High-Rise Design
By Kate Novack
Fall 2004 Style & Design
When Richard Meier unveiled in 2000 his first project in New York
City, a luxury condo building overlooking the Hudson River, he
started a trend. Now deep-pocketed Manhattanites who missed out
on Meier's foray will have another shot at the comforts of
home—walls of undulating glass, private bowling alleys,
state-of-the-art everything. In addition to another Meier tower,
three high-end condo projects are in the works. For his first
apartment building, architect Charles Gwathmey is transforming a
former parking lot in Greenwich Village into a 21-story tower,
Astor Place. The building's multifaceted exterior is
chiseled like a precious stone—befitting the multimillion-dollar
lofts inside. Further south, just across the street from the New
York Stock Exchange, the landmark Equitable Trust Building will
soon become Downtown by Philippe Starck. Prices at the 326-unit
conversion are a bit more accessible ($500,000 to $3.5 million),
and the lap pool, basketball court, and yoga and Pilates studio
should appeal to Wall Street traders looking to unwind. For
uptowners, there's One Beacon Court, architect Cesar Pelli's
55-story tower, where a top-of-the-line penthouse reportedly goes
for $26 million. Jacques Grange designed the interiors down to
the bathroom hardware. Not a bad place to hang your hat.
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His life and death recalled in images
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