15 Renwick Street: Review and Ratings

Review of 15 Renwick Street by Carter Horsley

Construction of this 13-story residential condominium building began in late 2006.

The site is on the east side of Renwick Street between Canal and Spring Streets in the area north of the Holland Tunnel where there has been a lot of new residential construction activity. Renwick Street is between Greenwich and Hudson Streets.

Demolition of a low-rise building is proceeding at 15 Renwick Street where PHH Realty Group LLC of which Shea Greenfield is a principal is the developer and it acquired the site, which has been used as a garage, a stable, a laboratory and an art gallery, was acquired in late 2005 for $9,425,000 from the Interstate Casing Corporation. Westernbank of Puerto Rico of Hato Rey, Puerto Rico, provided PHH Realty with a $2,570,000 construction loan.

The building, which is quite shallow, will contain 13 units.

Ismael Leyva Architects is listed as the architect for the building and Mr. Leyva s website notes that "the site offers excellent views of the Hudson River, the Statue of Liberty and Downtown Jersey City, all contained by a very shallow lot."

His website said that the design transforms the residential building "into an 'industrial artifact'" and "pays homage to the manufacturing tradition of an erstwhile industrial neighborhood," adding that "The undulating façade of steel and glass animates the building with its reflective qualities while the stainless steel fins draw the viewer's attention skywards where the building is capped off by a bulkhead caged in perforated metal panels. The bulkhead crown of the building blends it back into a famous New York skyline of 'water tanks on steel dunnage' that are characteristic of this area."

Mr. Leyva employed a similar stylistic motif of stainless steel fins in his recent design for a new building planned for 127 Seventh Avenue at 18th Street.

According to the architect's website, the building will have "a lap pool, gymnasium, spa facilities, tenant storage, party spaces and a serenely Zen courtyard."