56 Thomas Street: Review and Ratings

Review of 56 Thomas Street by Carter Horsley

This pleasant 6-story building at 56 Thomas Street between Church Street and West Broadway in the TriBeCa South Historic District was commissioned in 1897 by developer Louise Lese.

It has 6 full-floor condominium apartments and was designed by Quimby & Broome in Renaissance Revival style.

It was converted to a condominium recently by Sanba, the design firm headed by Aldo Andreoli that was also involved in the conversion of the very handsome 140 Franklin Street.

Bottom Line

This attractive, mid-block building in the heart of TriBeCa has only 6 full-floor apartments and a keyed elevator.

Description

The light-colored brick building has terracotta banding and curved balconies on the third through the 6^th floors, a large bandcourse above the second floor and a nice cornice.

The building has a ramped entrance.

The windows are framed by thick iron mullions.

Amenities

The building has a keyed elevator, a superintendent and permits cats and dogs.

Apartments

According to the architects, the building was the “first development in downtown NY to feature custom European kitchens by Varenna of Poliform, bathrooms with mosaic Bisazza tiles and specially designed passage doors.”

“Special attention was paid to the lighting system, with lightcoves, halogen down lights and track lighting throughout the finished lofts,” according to the architects.

The first floor one-bedroom unit has a 12-foot-long entry foyer that opens onto a 14-foot-wide sitting area that leads to a 22-foot-wide living/dining room and to a 15-foot-long open, pass-through kitchen with an island.  The 22-foot-wide bedroom has skylights and there is a 23-foot-wide storage room.

The fifth floor has three bedrooms and a 7-foot-wide entry foyer that opens onto a 45-foot-long living room that is next to a 16-foot-long open kitchen.