Rendering of 31-35 West 14th Street (Nexus Development)
Flushing-based Nexus Development, led by CEO Xiaogang Wang, has shifted its focus from recent Midtown projects at 300 West 30th Street and 355 West 39th Street to a midblock site at 31-35 West 14th Street, where Chelsea meets Greenwich Village. Nexus acquired the site in October 2023 for $14.4 million, as first reported by Crain’s New York Business, and filed permits in August 2024 for a 12-story, 49-unit residential building with ground-floor retail.
Demolition is nearly complete, clearing the way for the 125-foot-tall structure. The trio of pre-existing low-rises most recently held a lighting and electrical supply store, a clothing and textile workers union building, and long-vacant single-floor taxpayer. 33 West 14th Street once held Gallery 169 and had an intentionally graffitied facade. In the early 20th century, 31 West 14th hosted in its basement the offices of the magazine The Little Review, where Joyce's Ulysses was first published in installments from 1918 to 1920.
While many recent condo developments Downtown have looked to surrounding pre-war architecture for inspiration, here Nexus is going for an unmistakably contemporary aesthetic. The rendering shows a sculptural facade featuring projecting windows within a dark masonry base. A setback transitions to a glassier volume above, with notched elements and glass-wrapped balconies. The exterior design is similar to Celeste, a recently finished condo designed by ODA Architecture in Gramercy.
Upper-floor residents of the new building will enjoy unobstructed views of the Downtown skyline and easy access to many subway lines, restaurants, and offices in Midtown South. The new building will partially block south-facing views from Grosvenor House at 22 West 15th Street and 35XV at 35 West 15th Street.
The 14th Street busway and 8-12 West 14th Street / 5 West 13th Street under demolition to the left (March 2025)
Fourteenth Street continues to evolve, aided by its busway that restricts through-traffic and supports pedestrian activity. Just outside the Greenwich Village Historic District, the corridor has allowed for several large-scale residential projects. At 525 Sixth Avenue, Izaki Group (IGI) is developing a 71-unit condo designed by BKSK Development. Nearby, Legion Investment Group and EJS Development are constructing a 30-story, 537-foot-tall tower at 8-12 West 14th Street (5 West 13th Street), which will become the tallest building in Greenwich Village.
Google streetview of the development site in 2009
The nearly cleared site as of mid-March 2025
Union Square Vision Plan: Credit: Marvel courtesy of Union Square Partnership
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