Located at 330 Spring Street and the corner of Washington Street, the Urban Glass House is a lovely building in the heart of Hudson Square. The luxury condominium is home to 40 luxurious residences and boasts a wonderful array of amenities for residents to enjoy.
Urban Glass House History
The Urban Glass House is the last building in New York City designed by architect Philip Johnson (who passed away in 2005) and his firm Philip Johnson/Alan Ritchie Architects. Indeed the project seemed to be burdened by constant challenges throughout its design and construction. Johnson had first proposed a sculptural high-rise for the site akin to his tall buildings in midtown, such as the Sony Building (originally the AT&T Building) and the Lipstick Building. But local community groups rebuffed the proposal on account of its height. In response, the project’s developer, restaurateur Antonio Vendome, suggested that Johnson return to his mid-century modernist roots and create an urban pendant to the architect’s own glass house in New Canaan, Connecticut designed in 1949. Johnson responded with a twelve-story glass box with facades embellished by setbacks providing private terraces for select units. In 2002, Vendome sold his interest in 330 Spring Street to Abram Shnay, Charles Blaichman, and Scott Sabbagh, who joined forces to form Glass House Development LLC. The new developers brought on SLCE Architects to execute Johnson’s design and architect Annabelle Selldorf to design the interiors of the building’s 40 residences. When occupancy was delayed for months after its slated date in summer 2006, tenants who had bought in began to moan. Faced with such trials, however, the integrity of Johnson’s design was not compromised, and the building has been widely hailed as a landmark.
Interiors
When buying a home at the Urban Glass House, you are also buying into a lifestyle of modern living, achieved on the interior by flexible spaces that take maximum advantage of the natural light afforded by the extensive use of glass on the exterior. Apartments feature 10’ ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows. Annabelle Selldorf accents natural light with white-oak floors and sliding doors that either let light in or section off the apartments’ open layouts. Stainless steel and black granite serve up sleek kitchens that open onto the living areas and feature Sub-Zero refrigerators, Miele dishwashers, and Viking stoves. All apartments include washers and dryers. While penthouses have views onto the river, apartments facing the east and north have panoramic views of Soho and Greenwich Village. Units on lower floors facing the south and west do have, however, obstructed view with the art deco Holland Tunnel Land Ventilation Building just across Washington Street. As development continues on the surrounding blocks, existing views could become hindered, especially considering the large UPS parking lots unsealed fate to the site’s northwest.
Price
Sales at the Urban Glass House commenced in October 2005, and 30% of the units sold immediately. Given the limited number of residences, prices fluctuate depending upon floor and view, with the most affordable apartments going for just below $2 million.
Recently, sales of two-bedroom apartments at 330 Spring Street have ranged from $1,865,000 for apartment 7C, a 1,440 sq. ft. unit, to $3,100,000 for apartment 10A, a 1,722 sq. ft. corner unit on a higher floor with expansive views and double exposures. Similarly, prices for larger three and four-bedroom residences also depend on the unit layout and location, with higher-floor apartments commanding significant premiums.
Amenities
The property’s state-of-the-art design combined with top-of-the-market prices means that residents can expect full-service amenities. A doorman and concierge are requisite. The building amenities also include a fully-equipped fitness center with a yoga room. Wireless telecommunication packages and private storage units are also available as add-ons.
Location
Although the property’s location is frequently advertised as West SoHo, it is really located just to the west of SoHo in the area dubbed Hudson Square, which has witnessed a recent surge in residential building. Hudson Square runs along the Hudson River, bound by 6th Avenue to the east, Morton Street to the north, and Canal Street to the south. Beginning in the early 1900s, the area became dotted by printing presses that were housed in a large concentration of brick warehouses. After art and design-based firms started taking over the leases of the light-filled lofts of these industrial buildings in the 1980s, the area soon became desirable to residential tenants. In 2003, the city passed a rezoning ordinance to facilitate increased residential development, and luxury condominium construction has since boomed in the neighborhood. Winka Dubbeldam’s Greenwich Street Project and the monolithic 505 Greenwich Street Condominium (which are both just around the corner from the Urban Glass House) are but a few of the new residences that have resulted from the area’s recent rezoning.