● AFRICA ISRAEL USA
Ordover’s class act
Africa Israel USA (AFI USA), developer of 20 Pine The Collection in FiDi, has completed sales at the 38-story conversion.
In total, AFI USA is credited with selling 408 residential units. Additionally, last week AFI USA sold 32,000 s/f of retail at 20 Pine.
When the development team broke ground in 2007, FiDi was still largely a daytime destination. 20 Pine was among the first condominium conversions as the neighborhood began attracting a broad swath of residents.
The population of Lower Manhattan has exploded in the last 10 years. Between 2000 and 2010, Community District 1, which comprises most of the area south of Canal Street, nearly doubled its population from just over 34,000 residents to 64,000.
“This building has been integral to the rebirth of the Financial District,” said Tamir Kazaz, chief executive officer of AFI USA.
“It really set the bar by enabling people who worked downtown to live downtown in a very luxurious way.”
Acknowledging the work of his entire team, Kazaz credited Lori Ordover, managing member of the Ordover Group and consultant to AFI USA, and Deborah DeMaria and Caleb Haltzler, the onsite sales team from Warburg Realty, for helping to bring about the final closing.
20 Pine The Collection is the first fashion-branded luxury building in the United States. The development team partnered with Armani/Casa to design the building’s sophisticated interiors.
It also houses 30,000 s/f of amenities, including a sub-cellar spa and pool pavilion, featuring the former bank vault’s original doors.
In looking back, Ordover is almost nostalgic about closing the book on 20 Pine.
“It almost feels like I just sent my child off to college,” she said. “We put 408 units up for sale right when the bottom dropped out of the real estate market. It’s been quite the journey, but we made it.”
● extell development
Carlton House sales underway
Extell Development Company and Angelo, Gordon & Co. have announced the launch of sales at The Carlton House,.
Located at 21 East 61st Street, the 1950s era limestone and brick building has been preserved and restored by architectural firm Beyer Blinder Belle.
Interiors have been conceived by Katherine Newman Design, one of Architectural Digest’s Top 100 interior design firms.
Comprised of 68 two-to six-bedroom residences, the homes have traditional paneled entry foyers and galleries with polished marble floors, formal transitions between social and private areas, and en-suite bathrooms. Many residences also offer private terraces.
A variety of layouts are available; residences with open kitchens and great rooms or with closed kitchens and formal dining rooms are designed with windowed breakfast areas and polished stone floors.
A duplex penthouse has been carved into a new two-story addition at the top of the building, with two levels of wraparound terraces and a roof deck. A five-story townhouse with an entrance on East 61st Street presents an opportunity to create a 9,742 s/f home.
Amenities include a 65-foot indoor swimming pool, fitness center and game room. Prices range from $2.9 to $65million.
● THE LIGHTSTONE GROUP
Leasing set to start at Gantry Park
The Lightstone Group announced that it will begin leasing this summer for Gantry Park Landing, its 12-story, 199-unit Long Island City rental property.
aptsandlofts.com has been retained as the exclusive leasing and marketing agent for the property.
“Long Island City’s waterfront is among the most dynamic and thriving areas in New York City today, and this project presents a fantastic opportunity to offer renters a distinct community to call home within such a one-of-a-kind neighborhood,” said David Lichtenstein, chairman and CEO of The Lightstone Group.
“Our goal with Gantry Park Landing is to present renters with a premiere, full-service building that offers an exciting range of amenities, while also establishing a more intimate setting over what’s traditionally been offered in this neighborhood.”
Gantry Park Landing, named for its close proximity to Gantry State Park, which runs along Long Island City’s waterfront, is located on 50-01 Second St.
With a concept of creating a stylized living experience with practical amenities, units will HAVE A “redefined industrial–style design,”which includes floor-to-ceiling double-paned windows with opaque glass accents, open gray oak and white lacquer kitchens with white stone counter tops.
David Maundrell, founder and president of aptsandlofts.com, said, “One of the developer’s goals here was to create a development that is distinctive and tips its hat to the industrial past of the area, to which we feel the Long Island City market will gravitate.
“Additionally, with just under 200 apartments, residents will enjoy a more tight-knit community than some of the larger scale properties along the waterfront, yet still be able to enjoy a full range of amenities and services typically found in a more sizable development.”
● east riVER partners, LLC
Team sells out a classic
East River Partners LLC announced they have turned a classic pre-war townhouse into a modernized condominium at 397 First Street in Park Slope, where their latest Brooklyn development is now sold out.
Principal Jody Kriss said the townhouse’s seven two-bedroom units, which ranged in price from the mid $800’s to around $1.3 million, sold out “very quickly” after the July 2012 launch.
Corcoran broker Denise LaChance and her team handled sales for the developer, who has six condominium and rental projects underway in New York City.
“Our apartments demonstrate enormous attention to detail,” said East River Partners principal Joseph Cohen. “We maximize spaces to create efficient and comfortable living spaces.”
The developers kept the historic bones of 397 First Street intact while updating all units with new floors, open kitchens and ultra-quiet Bosch dishwashers and washer/dryers.
Each unit has individually controlled heat and air conditioning, video intercom security and a private storage unit.
● dematteis organization / mattone group
Azure is right on track
Azure, the Upper East Side luxury development at 333 East 91st Street, has reached 75 percent sold mark with 128 apartments closed.
All remaining two-, three- and four-bedroom homes are located in the building’s Tower Residences above the 21st floor.
Still for sale is the 34th floor Penthouse A, a 2,620 s/f, four-bedroom, 3.5-bath residence with 380 s/f of outdoor space on the market for $5.886 million.
Both of Azure’s penthouses are available to combine and would offer 5,300 s/f of interior and 670 s/f of exterior space, including five bedrooms, an office and five bathrooms. The combined penthouse AB is on the market for $13 million.
“This is truly an exceptional opportunity to own at one of New York’s prized properties,” said John Caiazzo of The DeMatteis Organizations, co-developer of Azure along with The Mattone Group, whose Douglas Maclaury, added, “Reaching this sales milestone is proof that both the real estate community and homebuyers recognize the value of Azure and opportunity for appreciation as the 2nd Avenue subway is completed.”
