By Konrad Putzier
There are few places in the world where finding a patch of green is as hard as in Manhattan. By this measure, Bloom62 is a real gem.
The six-story rental building in the East Village fields a rooftop terrace reminiscent of a suburban garden — with the added benefit of a spectacular 360-degree view of Manhattan’s and Brooklyn’s skylines.
On a recent Friday, a group of young tenants was lounging on the terrace’s garden chairs, enjoying one of the last warm days of the year.
The smell of barbecue coming from the built-in outdoor grills and the blooming hydrangea summed up the building’s message:
Just because you’re in Manhattan, doesn’t mean you can’t live as if you’re out in the country.
It comes as no surprise that the 81-unit building is 82% leased five months after it was officially put on the market in June. Angela Ferrara of The Marketing Directors is marketing the property.
“People see their homes as a personal oasis — an escape from the commotion of the city. We wanted to create this same feeling throughout the entire building,” said Benjamin Shaoul, whose Magnum Real Estate Group developed the rental building and is also in the throes of converting the former Verizon Building downtown into condos. “The 15,000 s/f of outdoor space has been a huge draw for the building.”
The building’s site at 62 Avenue B 62 Avenue B once housed the Cabrini Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation.
Magnum bought the site in 2011, when Cabrini’s lease with the previous owner expired. Shaoul said Magnum helped Cabrini sell their license to another operator who took all of the existing patients, before starting with the redevelopment.
Bloom62 is the latest in a long line of high-end residential buildings developed by Magnum, including the Arman (482 Greenwich St.), the Yves (166 W 18th), 133 West 22, the Williamsburg Townhomes (31-153 N. Third St), and the A Building (425 E 13). Magnum also manages thousands of rental units throughout the city.
Beyond its garden flair, Bloom62 also offers many of the amenities renters in New York have almost come to expect of new developments.
The building has a full-time doorman and a 3,000 s/f fitness center featuring a private yoga room, and a separate cardio and weight room.
Additional amenities include a bike storage room, a laundry room with commercial washers and dryers, and private storage bins. All common areas have free Wi-Fi access.
Apartment sizes range from studio to two bedroom, 2-bathrooms, but the building’s most prized units are the six duplex apartments that have their own roof decks, separated by wooden enclosures.
Rents range from around $3,500 to $6,400, according to StreetEasy. The Marketing Directors are the exclusive leasing agents.
The building’s brand new, polished exterior provides a stark contrast to its run-down East Village surroundings. Neighboring buildings are showing their age and sport the occasional graffiti over rusty fire escapes, leftovers of a time when the area was known more for its punks and basement clubs than for its fine dining.
But times have changed: “East Village” and “luxury rental” can now be said in the same sentence with a straight face. Coffee shops and restaurants are in abundance, and the Lower East Side, with its numerous clubs and bars, is just blocks away.
“The East Village has grown tremendously since our first acquisition over ten years ago,” said Shaoul. “With the help of new development, retail shops, restaurants, hotels and more continue to open, all further enhancing growth in the area.”
The East Village may have suffered from Hurricane Sandy, but it has recovered quickly.
Bloom62 itself wasn’t flooded during the storm, but Shaoul nevertheless decided to move the building’s boiler to the roof to protect it from potential floodwaters. He said the measure was “very well received” by tenants.
