307 W. 43rd Street is located in the heart of Manhattan’s Theatre District. This residential building provides a mix of apartments for 80% area median-income tenants including three-, two-, one-bedroom, and studio apartments.

The steel façade lends a gritty alternative to the nearby glitz of Broadway. ESKW/A worked closely with metal fabricators in Brooklyn to design large steel sheets that could be easily transported and then installed onsite. In keeping with the client’s request, the material creates the effect of an old-style manufacturing building. The painted, oversized, steel beams and columns with rivets are meant to evoke old I-beams that are iconic features of NYC’s subway stations. 

Oversized cameos in the spacious lobby are a nod to the district’s theatrical past. The cameos hung in a nearby building that started as a vaudeville theatre in 1916 and was eventually razed to make way for adjacent Intercontinental Hotel in 2007. The client, Clinton Housing Development (CHDC), salvaged these cameos.

In keeping with the client’s request, the layout carefully maintains separate spaces for community and private residential use. Two sets of lobbies, stairs, and elevators for tenant and public use preserve the privacy and security of the residents. For the public, generous rehearsal space on the lower levels is intended for not-for-profit theatre, dance, and singing. Hardwood floors and floor-to-ceiling mirrors make it a versatile community space.

The green-friendly design allows for numerous amenities for residents. The design locates the boiler room on the roof to maximize apartment space in this dense area and eliminates running a costly flue from basement through the roof. A patio connected to the laundry room provides a respite for residents and facilitates interactions between neighbors. Each apartment boasts high-end bathroom accessories, hardwood floors, and a custom-installed EnergyStar AC that is painted to match the steel façade. Tall, wide windows at both front and back ends provide ample daylight for each apartment. A generous backyard, landscaped by CHDC, is accessible to the first floor studio apartment.