From Dated Apartment to Designer Dwelling

historyin the
high
rise

a dated apartment on the upper west side of manhattan receives a modern makeover

written by Blake Miller
photography by Trevor Tondro

When the Eldorado building, located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, began construction in the late 1920s, it was easily one of the most impressive residential
buildings in the city. With its lavish ornamental details complemented by bold, geometric shapes, the stunning thirty-floor luxury building was and remains today, one of the most impressive examples of Art Deco architecture in all of Manhattan.       

 But when the stock market crashed in 1929, so did the Eldorado. “The [developer] had a tremendous amount of money to design the lobby. Beautiful murals, intricate, well-executed marble,” explains interior designer Alexander Doherty. But because the market crashed shortly after it began construction, “the apartments don’t follow the same grandeur as the lobby,” he says. “When you arrive, you have the impression that everything is of the period, but [the residences] look nothing like that.”

 So when Doherty and CEO and cofounder of Design Development NYC Chip Brian, were enlisted to revamp a couple’s apartment in the iconic building, they had a feeling a serious amount of renovating would need to take place. “It didn’t scream opulence. There were small chambers [and] nominal corridors,” says Brian of the apartment whose previous owners had occupied the residence for nearly fifty-five years without renovating or updating. “We were going into [the project] very much with the idea that it was a gut renovation,” adds Doherty. “The whole thing was how to make [the home] not feel like a cave.”

 The footprint of the apartment was maintained, more or less, and expanded in some areas to help create a brighter, larger living space for the couple. “It’s an interesting layout,” says Doherty. “You walk through rooms to get to another.” The original galley-style kitchen was one of the first rooms addressed. Previously divided into two small rooms—an eat-in nook and the work space itself—the kitchen was combined into one larger space boasting modern details and amenities. “Everyone wants a large-capacity kitchen to conceal their everyday dishes, china, [and] groceries,” says Brian. “So these kitchens take on the roles of library, cooking area, [and] prep area.”

Calcutta Crema honed slab countertops and matching backsplash are a stunning complement to the custom cabinetry designed and fabricated in-house by Design Development NYC. Doherty says he specifically wanted the cabinetry to look like freestanding pieces of furniture. Because of the small space, the sleek cabinetry was designed to utilize every inch of the kitchen and thus floor-to-ceiling storage in the form of glass-front cabinets, wine racks, and warming drawers were installed. “[The result is that it] emulates an English kitchen with the secretarial section and glass doors,” says Brian.

 The living room underwent a significant transformation when, for example, the original emerald green stone surround and antique nineteenth-century mantel were removed from the fireplace. A faux door was added to the wall opposite the oversize windows to create symmetry to the space, while the original base molding throughout the home went from eight inches to eleven inches with Art Deco detailing. The result is a home that respects its design history while also giving way to a more modern and livable aesthetic.

After the six-month renovation was complete, the homeowners are decidedly thrilled with the result. “We all had a vision initially, which was formed very quickly,” says Doherty. “And here we are, and what we see today is that vision [come to fruition].”

As featured in

Home By Design

 

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