The Lower East Side used to refer to one large stretch of Lower Manhattan, but an influx of artists in the 1960s would come to differentiate the East Village from the more working-class area to the east. While this area has lost some of its old character and iconic haunts in recent years, the Lower East Side remains one of the most diverse and exciting neighborhoods in Manhattan with an eclectic mix of old-world ethnic establishments that neighbor trendy eateries and upscale clothing boutiques.
Dattner Architects, designer of an upcoming, mixed-income Broome Street Development, observes that there are two dominant building typologies on the Lower East Side: walk-up tenements and “tower-in-the-park.” Indeed, Lower East Side architecture was dominated by squat tenement housing for decades, but new development over the past few years has seen tall buildings with facade design that pays some tribute to the architecture of old. A cluster of residential towers planned for north of the Manhattan Bridge has been given the green light to proceed, and One Manhattan Square offers a hint of things to come with its 847-foot height and 100,000-square-foot amenities suite. Additionally, over the past few years, Essex Crossing has brought new housing, retail, office space, cultural institutions, and green space to the Lower East Side.
In this article:
The Suffolk at 55 Suffolk Street and The Norfolk at 60 Norfolk Street by Dattner Architects (https://www.dattner.com/projects/view/broome-street-development/)
Just south of the mega-development, the Broome Street Development is underway with Gotham Organization and the Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC) at the helm. At 55 Suffolk Street, The Suffolk's brick facade is well on the way up. Upon completion, the 30-story will house 378 new rental units, 25% of which will be permanently affordable. All residents will have access to amenities like a bike room, package room, lounge, fitness center, business center, courtyard, and roof terrace with a pool. It will also house commercial space for small-scale retailers and a new, state-of-the-art headquarters for the CPC that will include offices, space for educational and social programming, and a large multi-purpose space for community gatherings.
Within the same complex but around the corner at 60 Norfolk Street, The Norfolk will contain 115 senior housing units and a full-floor amenity suite with a lounge, game room, fitness room, and social services office. It will also contain a new worship space and cultural heritage center for Beth Hamedrash Hagodol synagogue, which formerly stood on the site and was destroyed in an intentionally set fire in May 2017. As the synagogue was a New York City Landmark, further demolition of the ruins of the 1850 building had to be approved by the Landmarks Preservation Commission.
The Suffolk
(l-r) Broome Street Development construction, The Rollins; late April 2022 (CityRealty)
The groundbreaking ceremony for Broome Street Development took place in May 2021, and completion is estimated for 2023. However, New Yorkers don’t want to wait that long to live on the Lower East Side: CityRealty listings show only 139 apartments for rent in the neighborhood and a median rent of $4,798/month. Quite a far cry from your grandmother's low-cost tenements of yesteryear!
Luxury rentals on the Lower East Side were once few and far between, but that has changed in recent years. New rental buildings like The Essex and The Artisan in Essex Crossing provide outstanding amenity packages, and older buildings like 275 South Street are staying in competition by offering renovated interiors and leasing specials. Here's our rundown of the top rental buildings in the neighborhood.
Luxury rentals on the Lower East Side were once few and far between, but that has changed in recent years. New rental buildings like The Essex and The Artisan in Essex Crossing provide outstanding amenity packages, and older buildings like 275 South Street are staying in competition by offering renovated interiors and leasing specials. Here's our rundown of the top rental buildings in the neighborhood.
1. The Essex, 125 Delancey Street
The Essex at 125 Delancey Street is one of the tallest buildings on the Lower East Side and offers rentals in studio to three-bedroom layouts. Residents have access to amenities including urban farming plots and outdoor areas like a landscaped terrace and rooftop, private meeting rooms, a social lounge with billiards and a fitness center with Peloton bikes. The mixed-use property includes a new 14-screen Regal Cinemas and The Market Line, a sprawling, bazaar-like marketplace that masterfully pivoted to outdoor dining during the pandemic.
2. The Artisan, 180 Broome Street
The Artisan via QuallsBenson
The Artisan is the largest building in the Essex Crossing master plan, and the rental apartments start on the sixth floor. Select studios and one-beds have been outfitted with space-saving interiors, and all apartments feature floor-to-ceiling windows, high-end kitchens, and in-unit washer/dryers. Amenities include a lounge, fitness center, children's playroom, and landscaped roof patio and sky deck with outdoor grills and sweeping skyline vistas. The New York Times called The Artisan "one of New York’s most promising mixed-use developments."
3. The Rollins, 145 Clinton Street
Apartments at The Rollins, which was named in honor of jazz musician and former site resident Sonny Rawlins, are on top of a Target outpost and the largest Trader Joe's on the East Coast. Residences have white oak flooring, ceilings up to 10 feet high, spacious walk-in closets and double-pane windows overlooking the Empire State Building and Williamsburg Bridge; select residences have private terraces. A first-class amenity package includes an attended lobby, concierge service, a resident's lounge with billiards and shuffleboard tables, a fitness center, pet spa, a private dining space and meeting room, TV lounge, built-in banquette, and workstations. There is also a rooftop terrace lounge, a garden terrace and a public landscaped plaza.
4. Sione, 171 Suffolk Street
Sioné is a 14-story rental that overlooks the broad Houston Street and quiet Suffolk Street, partaking in both the vibrant and quaint sides of the Lower East Side. The 88-unit building offers broad, loft-like windows, wide-plank white oak floors, smart entry and thermostat systems, kitchens with Lineadecor walnut cabinets and Bosch appliances and Blomberg fridges, and bathrooms with finishes that match those in the kitchens.
5. The Chrystie, 229 Chrystie Street
Built in 2005, The Chrystie offers 300+ rental units with studio, one-, and two-bedroom layouts. The building was recently renovated and offers top-notch amenities like a resident lounge, a state-of-the-art fitness center with cardio theatre, game rooms and a rooftop sundeck with lovely views.
6. The Orchard, 118 Orchard Street
Boutique building The Orchard is the newest addition to an inimitable Lower East Side block that's both steeped in tradition and at the forefront of a cultural renaissance. Located at the corner of Orchard and Delancey Streets, this modern yet discreet 29-unit luxury building offers stunning views, high-end finishes and private outdoor space in every apartment.
7. Stella LES, 251 East 2nd Street
All images of Stella LES via BLDG
On the cusp of the East Village and the Lower East Side, Stella LES pays a respectful homage to downtown architecture while incorporating modern features like keyless entry, in-unit washer/dryers, and LED in-duct air purification systems in common spaces. Amenities include a gym, lounge, and roof deck.
8. 155 Attorney Street
This recently built seven-story, 37-unit building offers its residents a sleek entry lobby with a lounge, a virtual doorman, bike storage, mail/package room, and a landscaped rooftop terrace complete with outdoor seating, an outdoor kitchen with gas grill, and 360-degree views of the Manhattan skyline and the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges. Apartments provide enviable features like grey-stained oak floors, quartz countertops, an in-unit Bosch washer/dryer and floor-to-ceiling casement windows.
9. Jones L.E.S, 331 East Houston Street
Another newly-built rental, Jones L.E.S has the allure of condo-quality finishes which include a soaking tub, custom Italian kitchen cabinetry, and top-of-the-line stainless steel appliances. Residents can make full use of the gym, WiFi lounge, private garden, bike storage, billiard's table, and a rooftop terrace with an outdoor screening area.
10. The Ludlow, 188 Ludlow Street
Undoubtedly a luxury tower, The Ludlow has amenities that include a 24-hour doorman, valet services, a fitness center with a yoga/Pilates studio, a rooftop sundeck with stunning views, and a media/billiards lounge. Apartments offer floor-to-ceiling windows, light oak hardwood floors, and kitchens with stainless steel appliances and granite countertops.
11. The Stanton, 196 Stanton Street
The Stanton, built in 2010, is a modern elevator building with a 360-degree roof deck, a virtual doorman, gym and yoga center, pet grooming station, and bike room. Residents offer large windows with tons of natural sunlight, private balconies, hardwood floors, and condo-level finishes throughout.
12. 275 South Street
While this mammoth-sized rental was built in 1978, it was recently renovated and now offers its lucky residents a brand new roof deck, co-working space, and gym – all of which were designed and curated for creative and collaborate lifestyles. Best of all, the doorman building overlooks the waterfront in the Two Bridges area.
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