In one of the most expensive areas of Manhattan, at West Village, an apartment complex, timelessly maintains its urban character, highlighting at the same time the excessive luxury the life of its residents, who stand out among the world's celebrities. On one hand, the predominant imposing volume of the building is impressive, while on the other, the setback of its gradations, allows the unobstructed view of the Hudson River as well as “Hudson River Park”, preserving the romantic character of the neighborhood. From the lowest level of the abandoned Whitehall warehouse to the highest panoramic flats, contemporary architectural approach and detailed engineering study ensure the preservation of the industrial character, as it combines the bricked façade and exposed concrete with the minimal finish of the large glass surfaces which serve as unifying element of the external and internal environment.

A remarkable site overlooking an expanse of the Hudson River waterfront, 150 Charles Street lies between the activity in the riverside park and the history of the West Village. 

The building incorporates the Whitehall warehouse, a massive utilitarian structure of concrete, brick and glass. The warehouse streetwall is maintained in the new building, with defining varied articulation of separate townhomes on Charles and West 10th Streets. These individual residential entries create new connections at the street level, activating the sidewalk with foot traffic. Retaining the streetwall as both a connection to the pedestrian scale and the neighborhood’s past, 150 Charles creates a vibrant streetscape and the highest-quality living environment for its residents.

A vision of weaving new development into the natural and historic environment of the West Village has shaped this project from the outset. Modern logic and zoning would typically balance a residential tower on a low base within a park, yet 150 Charles asserts that new growth can thoroughly integrate nature into the building form. The resulting building is a careful composition of stacked volumes that gradually setback, preserving the neighborhood’s scale and romantic character. Where the warehouse’s tarred roof once occupied the majority of the block, two terraced, landscaped volumes now surround a lush central courtyard. The massing is in tune with the zoning text that was written as part of the project’s rigorous approvals process, permitting the retention of streetwall scale while allowing for development. 

Incorporating ideas of biophilia—our inherent connection to the environment—access to nature throughout the building is related to themes of prospect (wide, open views) and refuge (safe and protected interior spaces). 150 Charles combines the best of the West Village townhouse garden view and the waterfront high-rise river view with cascading terraces designed as a “fifth façade.” Integral to the experience of the building, 150 Charles has over 30,000 square feet of landscaped space distributed throughout lush green rooftops, planted terraces and courtyards. Part of the zoning text amendment requiring varied and specific planting, the terraces truly define the amendment’s “superior landscaping,” and incorporate more composed green space than Abingdon Square Park, Christopher Square Park and the Jefferson Market Garden combined.

What was the brief?

• To transform the Whitehall warehouse into residential condominiums.

What were the key challenges?

• Create a new high-rise residential project in a historic neighborhood; the project did not require LPC approval but had a highly engaged neighborhood community

• The underlying zoning for the buildingrequired a “tower in a plaza” configuration, which we did not feel was appropriate or provide the best use for the site. We came up with an alternative massing that preserved the Whitehall structure as the base and maintained the street wall. This approach gave a sense of authenticity to the base of the building.

• Our design vision for this building took a different approach to the “tower in a plaza” scheme commonly found in this neighborhood. Our tower sits back from the river and integrates into the fabric of the city.

• This zoning change required 8 community board presentation in the city—Queens Brooklyn, and Manhattan—because the change would affect those neighborhoods as well.

• One key element for the approval of our proposed massing relied upon the provision of “superior landscaping”. This meant that the building needed to have landscape planned for the site. The Certificate of Occupancy issued for the building serves as confirmation that the superior landscaping was installed as designed. Furthermore, the stepped massing allows views over the terraces from the high units, so the commitment of superior landscaping was an important feature for the residents.

• Among the site’s natural endowments are 1.4 million gallons of water that fall on our site every year, which we used as a resource. New York City currently has a significant problem with stormwater— following heavy rains, stormwater surges overwhelm the treatment capacity of our system, and raw sewage overflows directly into our rivers. By using retained stormwater for landscaping, mechanical systems, or toilets, we reduce the burden on local ecosystems and the city infrastructure.

• The landscape was designed to addresses different conditions created by the building’s massing, orientation, and elevation. We created various ecotomes that change as the building ascends—a riverbank ecology is present at the base of the building while the upper floors utilize plantings that reference ecology that exists at a higher elevation. Each terrace then becomes a microclimate.

What materials did you choose and why?

• We selected a material palette of natural, minimally treated masonry and wood that relate to the architectural history of the neighborhood.

Team:
• Architect: COOKFOX Architects, DPC
Richard A. Cook, Partner
Robert F. Fox Jr., Partner
Pam Campbell, Partner

• Client: The Witkoff Group
• Civil Engineer: Philip Habib & Associates
• Interior Designer: Alan Wanzenberg Architects 
• Landscape Architect: Dirtworks, PC
• General Contractor: Plaza Construction Corp.
• MEP Consultant: WSP
• Acoustical Consultant: Cerami Associates
• Structural Consultant: Gilsanz, Murray, Steficek, LLP
• Exterior Wall Consultant: Gilsanz, Murray, Steficek, LLP
• Energy Consultant: Viridian Energy & Environmental, LLC
• Elevator Consultant: Van Deusen& Associates
• Geotechnical Consultant: RA Consultants
• LEED Consultant: Ecological and Vidaris
• Lighting Design Consultant: One Lux
• Building Survey Architect: TSIG Consulting
• Boring Contractor: Warren George, Inc.
• Expeditor: JAM
• Code: JAM

Material Used :
1. Windows: Custom Windows and Curtainwall by Alumil, with Ecker Window Corp.
2. Exterior Wall Panels: Custom panels by Artex Systems, Inc.
3. Brick: Watertown, Burgundy sanded matt
4. Storefront and Metalwork: Airflex Industrial
5. Exterior Woodwork & Custom Millwork: AllCraft
6. Exterior Stone & Masonry: Navillus
7. Landscaping: Harder Services, Inc.
8. Water Feature: Delta Fountains
9. Trellises & Ironwork: Integrity Ironwork
10. Penthouse Stair Enclosure: Mistral
11. Penthouse operable glazed wall: Vitrocsa
12. Mechanical VRF system: Mitsubishi VRF 
13. Interior Stone & Tile: Port Morris Tile & Marble
14. Kitchens: Molteni&C
15. Plumbing Fixtures: Lefroy Brooks
16. Door Hardware: Nanz
17. Fire rated custom Wood Doors: SUPA Door
18. Hollow Metal Doors: Long Island Fireproof Door
19. Elevators: Otis 
20. Signage: Crown Sign Systems, Inc.