(Photo credit: Evan Joseph)
As part of New York City’s Climate Mobilization Act, New York City buildings are scrambling to improve energy efficiency before local law 97 goes into effect in 2024. One building that does not have to work on this is The Solaire, a green pioneer at 20 River Terrace: An on-site water treatment center allows The Solaire to consume half the water of a similarly sized New York City building, and photovoltaic cells generate electricity for the building. Additional features like rainwater irrigation, a green roof, and air conditioning with MERV-14 filtration system were instrumental in the building’s status as the first LEED Gold certified high-rise in the United States. It is also the winner of a 2004 Top Ten Green Award by the American Institute of Architects, but has not stopped there: The building is now pursuing WELL Core Silver certification.
The Pelli Clarke Pelli-designed Solaire has also quietly launched sales following its conversion from a rental to a condominium. Amenities and select units were redesigned by COOKFOX, whose founding partner, Bob Fox, led the team that created the 1999 Commercial and Residential Environmental Guidelines for Battery Park City. Current availabilities start at $677,600 for studios, $760K for one-bedrooms, $1.305 million for two-bedrooms, and $2.495 million for three-bedrooms.
In this article:
All exteriors of The Solaire via Evan Joseph Photography
Plans for the conversion date back to
2018, when developer Albanese Organization filed papers with the New York Attorney General’s office. This came hot on the heels of River & Warren, another Battery Park City rental that converted to a condominium in response to the soaring value of Lower Manhattan real estate; current availabilities in this building start at $5.5 million.
As the conversion of River & Warren resulted in hundreds of tenants being forced from their homes or leaving in the wake of construction work, Community Board 1 voiced objections to The Solaire’s conversion. Indeed, the building's average price of $1,518 per square foot is well above the Battery Park City average of $1,121 per square foot (per CityRealty data). Locals do not seem to object, though - word-of-mouth requests from building residents and neighbors drove the 30 in-contract listings.
As the conversion of River & Warren resulted in hundreds of tenants being forced from their homes or leaving in the wake of construction work, Community Board 1 voiced objections to The Solaire’s conversion. Indeed, the building's average price of $1,518 per square foot is well above the Battery Park City average of $1,121 per square foot (per CityRealty data). Locals do not seem to object, though - word-of-mouth requests from building residents and neighbors drove the 30 in-contract listings.
Photography of model units with interiors by Rebecca Robertson via Evan Joseph Photography
The Solaire now has two distinct residence styles, both of which come with:
- Noise-reducing Low-E casement windows
- Four-pipe, multi-zone heating and cooling systems with Wifi-enabled thermostats
- In-unit washer/dryers
- Private terraces in select units
The Original Solaire Collection features:
- Environmentally conscious and energy-conserving design by Pelli Clarke Pelli
- Sleek kitchens with abundant counter and storage space
- Elegant baths with custom-framed mirrored medicine cabinets, shelving niches, and polished vanity details
The COOKFOX Collection features:
- 5" white oak plank flooring
- Kitchens with Adamantium Quartz slab countertops and backsplash, Italian matte white cabinetry, and top-of-the-line appliances
- Expansive bedrooms with generous closet space
- Baths with honed Montpellier limestone mosaic floors, walnut vanities, illuminated medicine cabinets, and Bianco Dolomite marble wall tiles
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COOKFOX brought their signature biophilic design principles to The Solaire's public spaces. These include:
- Landscaped roof terrace with outdoor kitchen, dining areas, sun deck, garden, and spectacular Hudson River views
- Residents’ lounge with catering kitchen and dining area
- Light-filled fitness center and training studio with state-of-the-art equipment
- Children’s playroom
- Media and game room
- Lobby attended by 24-hour concierge
- On-site parking with electric vehicle charging stations (available for an additional fee)
“Battery Park City is a truly treasured Manhattan community, and sought-after neighborhood, as buyers crave green space, walkability, and access to the water” - Aaron Goed, Sales Director, Corcoran Sunshine Marketing Group
While Solaire was the first LEED Gold certified high-rise in the United States, it was by no means the last LEED certified building in Battery Park City. Rather, it led the charge for other LEED Gold and Platinum certified buildings like The Visionaire, Riverhouse, Millennium Tower Residences, The Verdesian, Tribeca Green, and Liberty Luxe to take shape in the neighborhood. More recently, in September 2020, the Battery Park City Authority partnered with Buro Happold on a 10-year sustainability plan that aims to increase green space, decrease energy and water use, and improve air quality.
Battery Park City’s prime downtown location is as powerful a lure as its environmental friendliness. Teardrop Park’s water needs are met by treated and recycled greywater from The Solaire; additional outdoor space includes Rockefeller Park, the sports courts and miniature golf course of Pier 25, and the sports courts of Asphalt Green. In addition to the luxury shopping and fine dining of Brookfield Place and Oculus, the building is close to the Tribeca outposts of Whole Foods, Bed Bath & Beyond, Target, and Barnes and Noble. Cultural offerings include Poets House, the Irish Hunger Memorial, and the Battery Park City library. Transportation options include the Chambers Street 1/2/3 trains and the Battery Park City ferry.
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