February 27, 2023
Bloomberg

NYC Developer Opens Chelsea Rentals as Pipeline Gets Tougher

MaryAnne Gilmartin’s first project in the city since striking out on her own will start leasing. Future efforts might become more challenging.

A rendering of an interior of an apartment at MaryAnne Gilmartin’s new development in Chelsea. Source: DBOX

New York veteran developer MaryAnne Gilmartin, who’s worked on the Barclays Center and New York Times Building, will start signing up renters for her new firm’s first completed project. 

Her firm, MAG Partners, begins leasing Monday at the Chelsea development called Ruby — named for the late Harlem-based fashion designer and dressmaker Ruby Bailey — that has 480 apartments spread across two towers. She also has two other Manhattan multifamily projects underway at 335 Eighth Ave. and 300 E. 50th St., but after the deadline to qualify for a key tax incentive expired last year, her outlook for more rental projects across the city is starting to dim.

Gilmartin is among developers warning that the New York rental market — already tough with rents hovering near record highs — could come under pressure as she expects it could take state officials at least a year or two to get serious about replacing the 421-a tax break, an incentive that encouraged building more affordable rentals. In the meantime, she expects the pipeline for rental construction to slow and some developers to turn to more lucrative condominium projects with fewer units and higher prices. 

“We’re going to have homogenized product — too much of it — brought online as a result of not having alternatives,” Gilmartin said. “That does not serve the people in New York City.”

For now, Gilmartin is focused on showing what MAG Partners can build. Ruby, the Chelsea building, plays up its proximity to the Garment District with a brick facade, herringbone flooring and generous closet space. Rents without concessions for Ruby’s market-rate apartments start at $4,330 for studios, $5,955 for one-bedrooms and $9,000 for two-bedrooms. Three-bedrooms will be priced once they’re ready to hit the market. The developer has also designated 30% of its units as affordable housing. 

The lobby of the Chelsea building, called Ruby after a Harlem-based designer. Source: DBOX

Gilmartin previously led Forest City Ratner as chief executive officer before stepping down in 2018. At that firm, she worked on the Pacific Park project that includes the Barclays Center and Renzo Piano’s New York Times Building. Her new firm is one of the few New York real estate developers that’s owned and run by women.

“There’s something about our firm that’s not ordinary, which others tell us and sometimes we forget, which is that we don’t look like a typical New York City development firm,” Gilmartin said. 

The two towers are separated by a 70-foot (21-meter) courtyard that’s full of greenery and recreation areas for residents. There’s also a roof deck and swimming pool, as well as a 5,000-square-foot (465-square-meter) fitness center. About 10% of the units have private outdoor space. 

The towers will feature a rooftop pool, as well as sprawling fitness center. Source: DBOX

Gilmartin hopes the project will show that New York rentals don’t have to be penny-pinching commodities to be profitable. 

“There are plenty of really forgettable buildings that don’t actually stand up nicely over time and that don’t represent the best you could have done, but those buildings will still make money,” she said. “The value that we have is that principles of beauty, diversity and sustainability create long-lasting value — that you can actually build beauty and deliver returns.” 



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February 27, 2023

MAG Partners Launches Leasing at its First New York City Building, Ruby

Designed by renowned global architecture firm COOKFOX Architects, luxury rental project Ruby embraces the history and influences of the Garment District while offering a modernized luxury living experience in one of Manhattan’s most desirable neighborhoods

Link to renderings here

NEW YORK (February 27, 2023) – Woman-owned leading real estate company MAG Partners today announced the launch of leasing at Ruby, a residential development located at 243 West 28th Street in Chelsea. Located across the street from the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) between Seventh and Eighth Avenues, within New York City’s Garment District, Ruby offers 480 studio to three-bedroom residences amongst two towers – 30 percent of which are reserved for affordable housing – in addition to 8,500 square feet of ground-floor retail space.

Named after fashion designer Ruby Bailey, an expressive visual and performance artist and master beader, Ruby is MAG Partners’ first New York City project and the first in a portfolio of residential buildings to be named after historical and influential women.

“MAG Partners is built upon the principles of beauty, diversity, inclusion and sustainability, all of which are reflected within the living experience at Ruby,” said MaryAnne Gilmartin, Founder and CEO of MAG Partners. “As a firm founded in New York, we couldn’t be more excited to open this passion project in our own backyard. We are proud that our first building is providing much-needed housing in our city and offers thoughtfully designed residences focused on health and wellness.”

Designed by globally renowned architecture firm COOKFOX Architects, the 22-story and 23-story towers’ architectural expression is inspired by the historic fabric of the turn-of-the-century Garment District neighboring buildings, incorporating biophilic elements throughout its amenities. The thoughtful design pays tribute to creatives in the garment industry like Bailey, a Bermudian immigrant who led an artistic life in NYC. In addition to her eclectic fashion and clothing designs, she also created a series of doll-sized “mannequins” which today are part of the permanent costume collection in the Museum of the City of New York. She lived in Harlem until her death in 2003 at the age of 97.

“Our design for Ruby was inspired by the forms and patterns of Garment District masonry structures and the warp and weft of woven textiles. These historical elements lend a sense of authenticity to the new residences and elevate residential design in the neighborhood,” said Rick Cook, Founding Partner of COOKFOX Architects. “The attention to craft and amenities at Ruby that connect residents to outdoor space and gardens brings nature-connected living into one of the busiest areas of Manhattan.”

Each of the residences within Ruby are thoughtfully appointed with sophisticated details. Kitchens are designed with integrated Bosch appliances with herringbone backsplash, harkening back to the textile context. The bathrooms also feature porcelain herringbone tiles, with ceramic subway tile walls and extra-wide built-in medicine cabinets. All units include a Bosch stacked washer and dryer, three-layer, 5-inch-wide engineered oak wood flooring, keyless unit entry door hardware, Nest thermometers, solar shades throughout (including blackout shades in the bedrooms) and generous closet space. Approximately 10 percent of units have private outdoor space. 

The approximately 19,000-square-foot robust amenity package includes an array of indoor/outdoor offerings. In addition to a rooftop pool, roof lounge and grilling terrace, there is a club lounge with dining and entertainment areas, a library lounge with coworking and meeting spaces, a landscaped courtyard and lobby garden, a 5,000-square-foot, two-floor fitness center with cardio and weight training facilities, and more.

The Ruby facade is contextual masonry inspired by the rich historic architectural fabric of the neighborhood featuring hand-laid brick, richly patterned surfaces and narrow setbacks. While the exterior evokes the neighborhood’s industrial past, the interior lobby and amenity spaces provide tranquil moments promoting wellbeing including warmly-lit wood panels, angled millwork, custom panels and diffused interior lighting. The two towers are anchored by a courtyard – a private sanctuary overlooking a landscaped lobby garden, connecting the residents to nature. 

Ruby incorporates high-performance building systems that optimize energy performance, enhance indoor air quality, and improve acoustic performance to provide residents with the ultimate luxury – an urban sanctuary. Along with all of the outdoor spaces, daylighting of corridors, and the use of natural materials and patterns in design, the sustainability strategies will contribute to the building’s LEED Silver certification.

“We are thrilled to be a part of MAG Partner’s inaugural project. The thoughtfully designed and constructed development brings much-needed affordable and market-rate housing to Chelsea,” said Andy D’Amico, president and CEO of Urban Atelier Group, which is leading the construction management of the project. “Ruby is the perfect model for housing in the 21st century with a design rooted in the neighborhood’s architectural fabric and sustainable strategies that connect residents to nature. The project’s success would not have been possible without the trust and transparency between our partners to help bring the vision to life.”

To further honor Bailey, MAG Partners has partnered with The Social Justice Center at FIT – a first-of-its-kind initiative in higher education seeking to address the systemic problems faced by BIPOC youth, college students, and working professionals in the fields that drive the creative economy – to offer a scholarship for BIPOC FIT students.

“We are proud to honor the life of Ruby Bailey and the contributions she made as a Black female artist who built a lifelong career in New York City,” Gilmartin added. “The partnership with FIT will allow her legacy to live on through the lives of the next generation of BIPOC creatives looking to make their mark in the city.”

Founded by seasoned real estate professional Gilmartin, MAG Partners was formed in 2020 as a 21st century national urban development company dedicated to diversity and inclusivity in the real estate industry. The Ruby announcement comes on the heels of MAG Partners’ 2022 successful launch of its Baltimore Peninsula project in Baltimore, Maryland, a 235-acre master plan designed for impact on a post-industrial waterfront peninsula in central South Baltimore. The project is being developed in partnership with Sagamore Ventures, Urban Investment Group within Goldman Sachs Asset Management and MacFarlane Partners.

Other NYC projects in the works for MAG Partners include nearby 335 Eighth Avenue, a mixed income, 190-unit apartment building with ground floor commercial space; 300 East 50th Street, a 194-unit multifamily building with ground floor retail at the corner of Second Avenue; and 122 Varick Street, a 175,000-square-foot boutique office development. The female names of the future residential buildings will be unveiled closer to their launches.

Ruby is conveniently located within walking distance to Penn Station which includes access to nearly every NYC subway line in addition to the Long Island Railroad, New Jersey Transit, PATH and Amtrak. Residents will enjoy easy access to the city’s leading restaurants, entertainment venues, shopping and more.

“Having worked with MAG Partners and the entire design team from inception, Douglas Elliman Development Marketing is proud to represent Ruby and bring to market this best-in-class rental development,” said Matthew Villetto, Executive Vice President, Douglas Elliman Development Marketing. “The integration of wellness, biophilic aspects, high design and finishes, unparalleled amenities and services, contextual architecture, stunning views and more have resulted in an end-product and experience that will undoubtedly stand out in the marketplace and exceed renter expectations.”  

The project is a joint venture between MAG Partners, Safanad, Atalaya Capital Management and Qualitas. MAG Partners previously announced that it has secured a $173 million construction loan from Madison Realty Capital for the project.

Market-rate studios at Ruby begin at $4,500 per month. Douglas Elliman Development Marketing is the exclusive marketing and leasing agent for Ruby. For more information, please visit rubychelsea.com or (212) 551-RUBY.

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About MAG Partners

MAG Partners is a woman-owned, urban real estate company with decades of experience developing impactful, iconic, large-scale projects throughout New York City. Led by MaryAnne Gilmartin, together the MAG Partners team has successfully designed, built and operated over 7 million square feet of office, residential and mixed-use projects, including over 2,000 units of housing, with a total value of over $4.5 billion. The firm believes and has proven that principles of beauty, diversity and sustainability create lasting value.

About COOKFOX Architects

COOKFOX Architects is a New York based architectural and interior design studio. COOKFOX has built a studio focused on high-performance, environmentally responsive, socially engaged design. The studio is well-known for innovative design that supports physical health and mental wellness at the highest standards of environmental performance. With a portfolio of diverse residential, workplace, and education projects, COOKFOX seeks to pursue architecture that restores, regenerates, and elevates our collective experience of the urban environment. www.cookfox.com

About Douglas Elliman Development Marketing (DEDM)

Douglas Elliman Development Marketing, a division of Douglas Elliman Real Estate, offers unmatched expertise in sales, leasing, and marketing for new developments throughout New York City,  Long Island, Westchester, New Jersey, Florida, California, Massachusetts, and Texas. The company’s new development hybrid platform matches highly experienced new development experts with skilled brokerage professionals who provide unparalleled expertise and real time market intelligence to its clients. The firm is heralded for its achievements in record breaking sales throughout each of its regions. Drawing upon decades of experience and market-specific knowledge, Douglas Elliman Development Marketing offers a multidisciplinary approach that includes comprehensive in-house research, planning and design, marketing, and sales. Through a strategic global alliance with Knight Frank Residential, the world’s largest privately-owned property consultancy, the company markets properties to audiences in 61 countries, representing an over $87 billion global new development portfolio. https://www.elliman.com/marketing

About Urban Atelier Group

Urban Atelier Group (UAG) is a boutique construction management firm based in New York City. UAG’s culture is rooted in the ethos of an atelier – the team views itself as a creative workshop where each member has a voice and the ability to elicit change.Founded by President and CEO Andy D’Amico and Executive Vice President and Operations Manager, James Palace, the firm emphasizes a collaborative process, working with key stakeholders to build beyond construction drawings. The firm’s portfolio of distinguished work is defined by analytic problem-solving and transparency, constructing innovative designs with unparalleled service. https://www.uag.nyc/

February 22, 2023
The Baltimore Sun

Roost extended-stay hotel to open this summer at Baltimore Peninsula

A Roost Apartment Hotel will open this summer at Baltimore Peninsula, billing itself as an extended-stay property that blends the attributes of a boutique hotel and upscale apartments.

The hotel with 81 extended-stay units and 40 apartments will be the latest addition to the 235-acre mixed-use waterfront neighborhood under development in South Baltimore. Leasing started earlier this month for two separate apartment buildings with 416 units.

On Wednesday, developers unveiled the brand, design and management of a hotel they’ve long planned for Baltimore Peninsula, under development by MAG Partners and MacFarlane Partners with joint venture partners Sagamore Ventures and Goldman Sachs.

The Roost brand “not only brings a high-quality, high-design hotel operation to the neighborhood, it bolsters our credentials as a destination to visit and enjoy,” said Kevin Plank, Sagamore’s principal and CEO, in an announcement.

Plank is also founder of Under Armour, which is building a new global headquarters nearby on waterfront land owned by the sports apparel brand.

The waterfront community, formerly called Port Covington, was rebranded as Baltimore Peninsula in November. The hotel and apartments are among the first five buildings, which also include two office buildings with tenants that include CFG Bank and H. Chambers Co.

Roost, at 2400 Terrapin Way, is a hotel concept of Philadelphia-based Method Co., a real estate and management company that specializes in hospitality and restaurants. Method has opened Roost hotels in Philadelphia, Cleveland and Tampa, Florida, and plans locations in Detroit and Charleston, South Carolina. The hotels offer stays as short as a few nights to as long as nine months.

Before becoming familiar with Method’s offerings, MaryAnne Gilmartin, founder and CEO of MAG Partners, said in an interview that her “sense of extended stay was really an idea that was really stuck in the past. I did not understand how evolved and bespoke the offering is at Method. … They’re really focused on a very particular piece of the market.”

Gilmartin said she expects businesses at Baltimore Peninsula to rely on ROOST as a place for their guests and visitors to stay.

The hotel, which Method will manage, will offer a mix of furnished studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartment hotel units with full-size kitchens and balconies, a concierge, fitness center, open-air pool, and outdoor bar and lounge.

“It’s a great location for our first Roost here in Baltimore,” said Randy Cook, Method’s co-founder and CEO, in an interview.

Method started the brand about a decade ago to fill a void in the extended-stay space, which Cook said lacked “product that focused on high-touch service and design in an apartment setting.”

“AirBNB has done a lot for this segment in terms of letting people experience what it’s like to stay in an apartment for a shorter term, but there’s a lot of inconsistencies in that experience,” Cook said. “One of the things we deliver with Roost is a branded experience in an apartment-style accommodation.”

Rates typically depend upon length of stay, starting at $269 a night. Cook said he expects about half the business to come from guests who stay a month or more, while about half will likely stay from about a week to a month. He said he has seen strong demand among employees who relocate or travel to work on long-term projects and in areas with medical facilities or film production hubs.



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February 22, 2023

Development Team Announces New ROOST Hotel in Baltimore Peninsula

The high-design, extended-stay hotel brand will introduce an 81-room apartment hotel to the waterfront neighborhood

Today, the Baltimore Peninsula development team, led by MAG Partners and MacFarlane Partners, and Method Co., the nationally-acclaimed development and design company rooted in hospitality, announced plans for a new design-centric, 81-room ROOST Apartment Hotel, the concept known for bridging the boutique hotel experience with apartment-style living. The new ROOST Apartment Hotel in Baltimore will be located within Baltimore Peninsula at 2400 Terrapin Way, a 235-acre mixed-use waterfront neighborhood. The team, together with its joint venture partners Sagamore Ventures and the Urban Investment Group within Goldman Sachs Asset Management (Goldman Sachs), is scheduled to open ROOST Baltimore Peninsula in Summer 2023.

The multi-million-dollar project, designed by architecture firm Hord Coplan Macht, will feature a mix of furnished studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartment hotel units with interiors designed in collaboration between interior design firm Aumen Asner Inc. and Method Studios, Method Co.’s in-house design firm.

Each apartment hotel unit will feature full-size kitchens with modern-day appliances and full-wall windows and balconies to take advantage of the stunning waterfront views. The apartment hotel units, amenity space and lobby feature custom and curated furnishings from designers such as Lawson-Fenning, Gubi, TON, Pedrali, &Tradition, Interior Define, Noguchi, Santa and Cole, Dumais Made, O & G, and Lumas. The furniture curation throughout the space, also designed by Method Studios, draws inspiration from the industrial and maritime heritage of Baltimore as a premier port city. The space is populated with vintage designer pieces, with a color palette of blues and greens accented by blackened steel and rich walnut wood. The property includes a 24-7 concierge, an on-site fitness center with Peloton bikes, and 20,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor resort-like amenity space including an open-air pool lined with cabanas and an outdoor fireplace centered around a full-service hybrid bar and lounge. Additionally, Method Co. will be leasing out 40 apartment units for long-term residents who will also have access to all of the building’s amenities. 

“With the addition of ROOST, Baltimore Peninsula is poised to become a vibrant destination for visitors and workforce talent that wouldn’t otherwise have an opportunity to experience the Baltimore Peninsula lifestyle,” said MaryAnne Gilmartin, Founder and CEO of MAG Partners. “ROOST’s high-design and commitment to quality compliments our broader approach as we create a new 24/7 neighborhood.”

“When we brought ROOST to the table a few years ago, we were confident this would all happen in due time,” said Marc Weller, Founding Partner and President of Weller Development Partners. “There is real momentum around this new neighborhood – you are seeing office leases getting signed and now an apartment hotel with ROOST that offers unique flexibility for Baltimore’s dynamic residents and visitors alike.”

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to open our sixth ROOST location within the incredible city of Baltimore. MAG Partners and MacFarlane Partners are completely transforming the city’s waterfront experience with Baltimore Peninsula, making it an incredibly desirable destination for locals and visitors alike,” said Randall Cook, Co-Founder and CEO of Method Co. “We were drawn to this project by Kevin Plank and his partner’s positive energy, vision and commitment for the area and we look forward to playing a role in bringing that vision to life. At Method Co., it is an exciting moment for us as we explore new dimensions within our ROOST brand. The property’s design is thoughtfully layered with luxury details to create an elevated home-like experience. We’ve also worked to enhance our full-service amenity space. With a relatively low number of units versus the size of our team, we’ll be focused on delivering a high service and personalized experience to our hotel guests and residents alike.”

“We’re excited by the continued momentum and the addition of ROOST further establishes Baltimore Peninsula as the destination for travelers to experience Baltimore’s vibrant, waterfront community,” said Michael Lohr, Managing Director, Goldman Sachs Asset Management. “The development furthers our collective goal of increasing opportunities for residents of the local community by creating new jobs and bringing new economic activity to the area.”

“The momentum of activity at Baltimore Peninsula is a testament to the overall vision that we set out to create from the start,” said Kevin Plank, Principal and CEO of Sagamore Ventures. “ROOST’s unique brand not only brings a high-quality, high design hotel operation to the neighborhood, it bolsters our credentials as a destination to visit and enjoy. It’s a great addition alongside our growing list of office tenants and new residents.”

The ROOST Apartment Hotel will be Baltimore’s first high-design, extended-stay hotel concept, blending the comfort and space of an apartment with the amenities and design of a boutique hotel, creating a temporary living environment ideally suited for today’s travelers away for a few days and long-term guests alike. Considered a pioneer in the high-design apartment hotel movement, Method Co.’s ROOST Apartment Hotel brand is significantly expanding its portfolio with recent openings outside of its home base of Philadelphia, including Cleveland and Tampa with plans to open additional locations in Detroit this Spring and Charleston in 2024.

Method Co. has combined its expertise in design, placemaking and operations to lead the development of the new property, building upon its robust portfolio of successful brands and hotel property launches, including five open locations of the ROOST Apartment Hotel brand, Whyle, Wm. Mulherin’s Sons Restaurant & Hotel, HIROKI, Charleston’s newest luxury boutique hotel, The Pinch, along with its adjacent oyster bar and cocktail lounge, The Quinte, and the recent opening of Wilmington, Delaware’s first, luxury boutique hotel, The Quoin along with its craft cocktail lounge, Simmer Down.

The Baltimore Region is the 20th largest metropolitan population in the United States with more than 2.8 million residents and encompasses more than 2,500 square miles of diverse land. With its premier geographic location, the region provides overnight access to one-third of the U.S. consumer market. For residents, business, or leisure travelers, it’s a short trip from Washington DC, Philadelphia, New York, and Boston. The new ROOST Apartment Hotel will further support Baltimore Peninsula’s ability to accommodate the high volume of travelers, as well as residents moving to the area.

This addition of the ROOST Apartment Hotel follows a string of announcements the development team has recently made, including the start of residential leasing; welcoming CFG Bank as the area’s largest office tenant; renaming of the neighborhood to Baltimore Peninsula; and the launch of a new strategic partnership with Sweeten to bring transparent, data-driven decision making to the construction industry, resulting in increased participation by local minority and women-owned businesses. To date, Baltimore Peninsula has committed more than $132 million in contracts to Baltimore City-certified MBE/WBE firms, exceeding its initial goals with 35 percent participation for MBEs and 13 percent for WBEs.

Property renderings and imagery can be found here. Visit the property’s website here and follow ROOST Apartment Hotel on Instagram here.

For more information on Baltimore Peninsula, visit baltimorepeninsula.com or visit on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

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About ROOST Apartment Hotel

ROOST Apartment Hotel is a high-design, boutique extended-stay hotel concept, conceptualized by Philadelphia-based hospitality company Method Co. A first of its kind, ROOST introduces a fresh approach to hospitality by blending the comfort and practicality of an apartment with the amenities and design of a boutique hotel, creating a temporary living environment ideally suited for a long-term stay. ROOST offers studio, one and two-bedroom and penthouse apartments with full-sized kitchens and modern appliances in a beautifully appointed space, which features contemporary furnishings, antique elements, custom lighting, and unique artwork. Featured amenities include an artisanal coffee program curated by La Colombe, bike share program, and recurring resident receptions that partner with local vendors, while a dedicated 24-hour concierge desk and on-site services team further enhance and ensure a memorable guest experience. The first location, ROOST Midtown, opened in 2015 and features 28 fully furnished apartments; their second outpost, ROOST Rittenhouse, followed in 2016 featuring 27 apartments and a communal lobby; their third location, ROOST East Market opened in January 2019 with 60 apartments, an outdoor pool, and communal in Philadelphia’s Midtown Village neighborhood. The fourth location is the first outside of Philadelphia – ROOST Cleveland, which opened in March 2022 and features 62 apartments located downtown within the historic May building, a restoration of the city’s original 1915 department store, while their fifth location, ROOST Tampa, opened in July 2022 and includes 97 apartments within Asher, a residential building within the new Water Street Tampa development. ROOST has plans to open locations in other markets, including Detroit in the spring 2023, Baltimore in summer 2023 and Charleston in early 2024. www.myroost.com

About Baltimore Peninsula

Baltimore Peninsula is a 235-acre redevelopment project located on Baltimore City’s prime waterfront, featuring investments from Sagamore Ventures and the Urban Investment Group within Goldman Sachs Asset Management. As one of the largest urban revitalization efforts in the United States, Baltimore Peninsula will have a fundamental and far-reaching impact on Baltimore’s future. At completion, this transformative project will include: up to 14 million square feet of new, mixed-use development; 2.5 miles of restored waterfront; and 40 acres of parks and green space. The Baltimore Peninsula redevelopment is expected to generate fresh opportunities for innovation and entrepreneurship for Baltimore City residents and its local workforce.

About the Goldman Sachs Asset Management Urban Investment Group (UIG)

Bringing together traditional and alternative investments, Goldman Sachs Asset Management provides clients around the world with a dedicated partnership and focus on long-term performance. As the primary investing area within Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS), we deliver investment and advisory services for the world’s leading institutions, financial advisors and individuals, drawing from our deeply connected global network and tailored expert insights, across every region and market—overseeing more than $2 trillion in assets under supervision worldwide as of December 31, 2022. Driven by a passion for our clients’ performance, we seek to build long-term relationships based on conviction, sustainable outcomes, and shared success over time. Goldman Sachs Asset Management invests in the full spectrum of alternatives, including private equity, growth equity, private credit, real estate and infrastructure.  Established in 2001, the Urban Investment Group within Goldman Sachs Asset Management has committed over $14 billion through real estate projects, social enterprises and lending facilities for small businesses and students, creating economic value and opportunities for underserved communities and families. Follow us on LinkedIn.

About MAG Partners

MAG Partners is a woman-owned, urban real estate company with decades of experience developing impactful, iconic, large-scale projects throughout New York City. Led by MaryAnne Gilmartin, together the MAG Partners team has successfully designed, built and operated over 7 million square feet of office, residential and mixed-use projects, including over 2,000 units of housing, with a total value of over $4.5 billion. The firm believes and has proven that principles of beauty, diversity and sustainability create lasting value.

About MacFarlane Partners

MacFarlane Partners is a real estate investment and development firm that acquires, develops and manages properties on behalf of some of the world’s largest pension plans and institutions as well as for its own account. Founded in 1987, the firm pioneered the urban investment concept among institutional real estate investment managers in the 1990s and today is a leading investor in and developer of properties that promote smart growth, urban revitalization, sustainability and equitable development in urban and high-density suburban areas nationwide. It is headquartered in San Francisco and operates a regional office in Los Angeles.

About Method Co.

Method Co. is a Philadelphia-based hospitality, development, design and branding firm founded on the joining of historically compatible disciplines under one roof; the firm bridges the worlds of interior design and real estate development, while embracing the custom design of products, furniture, identities and experiences. Built from a team of individuals with extensive experience in the fields of finance, interior design, branding, architecture, urban planning and fine arts, Method company’s diverse skill set forms the foundation of the firm’s interdisciplinary practice. The team has been responsible for the design, staging and development of hotel, restaurant, and real estate projects, such as the ROOST Apartment Hotel brand, Whyle, Wm. Mulherin’s Sons Restaurant & Hotel and HIROKI restaurant, along with the newly opened boutique property in Charleston, The Pinch, and the recently opened boutique hotel, The Quoin, in Wilmington, DE. www.methodco.com

Media Contacts:      

Baltimore Peninsula/BerlinRosen

[email protected]

Method Co./M18

[email protected]

February 15, 2023
YIMBY

Ruby Nears Completion At 241 West 28th Street In Chelsea, Manhattan

Exterior work is nearing completion on Ruby, a 22-story two-tower residential complex at 241 West 28th Street in Chelsea. Designed by COOKFOX and developed by MAG Partners, Atalaya, Safanad, and Qualitas, the 400,000-square-foot project will yield 480 rental units with 144 reserved for low- and middle-income households, as well as 8,500 square feet of ground-floor retail space. Urban Atelier Group is the general contractor for the property, which is located on a through-block parcel between Seventh and Eighth Avenues with frontage on both West 28th and 29th Streets. The developers are aiming for LEED Silver certification.

Since our last update in October, the construction elevator has been dismantled from the West 28th Street elevation and the gap in the façade has been filled in. Nearly all of the 100,000 square feet of bricks have been laid by King Contracting Group and the mostly blank western sides of both towers are now clad in their final EIFS enclosure. Only minor work remains to be completed around the ground floor and upper levels. Belden Tri-State supplied the brick on this one and Cladding Concepts supplied the decorative railings.

241 West 28th Street. Photo by Michael Young
241 West 28th Street. Photo by Michael Young
241 West 28th Street. Photo by Michael Young
241 West 28th Street. Photo by Michael Young
241 West 28th Street. Photo by Michael Young
241 West 28th Street. Photo by Michael Young
241 West 28th Street. Photo by Michael Young
241 West 28th Street. Photo by Michael Young
241 West 28th Street. Photo by Michael Young

More of the decorative railings have been put in place across the second level and eastern end of the building, and dark spandrels have been installed across the upper levels. Sidewalk scaffolding still surrounds the northern and southern ground-floor frontage but should be removed in the coming weeks once exterior work wraps up.

241 West 28th Street. Photo by Michael Young
241 West 28th Street. Photo by Michael Young
241 West 28th Street. Photo by Michael Young
241 West 28th Street. Photo by Michael Young
241 West 28th Street. Photo by Michael Young
241 West 28th Street. Photo by Michael Young
241 West 28th Street. Photo by Michael Young

The below images show the look of the interior sides of the towers, which feature metal paneling lining their central cores.

241 West 28th Street. Photo by Michael Young
241 West 28th Street. Photo by Michael Young
241 West 28th Street. Photo by Michael Young

Homes come with in-unit washers and dryers, central AC, and name-brand kitchen appliances. Amenities at Ruby include a dog-washing station, a media room, multiple indoor lounges, fitness center, children’s playroom, laundry room, bike storage, live-in superintendent, a 24/7 attended lobby, and an outdoor lounge with a swimming pool and an adjoining terrace.

The nearest subway is the local 1 train at the 28th Street station to the east along Seventh Avenue. Also nearby is the 34th Street-Penn Station complex with access to the A, C, E, 1, 2, and 3 trains, Long Island Rail Road, New Jersey Transit, and Amtrak.

241 West 28th Street is anticipated to be completed this summer.



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