575 Broadway is a six-story, brick-and-stone, commercial loft building located in Soho’s Cast Iron Historic District, in New York City. It was commissioned by John Jacob Astor III and constructed between 1881 and 1882, on the site of the original Astor estate. Each floor is 20,000 square feet gross, giving the building a total area of 160,000 square feet. The entire building – offices, galleries, and retail space – has undergone comprehensive rehabilitation. The first and second floors, along with portions of the third and fourth and the basement, were originally leased by the Guggenheim to house their Soho museum, offices, and cafe.

The scope of the interior renovation included a new building core and the replacement of all HVAC, electrical, and plumbing systems. The new HVAC system was designed using state-of-the-art absorption boiler/chiller equipment. This system has the advantage of generating chilled water using only natural gas, easing electrical demands on the building and giving it a major advantage during New York’s critical peak summer months.

Existing conditions and all elements of the original construction were carefully documented, and storefront profiles were measured in great detail in order to replicate – as much as possible – original work that previous renovations had destroyed or obscured. The building’s original colors were determined by analysis of its painting history. While the main focus of the exterior design was restoration of the original configuration, two new areaway stairs were developed for the Mercer Street side to permit direct access to the basement level, a half level below the sidewalk. Sidewalk windows and rehabilitated sidewalk vault covers bring natural light to the basement.

Size

160,000 s.f.

Construction Cost

$ 10,800,000

Firm Responsibility

Programming
Zoning Approvals
Historic Review Approvals
Historic Restoration
Contract Documents
Contract Administration

Completion Date

1989