Sales have launched at a schoolhouse-to-condominium conversion in Hell's Kitchen. The new residences are located inside the former P.S. 51, a 1905 Beaux-Arts building at 520 West 45th Street. The transformation of Inkwell, the building's new moniker, has turned the 5-story brick structure into a collection of 18 residences that are authentically inspired from its history. The conversion is from Gotham Organization and interiors are by design firm AvroKO, their first full-scale residential project in the city.
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Evidence of the building's prior use is found throughout the new interiors. Part of the design process included studying old photographs of schools at the New York Public Library, according to a New York Times article from earlier this year. The inspired details include custom light fixtures, doors with transom windows, library ladders that operate on rails to reach custom storage, and blackboards and cubby storage in apartment entryways.
Matthew Goodrich, AvroKO's Chief Creative Officer says, "We started by taking direct inspiration from the building's original function, a 20th century schoolhouse, and used academic references throughout, both historical and modern, to create living spaces that pay homage to the original structure while ensuring modernity and luxury."
Matthew Goodrich, AvroKO's Chief Creative Officer says, "We started by taking direct inspiration from the building's original function, a 20th century schoolhouse, and used academic references throughout, both historical and modern, to create living spaces that pay homage to the original structure while ensuring modernity and luxury."
There are 18 residences (16 two-bedrooms and a pair of three-bedrooms), and six are currently listed on CityRealty with one already in-contract. The average price per square foot for the current listings is $1,525 - lower than the neighborhood's 30-day average in our most recent market report.
Two-bedroom layouts have 1,200 to 1,400 square feet and start at $1.75 million. Three-bedroom apartments, priced from $2.8 million, have roughly 2,000 square feet and a private garden. Homes have 13-foot ceilings in living rooms and bedrooms, and nearly 12-foot ceilings in hallways and bathrooms. There are oversized casement windows, black walnut floors, and the 5th floor units also feature gas fireplaces. Stainless steel top-of-the-line appliances are from Viking and Bosch and include in-unit washers/dryers. The common amenities are a gym that opens to an outdoor space, tenant storage, and a bike room.
Two-bedroom layouts have 1,200 to 1,400 square feet and start at $1.75 million. Three-bedroom apartments, priced from $2.8 million, have roughly 2,000 square feet and a private garden. Homes have 13-foot ceilings in living rooms and bedrooms, and nearly 12-foot ceilings in hallways and bathrooms. There are oversized casement windows, black walnut floors, and the 5th floor units also feature gas fireplaces. Stainless steel top-of-the-line appliances are from Viking and Bosch and include in-unit washers/dryers. The common amenities are a gym that opens to an outdoor space, tenant storage, and a bike room.
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Inkwell, slated for completion this fall, is on West 45th Street between 10th and 11th Avenue, and Gotham Organization has owned the site for some time. The property is part of the neighboring large-scale Gotham West development (home to Gotham Market food hall, also designed by AvroKO). It sits on a block that has seen residential development but an industrial presence remains. On the western end of the block is the large rental building at 550 West 45th Street, and at the eastern end, a gas station will soon be demolished to make way for a new condominium called Hudson Garden.
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