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Strivers Gardens
Two Towers Rising on Frederick
Douglass Boulevard
by Amy S. Choi
Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington aren't just jazz legends.
They're also the namesakes of two new luxury condominium towers
in Harlem.
The names honor the history of Harlem and also usher in a
new era in housing in Upper Manhattan.
"We wanted a subsidized condo project that would be
no different than any other luxury project, no matter where
it was built," said Lou Katsos, president of Jekmar Associates
Inc., construction managers on the $67 million project on
Frederick Douglass Boulevard between 134th and 135th streets.
"People think of working in non-Midtown areas as a scenario
where you develop housing that's not of the same genre or
luxury level as a Midtown condo. This is different. We wanted
to create something unique that would be a real landmark in
Harlem."
Ella and Duke are the crown jewels of Strivers Gardens, a
mixed-use development with 170 luxury units in the two towers
that will sit atop 46,000 sq. ft. of commercial space and
underground parking for 180 cars. The development is a project
of the New York City Housing Development Corp. and the Department
of Housing Preservation and Development.
Built in the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone, Strivers Gardens
is being partially developed by ANCHOR, a neighborhood revitalization
program that creates commercial and residential space on formerly
vacant city-owned land. ANCHOR is co-sponsored by the HPD
and the New York City Housing Partnership.
The hefty roster of players involved in the project, which
also included the Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce, the
Manhattan borough president and the mayor's office, required
that certain revitalization factors were met. That meant that
75 percent of the condos had to remain affordable.
"One of the challenges from our perspective was to put
together a team that could create a unique product in a unique
spot, which is one of the finest residential plots left in
Harlem, and do it within the financial constraints that we
had," Katsos said. "You're not dealing in an open
market. Not anyone can walk in and purchase these condos.
They have to be built within the financial constraints of
people who are buying them."
Still, upscale housing is in high demand throughout the area,
said Lloyd Williams, president & CEO of the Greater Harlem
Chamber, which first took on the development of the neighborhood
more than nine years ago. Although the units will not be officially
on sale until March 12, more than 5,000 requests have come
into Griffin Real Estate Group and Lloyd E. Dickens &
Co., the sales agent on Strivers Gardens.
In keeping with that demand, the towers were designed with
luxury in mind. They feature high-end finishes, including
a grand lobby with granite floors, wall paneling, high ceilings
and a set of elevators for each tower.
There are also a number of gardens in the project. One is
internal garden and features multiple water elements in the
lobby. The 21 penthouses in the towers also each have private
rooftop gardens.
The mechanical and electrical systems presented some problems
because they were built on top of the commercial office and
retail base of the building.
It is not a common reinforced concrete structure, but combines
structural types. Below the second floor, the building is
structural steel and requires bigger column spacing, while
above the second floor there is exterior load-bearing masonry
and plank.
"It requires a little bit more quality control when
it comes to the team," Katsos said. "But the nature
of the product that's being produced is the most amazing thing
about this project. It's very high end and it will send shockwaves
through the market."
Strivers Gardens should be ready for occupancy by January.
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