Leading with LEED: A Look at NYC’s Eco-Friendly Housing
Radiant Orchid may be Pantone’s color of the year, but here in New York City we think green is the hot hue of the moment. Eco-friendly design features and sustainable buildings are sprouting up faster than ever, and buyers are seeking out the next best green amenity, from Vitamin C-filtered showers to electric vehicle charging stations. And thanks to some A-list support from the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio, environmentally friendly design is being embraced by developers and real estate professionals alike.
Last week, we took a look at Battery Park City, the largest green neighborhood in the world, which is often credited with launching New York City’s modern sustainable movement. And now we’re exploring some of the latest eco-friendly buildings to follow in its footsteps and take advantage of contemporary environmental technologies.
In 2003, the Solaire was the first eco-friendly building to open in Battery Park City. The rental was also the first high-rise residential building in the country to receive a LEED Gold rating. Soon others followed including Tribeca Green, the Verdesian, and the Millennium Tower. In 2008, the 35-story Visionaire became the first LEED Platinum apartment building in the city when it revolutionized energy-efficient construction with photovoltaic paneling, a green roof, rainwater collection and reuse system, and filtered air.
When LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) first came about in 2000, added costs for residential green development were roughly 5 to 15 percent, but today they can be as low as 3, without factoring in the long-term economic benefits of sustainable design. Such buildings were at first clustered in downtown Manhattan, but today LEED certified buildings are in every corner of the city. While we hate to pick favorites, there are a few of these modern buildings that rise above, providing an innovative and holistic green environment.
L to R: The Greenwich Lane, HL23, Pierhouse at Brooklyn Bridge Park
The Greenwich Lane consists of 200 condo units in the former home of St. Vincent’s Hospital, as well as five, 5-story townhouses and modern building additions. Designed by FXFowle, a leader in sustainable design, the five-building, full-block complex is pre-certified LEED Gold. It features a storm water collection system; recycled and local building materials; low-emitting adhesives, paints, flooring, and substrates; high-efficiency LED light fixtures; and water-efficient plumbing fixtures designed by Thomas O’Brien. Currently, 24 apartments are for sale at the Greenwich Lane, ranging from an 892-square-foot, one-bedroom unit listed for $2.195 million to a 4,187-square-foot, five-bedroom space on the market for $12.450 million.
HL23 was completed in 2011 to the design of L.A.-based architect Neil Denari. Its name refers to its location at the intersection of the High Line and 23rd Street. The futuristic, reverse-tapered glass tower has nine full-floor units, a two-floor maisonette, and a duplex penthouse. The LEED Gold certified building features 100% green energy, recycled building materials, water-conserving fixtures, and a highly reflective roofing material. The two available units in HL23 are an 1,870-square-foot, two-bedroom apartment with an asking price of $3,950 million and a three-bedroom unit listed at $5.750 million.
Pierhouse at Brooklyn Bridge Park was designed by Marvel Associates as an extension of the waterfront park. The 108-unit development, which will also have an 108-room hotel, is expected to receive LEED Silver certification thanks to green features like a rainwater irrigation system, composting units in each residence, 600-year-old reclaimed pine flooring, high-efficiency LED lighting, and an automatic solar-shade system. Pierhouse at Brooklyn Bridge Park has nine available apartments for sale, including a 1,612-square-foot, one-bedroom unit listed at $2.8 million and a 2,605-square-foot, three-bedroom apartment with an asking price of $4.950 million.
Whoever said being green with envy was a bad thing never took a look at this eco-friendly gems.
[Via CityRealty]
Lead photo © Neil Denari; other images courtesy of CityRealty
