Six floors of rental apartments have been built on top of a Crunch gym at 158 West 83rd street between Amsterdam and Columbus, and they’ve started to go on the market.
There are 22 apartments in the development, including seven studios, 14 one-bedrooms and a two-bedroom. Eight have already been rented, including the two-bedroom, and 10 more are now up for rent, ranging from $2,625 to $4,050. Several units have outdoor terraces, and there’s a landscaped roof deck. Proximity to Jacob’s Pickles and Milk Bar are prominently featured on their website.
Fun fact: the Crunch Gym was once a post office. How cool would it have been if the new apartments had a mail shoot that went straight into the post office’s mail slot? (Very cool.)
So what do we think of this old-meets-new architecture?
Terrace image via development website.
The second story windows of the old part have a very rhythmic spacing of three separated by a wider panel. Maybe if the new part echoed that in any way, it would have worked better. That stainless steel separation is dented and cheap looking. It seems they could not decide between the vertical or horizontal emphasis. But at least they kept it low.
horrible, cheap and does not fit the over all look of the city.
I’ve always felt that this is one of the least desirable blocks on the UWS. Between the car rental places, parking garages, post office, school, and fire station, it’s noisy and not a particularly attractive residential area. Wouldn’t be my first choice.
it’s not so bad. i’ve lived across the street from Crunch (and now the new addition) for a couple of years now. at least i have no excuse not to go to the gym
Agree
I hate the blend of old and new architecture. And boy, wait til these renters start hearing the thumping and vibrations from the weights falling on the gym floors below them…..
The new tenants have nothing to worry about when it comes to the thumping of heavy weights. I used to belong the that gym and it reminded me of the rehab department of a long term care facility.
What a wasted opportunity. Beautiful old structure destroyed by the Glass and steel up top.. Looks like they took a page out of the Marshalls/CVS buidlign on Broadway.. EYEsore!
The addition isn’t the problem. The problem is the dirty, brown pile of bricks sitting underneath it. Gyms like Crunch only attract poor people and can only have a depressive effect on neighboring development.
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I often do not mind a modern addition on top of a classical building – but it has to be done well.
Far better then demolishing the old building completely.
This looks like it was done on the cheap – Haila is right the separation is already dented and looks like a tin cup.
Poorly executed.
haila’s comment about the lack of respect for the original fenestration is spot on.
But seriously, “Gyms like Crunch only attract poor people and can only have a depressive effect on neighboring development”?!?!?!?!?
In the words of a former famous resident of the Beresford: “YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS”.
I am serious. The “original fenestration” is dull and outdated. And yes, crunch is a low-income gym. The Upper West Side doesn’t need more businesses that encourage the lifestyles of these people. In Dubai, where my family owns property, gym memberships cost hundreds of dollars per month.
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Maybe you would have preferred that the construction be done by virtual slave labor.
No one here is going to follow you on curbed.
Mail *chute* (not “shoot”). Picky, picky.
I second the opinions of the building. It’s cheap looking and looks like it was dropped by accident on the original building’s roof. But, hey, as long as the developers made a buck, it’s not for us (who have to look at it) to complain, right? We should be grateful for the progress foisted in our midst!
Some of these listings are plain laughable…
http://streeteasy.com/building/158-west-83-street-new_york/3b
Look at the images for this unit and one thing immediately comes to mind… where are you supposed to sleep!?!? Amazing.
Can’t wait until those tenants get woken up at 530am every morning to the sweet sounds of the rhythmic pounding of the speed bag. You can hear that banging across the street (and it barely ever stops)
incredibly ugly.