The Anthem, 222 East 34th Street: Review and Ratings

Review of 222 East 34th Street by Carter Horsley

One of the larger and more attractive rental apartment buildings in East Midtown, the Anthem at 222 East 34th Street was erected in 2003 by Kamran Hakim and his son, Scott, and designed by Costas Kondylis & Partners.

The 21-story building spans 360 feet between Third and Second Avenues and has 480 apartments and about 50,000 square feet of commercial space.

It has red and tan masonry façades with three curved sections on 34th Street and part of the building is cantilevered at its west end.

Kamran Hakim told Rachelle Garbarine of The New York Times in an April 18, 2003 article that he had considered developing the site for 15 years but did not because of zoning that would not permit him to build higher than 19 stories. A rezoning of the area in the mid 1990s permitted him to build a wider and somewhat taller building.

Mr. Kondylis told Ms. Garbarine that "he designed the Anthem to look like three smaller buildings," adding that "Each features an 'urban lantern,' a curved glass dormer stretching from floors 11 to 17 that he said 'will look luminous when tenants turn on their lights at night.'''

There is good public transportation in the area which is close to entrances to the FDR Drive and the Queens Midtown Tunnel and is also close to "Hospital Alley" along First Avenue.

Apartments

The Anthem's apartments are mostly studios and one-bedrooms mixed with some two- and three-bedroom units. Sizes range from 470 to 2,500 square feet. All apartments have granite countertops in the kitchen, maple floors and marble baths. Some have balconies or washers and dryers. Shared amenities include a garage, a health club, three lounges and a rooftop garden.

Some apartments have wood-burning fireplaces and some have corner windows. The building has a doorman and a concierge.