplaces, dual-floor entry, and private terraces.

Wachovia and JPMorgan Chase Bank provided the $60.5 million construction loan.

GreenbergFarrow is the architect.

The building, which is pet friendly, has an on-site superintendent, a fitness center, a garage, a residents' terrace, bicycle storage, and concierge and doorman services. It will also have about 37,000 square feet of retail space.

It is adjacent to Jackie Robinson Park and very close to the A, B, C and D subway lines.

Apartments have GE Profile stainless-steel kitchen appliances, Sienna Applewood cabinetry, Kohler Hourglass spa tubs, and LG washers and dryers.

The West Harlem Art Fund, Inc. was selected to display abstract expressionist works in a gallery setting in the model residence and sales office at The Langston and the featured artists include Barry Charles Johnson, Karen Leon Aponte, Gail Shaw-Clemmons, and Dianne Smith. The West Harlem Art Fund, Inc. is a community-based, cultural arts and preservation organization serving the West Harlem and Washington Heights communities. The West Harlem Art Fund, Inc. utilizes art and culture in open, public spaces to add aesthetic interest to the area, promote historical and cultural heritage, and foster a sense of community involvement and development.