Brick is back. As many apartment hunters shun living in drafty fish bowls, a new crop of earthy edifices has erupted out of Manhattan bedrock. On the East Side, near the uncharming cusp of Kips Bay and Murray Hill, the Leser Group is moving forward on 609 Second Avenue, a mid-scale, 65-unit residential building designed by Fischer + Makooi Architects.
Headed by Abraham Leser, the Brooklyn-based developer snagged the string of lots on the west side of Second Ave between 33rd and 34th streets for $26.5 million in 2014. The Real Deal, who first reported the sale, notes the assemblage was sold by art dealer Ely Sakhai who owned the pre-existing walk-ups since the early 1990s.
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Despite being within walking distance to millions of square feet of offices, the United Nations headquarters, and growing medical institutions, conservative and overly-complex zoning laws cap the new building's size to a FAR of 8.29 — yielding a modest 18-story, 212-foot-tall tower (it's not like there's a housing shortage or anything).
After lingering in development purgatory for years, construction at the site has finally reached street level. A sneak peek at a rendering shows that Fischer + Makooi Architects, a descendent of Karl Fischer Architects, gave the building a surprisingly thoughtful appearance composed of banded dark-brick spandrels, large picture windows, and an assortment of deep curving balconies
As it remains less economical for developers to build rentals, all signs point to another condominium project. There will be four to five apartments per floor up to the 14th level, and a stack of full-floor penthouses from the 15th to the 18th levels. The building will be marketed by Douglas Elliman's Tirosh and Team, who've steered the successful sellouts of numerous East Side Manhattan condos such as 242 Broome Street, 100 Norfolk Street, and 50 Clinton Street.
The new building is taking shape in the midst of a building boomlet. One block west, Eastlight offers Empire State Building views through sound-attenuated windows, modern apartments, and a high-floor amenity suite; current availabilities start at $698K. This project, like the others on the rise, seeks to make the most of proximity to dining and nightlife in Murray Hill and NoMad, Trader Joe's and an incoming Whole Foods, and the 6 and R/W trains.
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