The Meatpacking District’s signature luxury office tower, The High Line Building at 450 West 14th Street, one of the only buildings to offer an office or retail tenant direct frontage and access to the High Line, has topped out above the elevated park. Developed by CB Developers and designed by Morris Adjmi Architects to LEED Gold standards, the building features 100,000 square feet of office space on 11 floors, as well as high-profile retail space at the base of the park’s main entrance. Fashion tenant Helmut Lang has already leased two full floors of office and showroom space at the building, which is expected to be completed Fall 2009, according to the developer.
“Having been involved in the evolution of the Meatpacking District for 10 years now, it gives me great pleasure to have topped out on schedule and in concurrence with the opening of the High Line park. I believe the two will transform the Meatpacking District once again,” said CB Developers Founder Charles Blaichman, who was an early pioneer in the neighborhood, having developed 29-35 Ninth Avenue, the home of Soho House and Spice Market; the Theory building at 40 Gansevoort Street; and 415 West 13th Street, where Estee Lauder subsidiary Bumble and Bumble has its corporate headquarters.
Office users at the building—which consists of a dramatic steel-framed glass tower atop an existing five-story Art Deco masonry building (a former meatpacking facility where beef was processed for consumption)—will enjoy soaring ceilings and world-class amenities, as well as state-of-the art technology, security and cooling systems. The offices on the upper floors offer dramatic panoramic views of the Hudson River and the historic Meatpacking District through its floor-to-ceiling windows, while its lower floors offer direct views of the High Line park, which also runs 103 feet through the building.
“The High Line Building creates new workplace opportunities for businesses that wish to locate in a dynamic neighborhood, which has traditionally offered few opportunities for luxury office space of this kind,” said Brian Waterman, an executive vice president at Newmark Knight Frank, which is exclusively marketing the office space at the building. “The building offers a variety of unique leasing opportunities for tenants looking to create an exciting office environment in the city’s most cutting edge neighborhood. For the right tenant, the building naming rights might also be available.”
The base of the building offers 7,636 square feet of ground-level retail space with 70 feet of highly visible frontage on bustling West 14th Street, and 4,308 square feet of lower level space. The dramatic space features soaring 23-foot ceilings, one-of-a-kind access to the High Line’s main entrance, and the opportunity to neighbor the area’s other high-profile retailers—Diane Von Furstenberg, Stella McCartney, La Perla, Ed Hardy, Christian Louboutin, Alexander McQueen, Hugo Boss, Apple, Yohji Yamamoto and Theory.
“The Meatpacking District continues to thrive as a retail destination for shoppers who enjoy unique designers and high fashion,” said Kelly Gedinsky, an associate at Winick Realty Group, who is exclusively marketing the retail space with Winick Executive Vice President Lori Shabtai. “The neighborhood becomes even more exciting with the High Line’s planned opening this summer, the opening of the Standard Hotel and the new Whitney Museum, just to name a few.”
This signature project is targeting USGBC LEED-CS Certification at the Gold Level. This green building rating system addresses sustainable design for new core and shell construction. The façade insulation and glazing systems at the building, for example, are designed to be more efficient than is required by the NYS Energy Conservation Code. In addition, the building’s interiors will feature low-VOC and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified finishes, as well as energy efficient lighting, state-of-the-art ventilation and water efficient plumbing.
The High Line is a 1930s elevated train track that is currently being converted into a 1.45 mile-long public promenade that winds through the Meatpacking District, West Chelsea and Midtown West.
ABOUT MORRIS ADJMI ARCHITECTS
Morris Adjmi Architects is a New York City based architecture and interior design firm providing comprehensive design services to corporate, commercial and residential clients. Morris Adjmi established the firm in 1997 following a successful 10-year partnership with the renowned Italian architect Aldo Rossi. The firm continues to draw upon this rich history while looking toward the future to make buildings that are both modern and timeless. Morris Adjmi Architects is known for its ability to create architecture composed of clear contemporary forms that are inspired by context and history.
ABOUT NEWMARK KNIGHT FRANK
Newmark Knight Frank is one of the largest independent real estate service firms in the world. Headquartered in New York, Newmark Knight Frank and London-based partner Knight Frank Newmark operate from over 195 offices in established and emerging property markets on six continents. Last year, transactions were valued at more than $47.6 billion with annual revenues of over $962 million. With a combined staff of more than 6,900, this major force in real estate is meeting the local and global needs of owners, tenants, investors and developers worldwide. For further information, visit www.newmarkkf.com.
ABOUT WINICK REALTY GROUP
Established in 1982, Winick Realty Group is one of New York’s prominent real estate firms specializing in retail leasing and advisory services. Over the years, Winick Realty has served a broad range of domestic and global clients, with a strong emphasis on long-term representation and expansion and growth strategies. With over 40 employees, Winick Realty is highly recognized as a forerunner in the retail real estate market. It was named #1 retail leasing firm of April 2006 – April 2007- April 2008 years by The Real Deal. For more information, please visit the company website www.winick.com.
ABOUT CB DEVELOPERS
CB Developers was founded in 1978 by industry veteran Charles Blaichman. The firm develops architecturally distinct residential, commercial, student housing and hotel projects in Downtown Manhattan through ground-up construction, adaptive re-use or building expansion. Some of the firm’s noteworthy projects include the Richard Meier-designed 173/176 Perry Street condominiums and the Philip Johnson and Annabelle Selldorf-designed The Urban Glass House, as well as 29-35 Ninth Avenue and 40 Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District.
