Despite pleas for its preservation, the old Harlem Renaissance Ballroom & Casino is no more, and in its place rises an attractive, soon-to-open condominium called The Rennie. Anchoring the full block-front of Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard between 137th and 138th streets, the eight-story building stands across from historic Strivers Row and is surrounded by lovingly-preserved brownstones.
Today, the team announced the project's long-awaited sales launch, where market-rate homes start at $580K for a studio, $718K for a one-bedroom, $988K for a two-bedroom, and $1.495M for a three-bedroom. In short, a darn good bargain, especially when its $1,217 per ft² listing average is compared to the $1,944 per ft² average for Manhattan condos south of 96th Street. As a bonus, the 130-unit building is one of the last to be approved under the old 421-A tax abatement program, therefore granting Rennie buyers low carrying costs for years to come (25 years is anticipated) and below-market prices on 20 percent of the apartments. Reportedly, the 28 affordable units will be priced between $300,000 and $350,000.
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Staged living room
Many of the apartments come with outdoor space and all come with large windows, gray-oak flooring, custom-designed kitchens with stainless steel appliances, and master baths clad in Florentine Carrara porcelain tile. The Rennie's model residences and amenity spaces were designed by BHDM Design. Move-ins are anticipated for later this year.
The Rennie's residents may well end up being the best pampered in Harlem. Amenities will include a 24-hour doorman, children’s playroom, laundry room, bike parking, a fitness room with state-of-the-art equipment, a party room with a kitchenette and screening area, a pet spa, and a roof deck with grills and a variety of seating areas. Tenant storage and on-site parking are also available for purchase. For true urbanites who don't own a vehicle, the express 2 and 3 subway lines can be picked up nearby on 135th street, lending commutes to Midtown in under 30 minutes.
The Rennie's roof deck
Lobby
The Rennie's design was led by GF55 Partners and pays homage to the lost entertainment venue through its human scale, hearty red-brick facade, and handsome detailing. As the structure rises, modern flourishes come into play with metal panels framing brick piers and glass-railed Juliette balconies.
In addition to the apartments, the building will host ground-floor retail and a 20,840-square-foot community facility space.
In addition to the apartments, the building will host ground-floor retail and a 20,840-square-foot community facility space.
The developer, BRP Companies, is busy with several projects in Jamaica, Queens and is behind the affordable residential building under construction at 841-847 St. Nicholas Avenue and a new headquarters for the National Urban League on 125th Street. In a press release from today, Meredith Marshall, co-founder of BRP says, “With The Rennie, we are honoring the legacy of the site, while providing unique amenity options in a neighborhood with significant culture and history.”
The Rennie's main entrance
The Renaissance Ballroom & Casino was built in 1921 and its storied past includes performances by Duke Ellington's orchestra and jazz legend Ella Fitzgerald. The New York Rens, the first all-black professional basketball team, played here and heavyweight boxer Joe Louis fought here. The building's previous owner, Abyssinian Development Corporation, a not-for-profit led by Reverend Dr. Calvin O. Butts, intended to salvage the building's exterior walls for their own redevelopment, but years of deterioration supposedly made those plans unfeasible. Ultimately, BRP acquired the site in May 2014 from Abyssinian for $15 million.
Despite its rows of intact 19th-century homes and streetscapes that were backdrops to the Harlem Rennaissance, Harlem lags well behind lower Manhattan neighborhoods in preserving its architectural heritage. A 2013 report by the local Community Board 10 found that only three percent of Harlem buildings fall within historic districts, compared to 26 percent on the Upper West Side and 10 percent for Manhattan overall. However, earlier this year, the blocks between West 130th and 132nd Streets and between Lenox Avenue and Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd, were incorporated into a brand-new historic district.
Google Earth aerial showing human-scaled location of The Rennie (CItyRealty)
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