These were the most active architects in NYC’s spring awakening
By Joseph Jungermann | September 10, 2021
Architect Ralph Kowalczyk, whose firm Issac & Stern ranked 28th on TRD’s 2018 most active New York City architects list, differed from Badaly’s take on the impact of 421a anxiety on development.
“With 421a expiring, there is going to be more interest and more pressure on the clients to get things done and lock in those tax incentives,” said Kowalczyk.
Kowalczyk has two new building projects in the pipeline, plans for which his firm filed at the end of May. The first is a 24,000-square-foot, five-story residential building at 540 Graham Avenue in Brooklyn. The other is a 34,000-square-foot, nine-story mixed-use building at 2739 Creston Avenue in the Bronx with an estimated cost of $6.68 million. Both projects carry an estimated cost of $8 to $9 million, Kowalczyk said.
Both Badaly and Kowalczyk, whose work was primarily in the outer boroughs for the second-quarter, are examples of how ground-up and alteration project volume remains strong in parts of Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx, which lead in total estimated cost and total square footage of projects.
Kowalczyk is optimistic that the pace of new projects will continue to rise, as there is still time for developers to get a shovel in the ground and lock in tax benefits under the current system. But, he warned, developers and investors will have to move quickly.
“We see a big interest from the clients, and we're expecting much more movement in September and in the fall,” he said.
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Buildings With Sections That Seem to Hover in Midair
By Tim McKeough | June 4, 2021
Eleven Hancock, a 12-story condo nearing completion at 11 Hancock Place in Harlem, which was designed by Isaac & Stern Architects for Nortco Development, achieves a similar sense of levitation with a 22-foot-long cantilever over a CityMD on West 125th Street, under a 125-foot height limit.
“In New York City, you’re limited by zoning and the box, so with extra air rights the only way to go was sideways,” said Ralph Kowalczyk, a partner at Isaac & Stern.
Such mushrooming growth can easily lead to awkward looking buildings, Mr. Kowalczyk noted, so the architects tried to break up the structure’s bulk by switching from zinc-colored metal to copper-colored metal from the sixth through eighth floors, where the building begins to cantilever, and introducing strong horizontal lines that make that section look more like a supporting plinth. “You have to deal with the appearance and try to rebalance and make sure the building still looks shapely and nice, and has a form and expression,” Mr. Kowalczyk said.
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Permits Filed For 627 Franklin Avenue In Crown Heights, Brooklyn
By Vanessa Londono | June 29, 2020, 06:30 AM
Permits have been filed for an eight-story mixed-use building at 33 McGuinness Boulevard in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Located between Driggs Avenue and Nassau Avenue, the interior lot is a short walk to the Nassau Avenue subway station, serviced by the G train. Belvedere Capital under the 33 McGuinness LLC is listed as the owner behind the applications.
Ralph Kowalczyk of Issac & Stern Architects is listed as the architect of record.
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Permits Filed For 33 McGuinness Boulevard In Greenpoint, Brooklyn
By Vanessa Londono | April 23, 2020, 07:30 AM
Permits have been filed for an eight-story mixed-use building at 33 McGuinness Boulevard in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Located between Driggs Avenue and Nassau Avenue, the interior lot is a short walk to the Nassau Avenue subway station, serviced by the G train. Belvedere Capital under the 33 McGuinness LLC is listed as the owner behind the applications.
Ralph Kowalczyk of Issac & Stern Architects is listed as the architect of record.
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Excavation Underway At 359 Second Avenue In Gramercy, Manhattan
By Michael Young | April 19, 2020, 07:30 AM
Excavation is underway at 359 Second Avenue in Gramercy, site of a 13-story mixed-use residential building from Issac & Stern Architects and Silverback Development. Located on the corner of East 21st Street and Second Avenue, the structure will stand 145 feet tall and yield 97,193 square feet.
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249 East 50th Street Closing In On Final Floors, In Midtown East
By Michael Young | April 13, 2020, 07:30 AM
Construction is approaching the final floors at 249 East 50th Street, a 151-foot-tall residential building in Midtown East. The 15-story structure is designed by Issac and Stern and developed by Tun Kyaw, who purchased the land for $17 million.
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In glassifying city, traditionally-inspired condos by Issac & Stern begin construction in Gramercy
By Michelle Mazzarella | March 10, 2020, 07:30 AM
Construction is winding down on Hero LIC, and sales got off to a brisk start at 67 Livingston Street, but Silverback Development isn't taking a rest. On the contrary, the young firm is raring to go at 359 Second Avenue. The two-story NYU Langone building previously on-site has been demolished, and construction has begun on a new condominium. A new rendering by designer Issac & Stern shows a white 13-story tower with oversized windows throughout and private balconies in many of the apartments in the new building, which takes shape south of the designer's work in progress at 165 Lexington Avenue.
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Residential Transformation Revealed For Classical Revival Library At 61 Rivington Street In Chinatown, Manhattan
By Sebastian Morris | February 12, 2020, 07:30 AM
Issac & Stern Architects and Picksell Studio are working with developer Horizon Group to transform a three-story Classical Revival style building in Chinatown, Manhattan. New renderings of the project offer a first look at the ongoing residential redevelopment located at 61 Rivington Street. The original structure was completed around 1903 and served as a downtown branch of The New York Public Library. The base of the building incorporates horizontally scored masonry that transitions into red brick at the second and third floors.
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Permits Filed For 1009 Second Avenue In Midtown East, Manhattan
By Vanessa Londono | November 23, 2019, 07:00 AM
Permits have been filed for a 19-story mixed-use building at 1009 Second Avenue in Midtown East, Manhattan. Located between East 53rd Street and East 54th Street, the lot is near the Lexington Avenue-53 Street subway station, serviced by the E and M trains. Abraham Lokshin under the LFL Partners LLC is listed as the owner behind the applications… Issac & Stern Architects is listed as the architect of record.
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Condominium Sales Launch For Eleven Hancock In Central Harlem
By Vanessa Londono | August 28, 2019, 07:00 AM
Sales have launched at Eleven Hancock, a ground-up condominium building in Harlem. Located at 11 Hancock Place between Morningside Avenue and West 124th Street, the 12-story, 130,000-square-foot building will comprise 71 studio, one-, two-, three-, and four-bedroom residences, about half of which will have private outdoor space. Nortco Development is responsible for the project, Issac & Stern for the design, and Lemay + Escobar for the interiors. The property is situated one block to the south of the 125th Street subway station, serviced by the A, B, C, and D trains, and is near the northeast corner of Morningside Park.
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Level One Holdings Launches Sales At 10 Lenox Avenue In South Harlem
By Sebastian Morris | April 5, 2018, 07:30 AM
Following several years of construction and development, Level One Holdings has officially launched sales at 10 Lenox Avenue in South Harlem. Located on the corner of 111 Street and Lennox Avenue, the eight-story building contains a collection of 29 condominium units, multiple outdoor areas, and clear views of Central Park.
Designed by Issac and Stern Architects, the building’s masonry exterior is both elegant and subdued, appropriate for its neighborhood’s historic surroundings. Available units range from studios to three-bedroom homes. More than half of those condos will offer park views, according to a statement from Level One Holdings.
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335 West 35th Street’s Condo Conversion Revealed In Midtown, Manhattan
By Andrew Nelson | October 30, 2017, 07:30 AM
Permits for 335 West 35th Street were filed as far back as 2013, and just now we’re finally getting a first look at what’s to come from the conversion. The Chen family, most prominent for the T.F. Chen Cultural Center, is planning to develop a twelve-story mixed-use project by refurbishing an existing Midtown office building. The site is just a few blocks away from Madison Square Garden and its myriad of transit and dining options. This will be developed under the company name New Tent LLC.
Issac and Stern Architects are responsible for the design. According to their rendering, the façade will be altered, including painting the masonry dark-grey, and adding full-sized windows at the ground and second floors.
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Updated Design For 308 North 7th Street, Williamsburg, Brooklyn
By Nikolai Fedak | September 12, 2017, 08:00 AM
YIMBY revealed a preliminary design for the project back in February of 2017, and since then, the exterior has been completely reworked by architects Issac & Stern. The contemporary look has been tossed aside for a more classic facade, with light brick dominating. Windows will be punctuate within metallic accents, and the top floors of the building will feature floor-to-ceiling casement windows alongside exposed columns, which will also create some rather attractive balconies.
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Lottery Launches for 30 Affordable Units in Large New Crown Heights Building, From $913/Month
By Dana Schulz | May 25, 2016, 07:30 AM
The building itself, designed by Issac & Stern Architects, may be pretty unremarkable, the same for the block on which it’s located, but 505 Saint Mark’s Avenue is in a prime Crown Heights location and offers some great amenities. It has 147 brand new units and is just steps off foodie haven Franklin Avenue and right around the corner from trendy food/beer hall Berg’n.
New Renderings of Boerum Hill’s Nevins Condominium, Teaser Site Launched
By Ondel Hylton | March 11, 2016, 07:30 AM
The new renderings from Issac & Stern Architects show that a textural porcelain cladding, large punch-hole windows, and sweeping sets of corner windows comprise the building’s exterior. The windows are deeply inset with projected framing, providing additional depth to the facade. The crowning upper levels will be fully glazed and will host several terraces and balconies.
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CGI Strategies planning 73 apartments in South Slope
By Rich Bochmann | September 09, 2016 02:15 PM
CGI Strategies in Real Estate plans to bring 73 apartments to the corner of Fourth Avenue and 18th Street in South Slope where the company assembled a handful of properties over the last year… Issac & Stern is the architect of record.
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Adam America files plans for 11-story LIC condo building
By Rey Mashayekhi | February 08, 2016 12:15 PM
Issac & Stern Architects is designing the building, which will be Adam America’s first development in Queens. The company, led by Dvir Cohen Hoshen and Omri Sachs, is Brooklyn’s most active residential developer, by number of projects with more than 20 units, since 2009.
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Shaoul set to launch sales at 100 Avenue A in the EV
By Rey Mashayekhi | September 15, 2015 06:45 PM
The Issac & Stern Architects-designed building, which replaces the old Hollywood Theatre formerly on the site, will count a roof deck among its amenities, while several units will feature private outdoor spaces.
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