A 'good mix' of coveted features appeals to buyers in a Murray Hill building near the East River
In 2015 when Gaia Real Estate bought The Montrose — a 22-story residential building on the eastern edge of Midtown Manhattan — the company’s managing director, Danny Fishman, told The Real Deal that the then-rental condominiums they intended to renovate and sell would have “reasonable price points,” placing the condos into the affordable luxury category. “We’re looking for someone who can buy a one-bedroom for under $1 million and a two-bedroom for $2.5 million,” he told The Wall Street Journal a few months later. Gaia’s strategy behind buying the 2001-built rental building was to avoid the excessive costs associated with new construction, thereby maximizing their profits and delivering “enhanced returns to our investors,” according to Fishman. So far, the company’s game plan has worked: Not one of the apartments at the building — which was re-christened Vantage when sales began in 2017 — has been priced close to the $2 million mark, even with the bounty of luxury amenities installed. Full-service, amenity-packed buildings that are decently sized are not the easiest to find at the price points offered at Vantage. The building’s location near the East River may seem far removed from Midtown’s action, but Pierre Malterre-West, a Douglas Elliman real estate agent who sells in the building, doesn’t believe the location is a deterrent for at all. “Grand Central is not that far,” he says about the closest train station. “Might be about a 10-minute walk…but this is one of those buildings that is a really good option if you want something that is located in the center of Manhattan, and you want a little bit of space in your apartment and good amenities. It's all very functional and well done. Just that good mix.”
Luxury-designed apartments with spacious layouts and multiple vistas
The Meltzer/Mandl-designed building’s facade of prefab aluminum and brick panels was mostly left intact by its new owners; however, interiors were re-designed by award-winning luxury interior designer Andrés Escobar. Despite the building’s relatively small footprint (95,105 square feet), the 97 mostly one- and two-bedroom apartments are still roomy. “Floor plans vary from one floor to the other,” says Malterre-West. “But one of the biggest advantages is that the bedrooms were built fairly large. These rooms can be full-sized to king, but most of the primary bedrooms are king.” The building is cantilevered from the 11th floor up, with a setback at the 17th floor, providing lucky owners there with expansive private patios (apartment 17/18C has 900 square feet of private outdoor space, larger than many one-bedroom city apartments). Duplex apartments can be found scattered throughout the 17th floor, all the way to the top of the building; there are even one-bedroom duplexes in the mix. Because of the transition in 2017, most of the units on offer have a modern aesthetic with plank wood flooring throughout and stainless-steel appliances in the kitchen. Every once in a while, a unit with the older parquet floors and white appliances surfaces, a result of leftover rentals coming up to the market for conversion. Windows in all of the apartments are large, plentiful and operable, making natural light a major feature throughout the building. As a result of the Vantage’s smaller footprint, Malterre-West states that many of the residences are actually corner units “and you end up with at least one room that has two, sometimes three, exposures.” According to the agent, the building’s location bordering the entrance to the Midtown Tunnel is a great thing for vistas. “The good part about it is that all the south-facing apartments have incredible views because the setback is enormous.” Views stretching down to 35th Street where St. Vartan Park lies, are clear of any construction.
One- and two-bedroom apartments way under the $2.5 million mark
One-bedrooms are sized between 645 square feet and 1,215 square feet, with a price range between $835,000 and $1.29 million. Most two bedrooms have two baths and range in size from 1,015 square feet to 1,295 square feet, typically priced between $1.168 million and $1.599 million.
Full-service building with a full suite of amenities plus a landscaped rooftop
“The amenities make this building special,” says Malterre-West. “It’s modern, of the moment...it looks nice, and it's well kept.” Residents walk through an entrance with a sleek, black metal canopy and into a contemporary industrial-style lobby, greeted by a doorman and 24/7 concierge at the front desk. “The super, who lives in the building, is one of the nicest supers in the entire city of New York,” says Malterre-West. “His name is Gus. He's been there for years, and he will take care of you like I’ve rarely seen.” (Currently there is a small assessment on the building as the sponsors recently bought an apartment specifically for any super who works there.)
Down in the basement, there is a full floor of amenities — a lounge, a co-working space with free coffee, a media room and a recently updated gym with stretch rooms and private classes for residents. “I've seen a lot of people having birthday parties in the downstairs lounge,” Malterre-West says. “People use the amenities here. It's fairly rare, to be honest. There's a lot of buildings where people get all excited when they move in, and then they never use them.” Laundry is in-unit and bike storage and a bike share are also available. There is no parking in the building but there are several parking facilities a block or two away. The building’s crowning glory is its fully furnished and landscaped rooftop with panoramic views of Manhattan’s skyline.
Retail is only half a block away and residents get to two parks in under 10 minutes
Vantage’s location on the far eastern side of Murray Hill may seem remote to some; however, this part of the neighborhood has just about everything a resident may need. “You have all kinds of retail on Second Avenue which is just on the corner, and Third Avenue is right there,” Malterre-West says. Local supermarkets D’Agostino’s and Gristedes are on 35th and Third and 40th and Second, respectively. The East River Esplanade has landscaped pathways and a fitness equipment area along the waterfront, and it’s only a seven-minute walk away. St. Vartan Park is just below 36th Street and has a great lawn in addition to a basketball court and a playground.
Diverse options for transportation, including the ferry
Drivers at Vantage have quick access to the Queens-Midtown Tunnel since the building sits on the edge of Tunnel Approach Street and is just one block from the Manhattan-Queens passageway. The FDR is two avenues away. But drivers, be warned: whenever the UN has meetings with major dignitaries, roads can be closed and streets are usually packed with their cars and those of their security detail. Residents taking the train have just about a 10-minute trek to Grand Central where they can catch the 4, 5, 6 and 7 subway lines in addition to Metro-North regional trains. The M101, M102 and M103 travel uptown on Third Avenue and the M15 and M15-SBS travel downtown via Second Avenue. With stops in Queens, Brooklyn, and at Wall Street, the East River Ferry is also a formidable transportation option as the East 34th Street pier is only a seven-minute walk away.
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Current List Price
Sold Price
Area Factors
Low Crime
Crime Score®
3/ 10
Very Bikeable
Bike Score®
83/ 100
Walker's Paradise
Walk Score®
99/ 100
Rider's Paradise
Transit Score®
100/ 100
Sources: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com, Walk Score
Sources: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com, Walk Score
WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com, Powered by CAP Index provides objective, accurate, and consistent data to help measure, compare, and mitigate crime risks. Walk Score® measures the walkability of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.
Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Environmental risk data is provided by First Street Foundation® and is designed to approximate risk and not intended to include all possible scenarios.
Parks in this Area
St. Vartan Park
4 min walk
Baseball/Softball
Basketball
Football
East River Esplanade - Delancey St
4 min walk
Trails
River
Tudor Grove Playground
6 min walk
Playground
Mary O'Connor Playground
6 min walk
Tudor City Greens
6 min walk
Trails
Events
Botanical Gardens
Robert Moses Playground
6 min walk
Baseball/Softball
Dog Park
Trails
Ralph Bunche Park
7 min walk
Tudor City Park North
7 min walk
UNICEF Garden
8 min walk
Schools
Source:
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