Gallery

39-41 West 23rd Street, New York, NY
Architect: COOKFOX Architects

Image Credit: (C)COOKFOX Architects

Rendering by Miha Brezavscek, COOKFOX
Background Photo by Rob Cleary, COOKFOX

Located on 23rd Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues, 39-41 West 23rd crafts a narrative between the varied building heights on 23rd Street and the architectural expressions of ‘streetwall’ and ‘sidewall’ prevalent in the Ladies Mile Historic District. The building’s base, situated on a through-lot between 23rd and 24th Streets, reinforces the scale and heights of nearby buildings, such as the International Toy Center. Just above the eighteenth floor, the tower’s ‘streetwall’ rotates to face the adjacent context of Madison Square Park and rises to relate to the heights of the historic Masonic Temple, Metropolitan Life Tower, and the Flatiron Building.

The primary ‘streetwall’ facade of 39-41 West 23rd is composed of a limestone clad structural grid that frames deeply recessed windows and landscaped loggia. Within the depth of the limestone façade, secondary elements like window frames, spandrels and guardrails are clad in bronze, echoing the materiality of historic architectural filigree found in the neighborhood. Drawing from concepts of healthy living and biophilia – people’s innate need for connection to the natural environment - the spaces provided by the deep limestone façade and the rotated orientation of the tower create planted loggias at every residential level. On every floor, residents will experience a connection to nature via their own private landscaped terrace, and from borrowed views of Madison Square Park.

In contrast to the height of the 23rd Street façade, the 24th Street side of the building is more closely related to the consistent scale and rhythm of that street. Situated on the site where Stanford White maintained a multi-floor apartment and entertained Evelyn Nesbit, the building façade height matches that of the adjacent structures. The larger, double-height structural grid is clad in limestone, while secondary elements are made of statuary bronze to reflect the historic texture and materiality found on facades along 24th Street.

The ‘sidewall’ conditions of the tower act as an abstraction of other side and lot line facades found throughout the historic district. The east and west terracotta walls at the base contain subtle variations in color, finish, and pattern that refer to urban remnants found on adjacent sidewalls. The southern and northern portions of the tower’s façade are given large punched openings and are clad in bronze terracotta baguettes that gradually dissolve at the top parapet, allowing for views up and through the scrim.

In addition to the new construction of 39-41 West 23rd, the project involves the façade restoration and maintenance of 35 West 23rd Street. The ground floor storefront is being restored to its original configuration and features new wood frames, triple light arched transoms and paneled double doors at its entries. New single-pane pivot windows and double-hung windows are being installed, along with the repair of the sheet metal cornice and recreation of the missing “1879” ornament at the top of the building. With its use of natural materials, a deeply recessed facade, and a massing that responds to its unique location and adjacent avenues, this new building contributes to the enduring relationship between 23rd Street’s historic district and the distinctive character of Fifth and Sixth Avenues.