What I like about his buildings is how beautiful they are without resorting to the ‘look at me’ tricks put upon other architects’ projects.
Agreed Stache. The Mies generated international style has dissolved into glass boxes. In that world the primary way to make a building “visible” is to do engineering gymnastics. Sometimes this works but often it just looks weird or awkward. Stern has stuck to classical motifs with a variety of twists that work. Some of his stuff is contextual (on the upper west side for example) but not all of it (as here). It usually doesn’t make any difference. His work creates its own context that others may feel drawn to follow. Classical can become boring just as international has. But Stern is too good to let that happen to his own stuff.
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There’s nothing wrong with being a substantial background building, which is what he does best imo.
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From a few days ago
It is being marketed as The Cortland.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CCvqIcKDox3/?igshid=1lfdh2oimofvp
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That masonry facade will be a visual delight for those of us who appreciate good Architecture. There is not much to look at on that entire block along West 23rd street; this building has a highly visible frontage along the double wide street.
There is about three feet of solid masonry between the interior walls and the brick facade on the exterior; this place is built like a medieval fortress, and has the Architectural beauty of an ancient Castle.
Take a look at those layers of cinder block, insulating batting, brick/mortar; much better than simply hanging multiple glass panels on to the edge of the concrete floor plates as is the typical process on the ‘glass modernist’ boxes we see being built everywhere today.
I do hope good quality work like this is wildly recognized and compensated for; I am not sure enough people take note and see the vast difference between these buildings.
I am reminded of the old commercial where the guy says: “An educated consumer, is our best customer”. This new condo will attract “educated consumers” for sure; people with the power of ‘discernment’ will come in droves.
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I assume the super thick walls may be to protect against the sound from heavy traffic on West St/11th Ave.
Also is this the first time RAMSA is using black steel with the brick facade? Looks like a cross between RAMSA and Adjmi. Perfect combo.
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“Cortland” just doesn’t look right. Should be The Cortlandt. Or better The Van Cortlandt, but there’s already one.
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Always thought Stern’s Superior Ink was a crib off of Adjmi’s 408 Greenwich.
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Appreciate the comment, I’m a super for the mason contractor working on the install of the block, brick & stone. A very detailed facade and difficult, good to know the quality of the build is being recognized
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well done! We all look forward to the finished product! I think it will look better than 70 Vestry.
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Speaking of “finished product” - looks like one of those interior ceilings is now a ‘finished’ product.
One can see how it is done by looking at the photos.
The raw concrete ceiling slab surface in the first photo gets sanded down; then they put a few skim coats of plaster to create the ‘finished’ smooth ceiling. The smooth ‘finished’ ceiling can be seen in the second photo. Nice work guys…
Most concrete ceilings to not have imbedded electrical junction boxes for light fixtures; so that is a nice feature for ceiling lights that will not require an ugly surface mounted wire molding.
The finished ceiling with a skim coat of plaster…
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Stern is like Midas. Everything he touches turns to gold.
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This does appear to be a very nice building. Nice to see one in red brick. Fits the neighborhood.
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Pics by me. Taken tonight.
This one can be tricky to spot. Its to the right. So look at the ESB, and look at the bright wide building to its right.
Weehawken 08-08-2020 - 1 (Higher Res) by Christopher Estevez, on Flickr
Weehawken 08-08-2020 - 2 by Christopher Estevez, on Flickr
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Wondering why they use all that wattage/electricity to light up a raw concrete superstructure during the overnight hours: that place is lit-up like the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center.
Well, who knows - but sure does look pretty anyway. RAM manages to make his buildings look beautiful even BEFORE they are completed. 
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