Adding floors to the building, particularly when they include an expansive penthouse or two, can help increase profits. Exactly that will happen with the Cast Iron House in Tribeca, a 132-year-old landmark on lower Broadway. This historic building is currently undergoing a makeover by Shigeru Ban and will soon be topped with a glassy pair of penthouses. Beside penthouses, Ban will also redesign the interior of the building. The distinct feature of the two duplex penthouses is a Vierendeel truss (named for the Belgian civil engineer who devised it), a cantilever that allows for glass exterior doors to be completely opened, creating an uninterrupted expanse between the interiors and the surrounding terraces.
Both units will have ample private outdoor terrace space, which will give incredible views of the skyline. The first unit will have four bedrooms at a size of 3,800 square feet, while the other will be even bigger with five bedrooms and 4,560 square feet of space.
Each penthouse will contain a double-height living room area of 17 to 25 feet and will be on the market next month, and are expected to range from the high $12 millions to $15 million.
Built in 1882, the Cast Iron House has been fully renovated to preserve its architectural ornamentation, and will soon offer 11 other duplex apartments in addition to the two forthcoming penthouses.
Jourdan Krauss, the president of Knightsbridge Properties, the developer bought the Cast Iron House in 2002 at the age of 28. Formerly known as the James L. White Building, it used to house commercial tenants and a branch of Nyack College. After the tenants’ leases expired in 2008, Mr. Krauss began a three-year effort to renovate the facade, among other things restoring some 4,000 pieces of ornamental cast iron. In 2010 he brought on Mr. Ban, the Japanese architect known for his use of unusual materials.
