A sales office will open November 9, 2005 for two residential condominium projects in Chelsea that are being converted by Extell Development Company.

Extell likes to name its projects after stars and these are known as Altair 18 and Altair 20.

The former is located at 32 West 18th Street and the latter at 15 West 20th Street. The sales office will open at Altair 18, which is a 12-story building that will have 22 apartments that will range in size from about 3,000 to 3,300 square feet and whose prices will start from about $3,000,000.

Altair 20 is a 9-story building that will have 17 apartments ranging in size from 2,500 to 2,700 square feet and whose prices will also start from about $2,200,000. The building was erected in 1905 in neo-Renaissance style designed by Lafayette A. Goldstone. The City Planning Commission approved an application in April to modify the rear yard setback requirements for the site in connection with a two-story enlargement of the building. Avinash K. Malhottra is the architect for the conversion.

Both buildings will have full-time doormen, fitness centers by La Palestra and cabana-style roof decks. They will also have radiant-heat flooring. Master bathrooms will have ThermoMasseur soaking tubs, separate glass-enclosed stall showers and flat-panel Sony Wega televisions and bathroom fixtures by Dornbracht. Kitchens will have Miele coffeemakers with cup and plate warmers and select residences with have refrigerated drawers in addition to a full integrated Sub-Zero, double-wall ovens and wine coolers, all clad in rosewood.

At Altair 18, every apartment has a wood-burning fireplace and buyers can choose between wide-plank oak flooring or limestone in the living room and kitchens.

At Altair 20, buyers can choose between walnut or cherry flooring and master bathrooms include Zen garden pebble accents and the roof deck has a private outdoor shower.