Greystone Development, in a joint venture with Prime Rok Real Estate, a Midtown-based developer, today revealed the proposed plans for transforming landmarked Beaux-Arts building 164 West 74th Street to residential condominiums. Located on 74th Street between Amsterdam and Columbus Avenues, the eight-story building is comprised of approximately 30,000 gross square feet.
Greystone Development carefully assembled a team of experts to transform the unique and notable property, with design efforts led by esteemed Architect Barry Rice. This is Rice’s second collaboration with Greystone. Interior Designer Maureen McDermott of Winter McDermott Design worked in collaboration with Rice, and was tasked with creating a vision for the interior suitable for the historic building. Greystone Development has also tapped Stribling Marketing Associates to exclusively handle the sales efforts for the building. Alexa Lambert will head the sales effort, bringing decades of experience in new development uptown. Stribling Marketing Associates will collaborate with Greystone Development Marketing for the marketing of the project.
The existing façade is reminiscent of turn-of-the-century architecture in Europe, “La Belle Époque”. The proposed plan illustrates a south-facing, rear façade, inspired by the Grand Courtyards of Europe, as well as many notable Upper West Side Residential Properties. It will take a chevron shape, have a steel frame and be further articulated with Juliet balconies and terraces, chosen for both form and function – the design will immerse the residences in light and air. The balconies, railings and windows will be clad in metal, which is a familiar element in the neighborhood and recalls the Upper West Side’s neoclassical aesthetic.
This expert team of Winter McDermott Design and Barry Rice Architects has successfully taken 164 West 74th street into the current century, giving the property a contemporary feel, while also maintaining the “fin de siècle”. This will be experienced throughout the building as the lobby floor reinterprets the Versailles courtyard.
“We plan to renew this exquisite building and celebrate its original glory,” Rice stated. “We chose materials that are contemporary and contextual to the Upper West Side and also rooted in the original Beaux-Arts period. This has been a meticulous exploration into the original turn of the century architecture as sources for inspiration and reference. The result will be a beautiful, classically-inspired building that suits contemporary living.”
For the proposed interior design, Maureen McDermott of Winter McDermott Design selected a palette of materials that reflects the same genre and caliber of the materials used in the original building. The planned interiors are contemporary, but with traditional roots that pay respect to the building’s rich history.
“164 West 74th Street is similar to many of my other residential projects where the exterior is classic and traditional, but the interior is contemporary. For me, it’s the constant study of the traditional and the contemporary that creates an exciting dynamic,” Maureen McDermott stated. “Thus, resulting in a home with modern conveniences with but with sophisticated detailing, a home that feels bespoke and singular.”
Maureen McDermott has extensive experience incorporating architectural elements into her interior designs. She previously worked for Vicente Wolf Associates on the revitalization of the historic 15 Union Square West, where seamlessly incorporating original elements of the building into the design was of the upmost importance.
“We are very excited to collaborate with this team of experts. Each member brings a high-level of knowledge and expertise to the development,” said Jeffrey Simpson, head of Greystone Development. “We look forward to transforming this unique and historically rich building into thoughtfully designed residences that are fit for modern dwellers, while still maintaining the classic elegance of the Upper West Side architecture.”