All stories about "The Caledonia"

Click the image above to view the full photogallery.

Thanks to the High Line, a collection of eager starchitects and the plentiful stock of formerly neglected industrial properties, the construction boom in West Chelsea is perhaps unrivaled in terms of the instant creation of super-expensive real estate. And it's all humming along. Here's a couple of reader e-mails we've recently received:

1) 200 Eleventh Avenue: "You guys have been paying too much attention to 15 CPW and not enough attention to 200 Eleventh Ave. This is why you missed that Dolce of Dolce & Gabbana bought the penthouse. I don't remember the price of the penthouse but think it was north of $20m (Ed.—It was listed at $17.5MM). They've recently put up the glass on the lower floors and it looks great."
2) 245 Tenth Avenue: Just thought you might be interested to see that the project for 245 Tenth Avenue by Della Valle & Bernheimer seems to be getting its
curtain wall installed, but so far only on the High Line side, where it's least visible from the street."

And let's not forget other happenings, like the suddenly ready state of Chelsea Modern. It's all too much to take, so we dispatched roving Curbed photographer Will Femia to shoot a dozen or so headline-grabbing new developments (that's Chelsea Modern above). After the jump, a map of all of them, in addition to some vital details. Sure, some of these new buildings are more "West" Chelsea than others, but did you really think we could leave out YVES?

UPPER WEST SIDE—One glance at the rendering for Related's twin-towered The Harrison leads to a question: what the heck is that building in the middle? It's the Amsterdam Inn, a budget hotel between 76th and 77th Streets that also houses the Westside Brewing Co., the same establishment that was in the news recently regarding the destructive qualities of neighboring construction. A tipster writes: "The Amsterdam Inn wouldn’t sell out to Related. But rumor has it the Inn owner may actually go ahead and convert it into a real boutique hotel. West Side Brewery’s lease was up in February but they got extended to September. Not sure what happens then." A boutique hotel, just what this city needs! [CurbedWire Inbox]

CHELSEA/MEPA NORTH—An all Related CurbedWire! The rental portion of the developer's new Caledonia building, which is almost on top of the High Line, features one of the most anticipated affordable housing lotteries ever seen. Writes one entrant: "I got my wait list notification for Related's Caledonia housing lotto in the mail today. Very jealous of the people who will get these cheap apartments and those ahead of me on the list but, honestly, kind of happy with my very low wait list number." Careful where you do that yoga. [CurbedWire Inbox]

Constructing costs are soaring, the credit crunch is limiting the availability of financing, and the 421-a tax exemption program has been eliminated. Yes, these are tough times for developers, and particularly those who are building new rental projects. Still, the Sun's Michael Stoller reports, a handful of massive projects are moving on. Included in Stoller's roundup is Douglaston Development's nearly forgotten tower near the Hudson Yards, Frank Gehry's still mysterious 8 Spruce Street (which will reportedly fetch rents of $85/sf), and Related's High Line-neighboring Caledonia (right). The 190 condos in the Caledonia have long since sold out, so now the attention is on the West 17th Street building's 288 rental units. The lottery for the affordable units is in full swing, and now the market-rate rentals are trickling onto the market. Related's rentals website is not much help, but per StreetEasy, six apartments are available for rent, though these may be condo units. Either way, not surprisingly, they are hella expensive. But, oh, that sweet sweet High Line.
· The 'Impossible Dream' of Rental Development [Sun]
· Caledonia Apartment Lottery: Gotta Be In It [Curbed]
· High Line Construction Chronicles: Caledonia Looming [Curbed]

Click the image above to view the full photogallery.

To call HL23—a space-age condo building from a man named Alf—an "anticipated addition" to the crop of real estate development surrounding the High Line would be like calling burritos merely "yummy" or the Knicks only "disappointing." Just check out the team involved: architect Neil Denari, interior designer Thomas Juul-Hansen and façade specialists Front, last seen consulting on Jean Nouvel's 100 Eleventh Avenue, Asymptote's 166 Perry Street and FLAnk's 385 West 12th Street and 441 East 57th Street. Yesterday we had a look at some of the 15-story West Chelsea building's interiors, and now we've dug up some more. To keep all the craziness in one central location, we've compiled all the HL23 renderings into one glorious mindfuck of a gallery. Have a gander at our favorite new High Line building since The Standard, which was our favorite new High Line building since the High Line Building, which was our favorite new High Line building since the Caledonia, which was our favorite new High Line building since High Line 519, which was...
· HL23 [Official Site]
· HL23 Interiors Revealed; Peace on Earth At Hand [Curbed]
· High Line Makes Room for Alf [Curbed]

The small blocks of affordable apartments that most developers include in new buildings in exchange for zoning and tax breaks remain one of New York's great housing mysteries. How does one actually nab one of these luxury homes at pauper prices? Timing and luck, pretty much, and in the case of The Caledonia—Related's sold-out new High Line building—the time for luck is now! Listed as "Chelsea" on the Dept. of Housing Preservation & Development's website and 451 West 16th Street/450 West 17th Street in the email we just received, the ultrafancy Caledonia is offering up 59 affordable rentals. Quit your job for one at McDonald's, fill out an application and keep your fingers crossed. If the stars align, you'll be looked down upon by your wealthy neighbors in no time!
· Current Housing Lotteries [nyc.gov]
· High Line Construction Chronicles: Caledonia Looming [Curbed]
· The Caledonia [Official Site]

From the website of new Chelsea development the Caledonia: "Think Saturday. It could start by meeting your fitness guide in front of the Caledonia at the new High Line park, ready to run 5 miles with you and your dog." Given the latest view of the massive looming development—snapped by Will Femia, and the first we've seen with glass installed—they're living up to that promise. We think.
· The Caledonia at W17th/9th Ave [Flickr/Curbed Photo Pool]
· About Our Neighborhood [thecaledonia.com]
· Development du Jour: The Caledonia [Curbed]

HIGH LINE BONUS: An intrepid soul hiked the High Line on Monday, and chronicles the experience in photos. Gives a good sense of the upper third of the High Line that rings the Hudson Yards site, plus some in-progress shots from further south. [CityNoise]

We've already seen new Chelsea development The Caledonia swallow the view of one Curbed reader (if you doubt how big this place really is, look again at the rendering at right and note the microscopic High Line at its base). Now it's time for a rant from another reader, this time to the south of the Big C:

The Caledonia’s optical rape continues. For years our north-facing offices in the Chelsea Market have had great unobstructed views of the river and West Chelsea. Now all we get is the never-ending building that keeps climbing and climbing. I mean, they’re only on a floor in the mid-teens and already this monstrosity is towering over everything in its wake.

I feel especially bad for the building to the immediate right of the Caledonia on 16th street. A couple of years ago they spent beaucoup bucks putting on a gorgeous roof garden (we stare at it in envy every summer) and now it's completely surrounded and boxed in by the Caledonia. So much for that great unobstructed view of the river in the summer.

BONUS: A peppy Villager update on High Line construction notes that despite the decision that the public must have free use of the 16th Street stairs, The Caledonia will enjoy its own connection to that stairwell. [The Villager]