Beekman Regent offers brand new lofts

Real Estate Weekly, June 9, 2004

Responding to the demands of Manhattan's home buying community, The Beckman Regent, a landmarked condominium residence at 351 E. 51st St., announced that it is offering for the very first time a new selection of loft-like homes titled The Private Reserve.

Renowned architect Costas Kondylis designed these 10 exquisitely finished residences, housed in the restored facade of a former turn-of-the-century schoolhouse on First Avenue.

The homes, ranging from 1,824 to 3,170 s/f, feature 14-foot coffered ceilings with cove lighting, 12-inch triple crown moldings, 10-foot high windows, 9-foot solid core doors, sweeping galleries, large onyx master bathrooms and gourmet kitchens. Prices range from $2.9 to $6.6 million.

"The Private Reserve represents a unique offering, unlike that of any other condominium ever offered in midtown Manhattan or on the Upper East Side," said developer Dennis A. Herman, of Beckman International Center, LLC. "Originally, we planned to offer these units as raw space, but in the post 9/11 luxury marketplace, a finished product was more in demand."

The Beekman Regent combines pre-war ambiance with a diverse mix of 64 luxury residences.

The structure, whose four-story facade was painstakingly preserved during the building's demolition, served as the home of various schools during the past century, including PS 35, PS 135 and the United Nations School.

The 20-story condominium (equivalent to 28 floors in a typical building) features unique layouts, representing four design concepts--loft-like residences, townhouses, one-, two- and three-bedroom classic residences and simplex and duplex penthouses. Occupancy began back in Spring 2002 and, while most of the building's homes have been spoken for, a small handful of residences are now available.

Like the other residences at The Beckman Regent, The Private Reserve homes feature fine, European-inspired finishes.

The building offers doorman and concierge service, a library/drawing room, on-site garage with valet parking, a 1,500 s/f fitness center, private resident's lounge, storage rooms, bicycle and pram room and a wine cellar.

The building recently won the prestigious Mercedes Benz Property Award as the "Finest International Redevelopment in the World," becoming the first New York City building to receive the honor in 35 years.