Meltzer/Mandl Architects complete university project

Real Estate Weekly, March 12, 2003

At 627 Broadway, architect David Mandl of Meltzer/Mandl Architects, P.C. has transformed almost 23,000 SF of a 100,000-SF Noho manufacturing building into classrooms, offices, a new entrance and a new address, 194 Mercer St., for a major New York City university.

The project entailed the creation of a strikingly contemporary new classroom and office facility inside the 10-story, circa-l 895 structure.

Students and faculty began using the facility at the end of January, when the spring term began.

Mandl designed a new entrance and lobby for the university on the building's Mercer Street facade, which faces the university's campus. Carved out of loading docks in what has always been the rear of the building, the new 800-SF entryway hosts the separate entrance for the university as well as a new hydraulic elevator solely for school traffic. Additionally, Mandl designed a total of 17 new classrooms for the second and third floors, which total 20,000 SF. All of the classrooms are outfitted with video projection systems and "smart" podiums with remote controls for all audio, visual and lighting equipment. There is also an advanced computer-training lab.

"The building has undergone an exciting transformation," says Mandl, president of Meltzer/Mandl. "The old entrance on Broadway is still part of a cityscape, while the view from the new Mercer Street entrance is very campus-like."

The landmark-district building is owned by Renaissance Properties, a family business that operated a bathing suit manufacturing business there until 1981, according to family representative Kenneth L. Fishel.

Since that time, the building has been rented out to other tenants. Current tenants, who use the 627 Broadway address, include Time Out New York and Stereo Exchange, a high-end stereo store