Richard Meier's Perry Street Apartments

A Rebirth of Architecture in New York

The creation of these two residential towers, located in West Greenwich Village New York, marked a turning point in New York City Real Estate.

In 2000, Richard Meier, the acclaimed architect of the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, was to create his first New York apartment building. What he did was create a rebirth of modern architecture in New York.

Mr. Meier created one of the most eye-catching and unique residential towers in the world, and in turn, set off a firestorm of demand for what can only be described as Designer Living.

Here finally was proof that high quality modern architecture could sell in New York. And did it sell.

After all the apartments were bought up, other developers hired the architect to create one more even larger tower right next to the first two. Other modern buildings began to spring up all over the neighborhood and beyond.

Either Mr. Meier saw the future, or all of New York architecture changed. Modern glass structures have sprung up all over the city with plans for dozens more. These include the giant Time Warner Towers at Columbus Circle and the Bloomberg Headquarters on 3rd Avenue. But the Perry West Towers were the first.

Design Challenges

The buildings were not without their challenges. Mr. Meier's inexperience with residential buildings coupled with his audacious design caused many delays and technical challenges for the builders. These have all since been corrected, and the building is a shining example of tasteful modern living, created by a world famous architect.

The Design Elements

Mr. Meier's buildings stand peerlessly along the West Side Highway at Perry Street. These buildings are clad in insulating laminated glass and white metal panels with shadowboxes at the curtain wall expressing the individual floor plates. The apartments afford unobstructed panoramic views of Manhattan, the Hudson River and the New Jersey riverfront through floor to ceiling glass curtain walls.

The buildings embrace the newly renovated Hudson River Park, a network of green and paved open spaces providing a promenade for walkers, joggers, cyclists and rollerbladers all the way from Battery Park City to 59th Street.

J. R. Daly and Sons Involvement

J.R. Daly and Sons was not only a partner in the development, but we secured the financing for the construction. It was a $30 Million Construction Loan that got the partners ready to hire Richard Meier, and it was our suggestion to create Condominiums out of the two towers, instead of a hotel.

J. R. Daly and Sons would like to thank all the partners for the success of this landmark project. It will surely go down as one of the finest Residences in the world.