A long-held warehouse and textile building in Manhattan’s West Chelsea Arts District is being repositioned as a boutique office property, marking a shift in how this High Line-fronting asset will be used. Jamison Commercial RE and Cahn Family Associates LLC are jointly redeveloping the six-story structure at 510-514 W. 27th St., which offers more than 100 feet of frontage along the elevated park.
The property has been owned and occupied by the Cahn family’s textile business for more than four decades, and that legacy presence will continue as the business plans to remain in a portion of the building for the foreseeable future. At the same time, the sponsors are undertaking a full reimagining of the site to appeal to office users and commercial condominium buyers seeking a foothold in the West Chelsea arts corridor.
The planned redevelopment is expected to encompass 51,400 square feet of space. The program includes an approximately 7,500-square-foot ground floor, five rentable floors of about 8,500 square feet each, and a 1,400-square-foot penthouse level. Jamison Commercial RE will also leverage its brokerage division to handle sales and leasing at the property, positioning the building for both for-sale and for-lease occupancy options once the renovation is complete.
Davis Architecture and DeSimone Consulting Engineering have been engaged to design and engineer the project. Their scope calls for a comprehensive renovation of the existing structure, including a restored and redesigned facade intended to modernize the building’s street presence while maintaining its character. Plans also call for a landscaped rooftop outdoor area to enhance tenant and owner usability at the upper levels.
The sponsors are considering adding a new floor at the top of the building, which would be subject to governmental approvals. In line with a for-sale commercial condominium strategy, ownership intends to market the property’s top four floors as a potential combined acquisition opportunity. They also envision the flexibility to divide that space into individual full-floor units, while retaining the option to lease out any available floors based on market interest.
According to Jamison Weiner, principal of Jamison Commercial RE, the combination of direct High Line frontage, full-floor layouts, strong natural light and views, and the building’s position in the heart of the arts district is expected to support the creation of a distinctive boutique property for companies and owners seeking a lasting presence in this neighborhood. A rendering of the planned project has been provided by Davis Architecture.
