Hell’s Kitchen’s reputation as a bastion for the working class poor is cliché today. The former rough and tumble neighborhood west of Times Square is now a diverse cultural mix of middle class professionals, quality restaurants, nightlife, shopping, parks and luxurious residences. There’s still Hell to pay here—but now it’s more expensive and dynamic.
Hell’s Kitchen’s newest reputation-enhancer is 432 W. 52nd Street, a charming seven-story condo that recently opened for sale with studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom and unique duplex garden apartments ranging from approximately $610,000 to $2.4 million.
Developers Okada Acquisitions, JVL Property Group and Zion Enterprises finalized converting the defunct St. Vincent’s Midtown Hospital into 55 modern units in the heart of Midtown Manhattan—a stone’s throw from Broadway, Central Park, Restaurant Row, Time Warner Center and Lincoln Center.
According to The Real Deal, the Chetrit Group partnered with Tessler Development to buy the property (and a surrounding property and vacant lot) in 2007 for $84.73 million before initiating the conversion from hospital to condo. Chetrit then sold part of the property at 432 West 52nd Street for $41.4 million in June.
The units range from 432 square feet to 1,454 square feet. According to Curbed, studios range from 436 square at $610,000 to 448 square feet at $670,000; two-bedrooms range from 918 square feet at $1.325 million to 1,189 square feet at $1.66 million; and four multi-level one-bedroom duplexes boast 1,454 square feet of interior space and 1,153 square feet of exterior space, spread out over both floors—listed at $2.395 million.
Each modern residence features open floor plans, ample natural light, stained oak floors, spacious closets, GE/LG washer and dryers, individual climate control, energy-efficient windows, video intercoms and smart wiring. Sleek kitchens offer Caesarstone countertops, lacquer cabinets, glass tile backsplashes, and refrigerator, dishwasher and microwave integrated into cabinetry. Bathrooms boast floor-to-ceiling ceramic tile, radiant-heated floors, custom vanities, and tubs or walk-in showers.
The building boasts a 4,200-square-foot landscaped rooftop terrace with spectacular 360-degree views, contemporary decor, a grill and a cooling mist shower for summer months. A socializing resident lounge offers comfortable seating, WiFi, bar area and a big screen TV--which opens onto an intimate meditation garden. A fitness center and secure bike storage are also included. Sales are exclusively represented by Stribling Marketing Associates. For more information, call 212-586-5252 or visit the online sales gallery at www.432w52.com.
Hell’s Kitchen is among the Manhattan communities craving residential space. In recent decades, the neighborhood has undergone a complete makeover and a public relations effort to soften its image with aliases like Clinton or Midtown West. The neighborhood that gave us actor-writer Sylvester Stallone, musician Alicia Keys and The Actor’s Studio is now known as a haven for aspiring actors and entertainers. Bob Hope, James Dean, Larry David, Jerry Seinfeld and Madonna all resided in Hell’s Kitchen.
Hell’s Kitchen residents remain strong and resilient. When Frank Sinatra sang, “If I can make it there, I’ll make it anywhere,” he must have meant Hell’s Kitchen. Keys, raised by a single mother, sang (in Empire State of Mind, Part II) about making it "by any means" and her "pocketful of dreams” from Hell’s Kitchen. Stallone wrote the screenplay for the film Rocky in Hell’s Kitchen—and initially turned down $350,000 for the rights to the script, despite having only $106 in the bank. There was Hell to pay, but they all made it.
Today, Hell’s Kitchen is even hotter. And residents of 432 W. 52nd will likely be the next generation to make it there—if they haven’t already.