Project Description
Located on a linchpin site where New York’s High Line turns west to encircle the large-scale development now under way at Hudson Yards, Abington House participates in the industrial character of West Chelsea that attracted people in the first place. Abington House was designed as a deliberate foil to the many new buildings competing for self-importance that have come to populate this once gritty industrial neighborhood. Along Tenth Avenue, shopfronts, cornices, and crenelated parapets pick up the ragged rhythm of the older buildings that define a consistent street-wall. Our simply-massed red-brick tower is enlivened by detailing inspired by the robust brickwork of West Chelsea warehouses and to the surprisingly intricate metalwork of the High Line itself. Four-story bays of windows with French balconies enliven the building’s verticality. The building’s L-shaped plan is set in a crook between the main branch of the High Line and a spur – now being developed as an elevated events plaza – to capture the magnificent protected views both south and west. The tower cradles a south-facing garden court defined by a mews-style cobblestone entry drive that runs under the elevated structure of the High Line, leading to a lobby also accessible from a second residential entrance on 30th Street. Setback landscaped terraces offer large sundecks and outdoor party spaces; a split-level garden terrace directly overlooks the High Line. The composition culminates in a bold crown that carries the simple form of the tower to the sky. Abington House on the High Line fosters community in a building that is faithful to the character of the neighborhood. The 33-story, 384,000-square-foot building offers 312 market-rate and 78 affordable apartments as a mix of studio, 1-, and 2-bedroom residences. Light-filled entertainment lounges offer communal tables, casual seating, and catering kitchens for entertaining and gathering. The lower level features a private fitness facility and additional lounge space with a fireplace. The Sanctuary, an adjacent lounge also on the lower level, with acoustically treated walnut walls, a linen-wrapped ceiling, and oversized seating, is designed to provide a place for residents to relax in solitude or with friends. LEED-NC Gold certified, Abington House features bike storage, a green roof, a storm water retention system, and environmentally preferable material finishes.