90 Morton (Renderings courtesy of Binyan by IF STUDIO)
Among the formerly industrial blocks of Manhattan’s lower west side, where stately West Village townhouses meet the strong-boned warehouses of Hudson Square, an upscale residential district has emerged partly thanks to a Bloomberg-era rezoning. Hot on the heels of the successful offerings of 160 Leroy, 100 Barrow and the Printing House, comes 90 Morton Street: a new condo that has kicked-off sales on 35 industry-inspired homes shaped by concept architect Asaf Gottesman of Gottesman Szmelcman Architecture and the interior designers at Leroy Street Studio.
The adaptive-reuse project (with a sizable modern addition) has been made a reality by the international Holland-based developer Brack Capital Real Estate (BCRE) whose other Manhattan endeavors include the stunning restoration and rental conversion of Cass Gilbert’s 90 West Street and the modular Citizen M Bowery Hotel on the Lower East Side. This latest undertaking calls for permanence, and inside 90 Morton are grandly-proportioned homes amplified by a “world-class” amenity package.
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Lobby at 90 Morton (Binyan by IF STUDIO)
Unit #1A is a four-bedroom with a garden priced at $9.45M
Penthouse #10B is a 3-bed for $17.7 million
The airy spreads are framed by the bones of an ex-printing factory finished in 1912. Built to support heavy machinery while optimizing daylight, the structure is ideal for big-ticket sales, especially considering units in the similar-in-stature Printing House sell well above the $2,000 a foot mark.
The first batch of listings show homes start at $5.3 million — which is the price of a 1,813 ft² two-bedroom on the second floor. And despite a slowing market, buyers don't seem to be wincing at the 7- and 8-figure sticker prices considering eight of the 35 homes are already in-contract. Three-bedrooms start at $6.88M and a four-bedroom ringed by its own private garden is listed for $8.82M. The building culminates in six penthouses —three of which are spoken for and one is a 3,593 ft² perch available for $17.7M. The penthouses all feature gas fireplaces, libraries, and expansive terraces. Reuveni Real Estate is 90 Morton’s exclusive sales and marketing firm.
“90 Morton dares to be understated, expressing the grit and authenticity of the original industrial structure, blended with unique, bespoke refinements.” -Marc Turkel of Leroy Street Studio
Capturing the essence of downtown loft living, 90 Morton’s homes have 12-foot ceiling heights, expanses of multi-pane windows and characterful columns and beamed ceilings that put to shame the white box, glass-walled interiors of some new construction. The interiors, honed by AD 100 firm Leroy Street Studio, feature “industrial-modern kitchens” complemented by integrated Gaggenau and Sub-Zero appliances. Baths are said to be “studies in white,” and are clad in Royal Danby marble (think Lincoln Memorial) with white-marble vanities and Kaldewei deep-soaking tubs.
Amenities include: a private car drop off, 24-hour attended lobby, library, cold storage room, a 64-foot-long indoor pool with direct elevator access for privacy, saunas and private changing rooms, a fitness center, children’s playroom and a landscaped rooftop terrace with full outdoor kitchen, BBQ, powder room, outdoor gas fireplace, and skyline and Hudson River views.
Pool
90 Morton plays off the area’s unique character: a true balance of residential and light commercial uses that long-time locals have wrestled to preserve. The exterior interventions are designed by Architect Asaf Gottesman of GSArch, who splits his time between Paris and Tel Aviv. The building’s buff-brick façade is being salvaged and cleaned while new windows are being installed for energy efficiency, sound mitigation and to enhance light and air into the residences. By way of cantilevering terraces over setbacks, the newly-constructed top four floors break free from the dour form below and deviate from city-zoning’s suggested wedding cake massing. “We figured out a way to use the code to add space, increase privacy and open up views on floors nine and above, which were added to the original structure,” says Gottesman.
(Binyan by IF STUDIO)
Plans to convert the 124,000-square-foot gem date back to at least 2008 when Peter Moore Associates pushed for a contested rezoning to allow residential development on two blocks bounded by Morton Street on the north, Leroy Street on the south, Hudson Street on the east and Washington Street on the west. According to reports at that time, Moore planned to build a 55-unit residential building, five townhouses, and a six-story loft building. Despite his efforts getting the rezoning passed, at the onset of the recession he lost 90 Morton (then known as 627 Greenwich) and the parking lot at 111 Leroy to the Royal Bank of Scotland, who held more than $100 million of debt against the properties.
In spring 2014, Criterion Real Estate Capital picked up 90 Morton for $75 million while Property Markets Group nabbed 111 Leroy Street. Criterion flipped the empty building months later to Brack for $105 million. Upon the purchase, Issac Hera, CEO of Brack Capital Real Estate USA tells the Observer, “It is extremely rare to find a vacant building of this size in the West Village.” He adds, “Having a vacant building gives BCRE the ultimate freedom to introduce any program and bring perfection to any design.” Four years later, on April 12, the team held their sales gallery opening event featuring original, commissioned works by Danielle Gottesman, the daughter of architect Asaf Gottesman
Google Earth aerial showing condo construction in the area of 90 Morton
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New Developments Editor
Ondel Hylton
Ondel is a lifelong New Yorker and comprehensive assessor of the city's dynamic urban landscape.
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