40 Mercer Residences, 40 Mercer Street

40 Mercer Residences, 40 Mercer Street

This project was first designed in 2000 as a hotel, but a slump in the hotel business after September 11, 2001, forced renowned hotelier Andre Balazs (The Mercer Hotel) to shift gears. Completed in 2003, this 15-story glass residential condominium'afive-story base is topped by 8 tower floors'offers residents of its 41 apartments open, loft-like spaces with 21st century kitchens, wrapped in sliding walls of triple-glazed windows and 12-foot ceilings. Balasz and contemporary French architectural luminary Jean Nouvel collaborated on designer effects like glass-paneled walls in hues of red and blue. Two of the building's penthouse units have their own private pools.On lower floors, six-foot-wide sash windows can be lowered to create safety railings, blackout shades are provided in the bedrooms, and some apartments feature a sliding wall bookcase that can be moved to enclose or open up spaces. An impressive list of amenities includes a 24-hour concierge, a garage with valet parking, a private landscaped garden, private storage, event spaces for exclusive use by residents, continental breakfast delivery and a fitness center with a 50-foot lap pool. This exciting SoHo block is located at the heart of what has long been a real downtown neighborhood, albeit one with world-class shopping, galleries and nightlife as well as some of the hottest restaurants in the city just a few blocks away.