New York by Gehry, often referred to as the Spruce Street Gehry Building, stands as a testament to architectural innovation and design mastery. Soaring as the tallest residential tower in the Western Hemisphere, this skyscraper is the brainchild of the legendary Frank Gehry, marking his first foray into residential tower design. Its distinctive facade, characterized by flowing lines of glass and stainless steel, has sculpted a new silhouette against the Manhattan skyline, earning it recognition as an iconic landmark. Gehry’s pioneering incorporation of free-form bay windows not only defines the building’s dynamic exterior but also gifts residents with breathtaking panoramic views of the cityscape. The undulating folds of its skin create an unparalleled variety of apartment layouts, exceeding 350 unique designs within its structure. Gehry’s comprehensive design vision extends to the interiors, where he has meticulously crafted finishes for each residence, amenity, and public space.
Beyond its 903 market-rate apartments, this mixed-use development integrates a 100,000-square-foot public school spanning the first five floors—a pioneering initiative as New York City’s first public school built on private land. The building also accommodates medical offices for New York Downtown Hospital physicians, approximately 1,300 square feet of retail space at ground level, and 26,000 square feet of underground parking to serve the hospital. Enhancing its urban integration are two beautifully landscaped public plazas, covering 15,000 square feet, offering green oases in the bustling city. The initial launch of apartments on floors 7 through 38 in February 2011 was met with overwhelming enthusiasm, achieving 40 percent rental occupancy within just five months. The subsequent release of larger two- and three-bedroom units on the upper floors, from 40 to 76, in July 2011, further fueled the high demand for residences in this architectural marvel, the Spruce Street Gehry building.
Architectural Design: Baroque Inspiration Meets Modern Innovation
Alt text: The shimmering stainless steel curtain wall of the Spruce Street Gehry building, featuring its signature undulating design, mirrors the sky and surrounding urban landscape.
The architectural language of the Spruce Street Gehry building is a fascinating dialogue between Baroque artistry and contemporary technology. Encased in a stainless steel curtain wall punctuated by glass panels, the building unequivocally bears Frank Gehry’s signature undulating and asymmetrical aesthetic. The flowing folds of the facade, reminiscent of draped, lustrous fabric, draw inspiration from the 17th-century Italian sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini. Gehry himself has emphasized the distinction of these dramatic “Bernini folds” from the softer drapery associated with Michelangelo’s sculptures. The complex geometry of the building’s curtain wall, a key feature of the Spruce Street Gehry building, was meticulously mapped using Digital Project, a sophisticated computer software platform developed by Gehry Technologies.
The “Ripple” Effect of the Curtain Wall
Alt text: Detailed view of the Spruce Street Gehry building’s facade, highlighting the unique “ripple” effect created by hand-finished stainless steel panels.
The Spruce Street Gehry building’s expansive 428,000 square feet of undulating curtain wall incorporates 270 tons of 18-gauge steel, hand-finished in Japan. The engineering and fabrication of this intricate facade were monumental undertakings, spanning three and two years respectively. The facade is composed of 10,500 individual sculptural panels, each weighing 1,000 pounds, with an astounding 9,000 of them being unique. This bespoke approach underscores the architectural ambition and detail inherent in the Spruce Street Gehry building.
A Modern Take on the New York High-Rise
Frank Gehry’s design for the Spruce Street Gehry building reimagines the traditional Manhattan skyscraper. He playfully and respectfully references the tiered, “layer-cake” design common in the city’s architectural heritage, while injecting a thoroughly modern sensibility. Much like the Chrysler Building, another Manhattan icon clad in stainless steel, the Spruce Street Gehry building’s facade subtly reflects the ambient colors of its neighboring buildings and the East River, creating a visual harmony with its surroundings. Its glittering surface captures the dynamic interplay of morning and evening sunlight, further animating its presence within the cityscape.
Contextual Dialogue and Grounded Grandeur
Alt text: The Spruce Street Gehry building stands in conversation with the Woolworth Building and the Brooklyn Bridge, showcasing its contextual integration within the Lower Manhattan skyline.
The Spruce Street Gehry building engages in a visual conversation with iconic neighboring structures such as New York City Hall, Cass Gilbert’s Woolworth Building, and the Brooklyn Bridge. While the stainless steel residential tower rises dramatically, it is grounded by a terracotta-colored brick podium. This podium serves as both a pedestal for the tower and a point of connection with the surrounding community. It houses not only the residential lobby but also the public school, retail spaces, and doctors’ offices, embedding the Spruce Street Gehry building within the daily life of the neighborhood.
Bay Windows: “Stepping into Space”
Alt text: Inside a Spruce Street Gehry building apartment, a free-form bay window offers residents a panoramic vista of the surrounding New York City skyline.
The intricate, flowing curtain wall design of the Spruce Street Gehry building allows for a diverse array of apartment configurations. Where the walls meet the exterior facade, free-form bay windows extend outwards at the apex of the folds. Frank Gehry describes the experience of stepping into these bay windows and taking in the expansive panoramic views as “stepping into space,” highlighting the unique spatial quality afforded by the building’s design.
Intimate Outdoor Public Spaces
Alt text: The landscaped public plaza at the Spruce Street Gehry building, designed with trees, native grasses, and seating, offers a tranquil urban retreat.
The Spruce Street Gehry building features two public plazas, designed by Field Operations, the landscape architects behind New York City’s High Line, in collaboration with Dutch horticulturalist Piet Oudolf, who previously partnered with Gehry on Chicago’s Millennium Park. These plazas offer a pastoral respite from the urban hustle, featuring intimate seating areas nestled within a landscape of trees, native grasses, and perennials. Layered canopy trees create varied light qualities throughout the day, contributing to an urban oasis enhanced by vine-covered sculptural elements, lighted planters, and animated water features. These thoughtfully designed spaces underscore the Spruce Street Gehry building’s commitment to public amenity and community engagement.
Residences: Unique Layouts and Panoramic Vistas
The distinctive exterior design of the Spruce Street Gehry building translates into an unprecedented variety of residential unit layouts. The 903 apartments, spanning from the seventh floor to the penthouse levels, include studios, one-, two-, and three-bedroom configurations. Bay windows throughout the building provide stunning vistas in every direction. To the west, residents enjoy intimate views of the Woolworth Building set against the backdrop of the Hudson River piers and parks. The eastern and northern exposures unfold panoramic views of all five East River bridges and iconic midtown skyscrapers, including the Empire State and Chrysler Buildings. Northern views extend to Central Park and the George Washington Bridge, while southern and eastern perspectives capture Manhattan against the expanse of New York Harbor and the Atlantic Ocean.
The residential experience begins with a welcoming entrance featuring Frank Gehry’s custom-designed sculptural concierge desk in the lobby, which harmonizes with the lobby’s honey-colored vertical grain Douglas fir walls. Residents enter the Spruce Street Gehry building through a porte cochère located between Beekman and Spruce Streets, fronted by an 11,500 square-foot plaza. Interior spaces are fully curated by Frank Gehry, including cabinetry crafted from his signature honey-colored, vertical-grain Douglas Fir. He also designed sculptural residential entry door handles and hardware, inspired by organic forms and movement. All residences feature white oak flooring, solar shades for privacy and view preservation, and stainless steel Energy Star appliances, along with washer/dryer units. Building-wide amenities include water filtration, individually-controlled vertical heating and cooling units, and low-emitting paints, coatings, and sealants with low-volatile organic content to enhance indoor air quality.
Amenities: Exclusive Spaces for Wellness and Leisure
Residents of the Spruce Street Gehry building benefit from exclusive access to a 24-hour doorman, comprehensive concierge services, and 22,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor amenity spaces dedicated to health, wellness, social interaction, and entertainment. The 6th floor’s southern Grilling Terrace features dining cabanas with picnic tables, café seating, and grills, all with stunning views of the Woolworth Building. Adjacent to the terrace is a Game Room furnished with custom Frank Gehry seating. The 7th floor houses a 50-foot sky-lit pool, surrounded by retractable glass doors that seamlessly connect indoor and outdoor spaces, leading to a wraparound sundeck. Overlooking City Hall Park to the north, a large Drawing Room with multiple seating areas and a grand piano is located next to a Private Dining Room. Both spaces can be reserved for residents’ events and are serviced by a Chef’s Demonstration and Catering Kitchen. A 3,300 square-foot state-of-the-art Fitness Center, offering views of the Brooklyn Bridge, and a Spa Treatment Suite are also situated on the 7th floor. The 8th floor provides further amenities including Group Fitness, Pilates, and Private Training Studios, a Library with a curated collection of books and periodicals, a Tweens’ Den, a Children’s Playroom, and a Screening Room featuring Gehry-designed amphitheater seating. Bike storage is also available for residents, further enhancing the comprehensive amenity offerings at the Spruce Street Gehry building.
Lower Manhattan Community Integration
The Spruce Street Gehry building is designed to be an integral component of its Lower Manhattan community, an area that has seen a 170% residential population increase in the last decade. The building’s base is intentionally designed to serve the community, housing a much-needed public school, retail spaces, and medical offices for New York Downtown Hospital affiliates. Its public plazas provide accessible open space for the neighborhood. The 100,000 square-foot public school, occupying floors one through five, is the first NYC public school built on private land and accommodates approximately 630 students from pre-K through 8th grade. It also includes a 5,000-square-foot rooftop play area on the fifth floor. New York Downtown Hospital’s 21,000-square-foot ambulatory care center with doctors’ offices is located on the fifth floor, accessible via a lobby on William Street. Parking for the medical offices is provided in a 175-space underground garage accessed from William Street. The two public plazas are designed for community enjoyment. The eastern plaza on William Street, approximately 3,500 square feet, is intended for use by school students. The western plaza, adjacent to Nassau Street, offers 11,500 square feet of distinctive open space, visually connected to the building through design elements inspired by Gehry’s tower. Lighted planters, trees, ornamental grasses, perennials, vine-covered sculptural elements, and water fountains create a vibrant and inviting public realm, underscoring the Spruce Street Gehry building’s commitment to enriching the urban fabric of Lower Manhattan.
Site History and Development Timeline
The site of the Spruce Street Gehry building, previously a parking lot owned by New York Downtown Hospital, underwent a request for proposals process initiated by the hospital in November 2003 for its development. Forest City Ratner Companies was selected in late 2003, acquiring the land and development rights in December 2004. Construction commenced in October 2006 with foundation work, followed by superstructure construction starting in April 2008. The school core and shell were delivered to the NYC School Construction Authority in Summer 2009, and the building topped out in November 2009. Residential leasing began in February 2011. The school was delivered in Summer 2011 and opened in September 2011.
Development Costs and Financing Structure
The total development cost for the Spruce Street Gehry building amounted to $875 million. Forest City Ratner secured $680 million in construction financing in March 2008, which included $204 million in bonds from the New York Liberty Bond Program issued by the NYC Housing Development Corporation. A consortium of financial institutions, including Eurohypo AG, NORD/LB, ING Real Estate Finance, Fifth Third Bank, RBS Citizens, N.A., and Munich Re AG, participated in the financing. The National Electrical Benefit Fund (NEBF) provided a Mezzanine Loan and became Forest City Ratner’s equity partner in the project. In July 2011, Forest City Enterprises, Inc. and National Real Estate Advisors (NREA) restructured and modified credit facilities, significantly reducing the property’s debt. NREA, representing NEBF, converted mezzanine debt to equity, increasing its ownership to 49 percent. Forest City also modified financing with the bank group led by Eurohypo. These financial adjustments reduced the total property debt from $715 million to $539 million and Forest City’s share of the debt from $500 million to $275 million, with Forest City subsidiaries retaining 51 percent ownership of this landmark Spruce Street Gehry building.
