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Hudson192 is the first new construction rental building to open in Northern Manhattan in recent years, bringing “luxury rentals by the park” to Broadway at W. 192nd Street.
Sandwiched along Broadway between the 34th Police Precinct near W. 184th Street and a parking lot at Nagle Avenue are 10 blocks that could be described as ground zero for the future of what’s happening in Northern Manhattan.
That strip has long been home to nightclubs such as Arka Lounge, restaurants such as El Conde Steakhouse, and high-density, middle class housing developments such as Ft. Tryon Gardens.
But in recent years the pace of commercial revitalization has increased with several new nightspots that have hip enough credentials to attract patrons who arrive by subway and cab, rather than on foot.
And now those businesses are getting an influx of neighbors; a trickle now but perhaps a flood in the future.
Hudson192, the first new construction rental building in Northern Manhattan in recent years, went on the market this month at W. 192nd Street, adding 85 units billed as “luxury rentals by the park.” Just around the corner Bennett212 Condominium was recently approved for occupancy, adding another 40 units to the mix.
But what really has the potential to alter the landscape – and skyline – is the Quadriad project, which could add as many as 454 units in four residential towers on Broadway at W. 190th Street. Also lurking in the realm of possibility is the on-again, off-again 1 Bennett Park luxury condominium perched on the rocky hillside of W. 184th Street, which could add several hundred more housing units. That’s potentially thousands of new area residents who would become local shoppers, diners, and other service consumers.
One thing that makes the neighborhood such a fascinating study in transition – and so intrinsically Northern Manhattan – is that the glamorous mingles with the gritty, as the strip includes RG Ortiz Funeral Home, a BP gas station, and a Social Security office.
The combination of new businesses and proximity to transportation is what made the location so appealing to Jackson Development Group.
“There’s a lot of trendy, very trendy restaurants and lounges opening there,” said Eli Weiss, director of finance for Jackson Development Group. “We are very bullish on the neighborhood.”
Jackson Development acquired the land, a former car wash, in 2008. At first the plan was to build condos. But as market dynamics changed, the team switched gears to create a rental building.
While the demographics of Washington Heights point to a need for “affordable housing,” and most development projects that are discussed uptown take advantage of building incentives linked to creating some percentage of lower-priced apartments, every one of the units at Hudson192 is market rate.
“There’s not a lot of luxury products up there and that’s what we went for,” Weiss said. “As Hudson Heights expands we thought that the product would really do well.”
Of the 85 units, 13 are two bedrooms, the rest are studio and one-bedroom apartments.
Units range in size from about 480 to 560 square feet for studios, from about 620 to 795 square feet for one bedrooms, and from about 990 to 1019 square feet for two bedrooms.
Prices for the units that are currently on the market start at $1,400 for studios, $1,700 for one bedrooms, and $2,400 for two bedrooms. These rents are generally on the high end compared to Washington Heights’ older housing stock that’s currently available on the market, according to StreetEasy.com. But, notes Susan Wolf, associate broker at Simone Song Properties which represents the building, the prices are comparable to what it costs to sublet a co-op unit.
All of the units are rent stabilized forever, meaning that tenants can budget for predetermined increases.
Not only are the apartments finished in high style – kitchens have black granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, and dishwashers and several units have terraces – the building itself exceeds green standards set by every level of government. The building is super insulated, has gas fired boilers, digitally controlled thermostats in each unit, and uses water, not steam, to heat the rooms.
“They did everything conceivable to make the building environmentally cutting edge,” Wolf said.
The building also has a gym, laundry room, backyard patio, and parking garage.
While Hudson192 is the developer’s first Manhattan project, it’s clear there is a lot of local knowledge behind the design: most of the kitchens in the two-bedroom units have two sinks so they can more easily be made kosher.
The building also has 21,000 square feet of commercial space on Broadway and part of the second floor. About half of it is leased to a variety store called Deals, which is a subsidiary of Dollar Tree. The other half was taken by Columbia University, which will open a Head Start day care center.
For now construction has ended along the Broadway strip and it’s anyone’s guess when progress might be made on residential buildings at the other potential development sites.
But for Weiss, it’s a sign that the community is on the upswing.
“Any development is good for the neighborhood as long as it’s consistent with what existing residents need and the architecture,” he said.
In another indicator that more change is still coming, the vacant storefront at the corner of Broadway and Fairview Avenue now sports at sign that says: “Coming Soon Arlezol Café.”
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