Village Blueprints – Building the Neighborhood’s Future

The Transformation of Sixth Avenue at 14th Street

By Brian J. Pape, AIA, LEED-AP

Ever since the pandemic of 2020, not a month has gone by that 14th Street has not had major new construction occurring at the intersection of Ninth and Sixth avenues, espcially on Sixth Avenue.

This intersection of Sixth Avenue and 14th Street has long been dominated by the nine-story, ca.1906, mixed-use elevator building at 60 West 14th Street. The first Macy’s department store was located on Sixth Avenue between 13th and 14th streets, before moving to the present-day store at Herald Square on West 34th Street in 1902, where Macy’s was able to grow into the world’s largest department store building. I am filling in between the lines, since my search for the exact location of Macy’s isn’t conclusive. As I study the west side of Sixth Avenue between 13th and 14th streets, the tenements or small retail buildings on small lots would not suggest the presence of a store like Macy’s. But Macy’s moving to Herald Square in 1902, and the building of 60 West 14th Street in 1906 would indicate to me that it replaced a large department store like Macy’s.

A new 13-story residential contemporary building at 101 West 14th Street, aka 531 Sixth Avenue, started with construction in 2019, marking the beginning of radical changes to this intersection. It was designed by ODA Architecture and developed by Gemini Rosemont, yielding 44 condominium units, with interiors designed by Whitehall Interiors in one- to four-bedroom layouts, as well as 5,830 square feet of ground-floor retail space for two shops. According to Michael Young’s Report in YIMBY NY, January 5, 2023, Compass Development Group and The Franklin Team lead the marketing for the property, which strangely, now claims it was designed by Studio C Architects. The building is equipped with amenities for the comfort and convenience of its residents, including a doorman and concierge service, ensuring security, elevator, bike room, storage availability, laundry and a gym within the building. Its cubistic rendering of window groups and frames in a metallic finish make this building stand out from the usual brick or all-glass new buildings in the area.

Shortly thereafter, at the opposite corner, construction commenced on the 12-story residential building at 540 Sixth Avenue called FÖRENA.

Designed by Morris Adjmi Architects and developed by Landsea Homes and DNA Development, the 80,000-square-foot structure contains 50 condominium units in one- to three-bedroom layouts starting at $1.575 million, and ground-floor retail space. It was built by Ryder Construction and completed in 2023, according to YIMBY New York. The brick-clad main volume blends in so well with the east neighbor building that a casual glance could look like the two buildings were joined together at the line of balconies. At the upper levels of FORENA, cascading setbacks lined with railings for private outdoor terraces employ a façade composed of gray aluminum paneling framing recessed windows.

Homes will feature ceiling heights of 13 feet and oversized windows, open-style kitchens with a complete Miele appliance package, Calacatta Regina marble slab countertops and backsplashes, and lacquered Italian cabinetry hand finished by artisans outside of Venice. Bathrooms come with Calacatta Regina marble and a custom-designed oak vanity. Residential amenities include a fitness center, a residential lounge, a Zen garden courtyard, a bike room, extra storage space, and a communal rooftop terrace with outdoor kitchen that will provide residents with panoramic views.

“FÖRENA embodies what we always thrive to achieve at Morris Adjmi Architects, which is to contribute something authentic to the fabric of a neighborhood, but with this project there was an opportunity to take that even further – to create something more dimensional, rhythmic, and respectful,” said Morris Adjmi, founder of Morris Adjmi Architects. 

The project also involves upgrades to the 14th Street subway station servicing the F, M, and L trains, with underground access to the 1, 2, and 3 trains along Seventh Avenue. The PATH trains to New Jersey are also accessible from the subway entrance directly at the corner of the property. The busy 14th Street subway station was modernized with MTA elevator improvements.

Although having major construction at the same time on both sides of the street was a great congestion difficulty for a couple of years, the resulting improvements are now welcomed by the community.

About the time these projects were completed, development from Modi Feibish on the southwest corner of Sixth Avenue and West 14th Street began with the demolition of unlandmarked and deteriorating low-rise structures, including the Romanesque Revival building that formerly anchored the corner, located outside the Greenwich Village Historic District. 525 Sixth Avenue, aka 100-106 West 14th Street and dubbed “The Village West,” despite the fact that it is not really in the West Village, is a 13-story residential building of red brickwork which features a series of recessed or protruding volumes with numerous rounded corners, and multiple stepped setbacks, adding a distinctive touch to the building’s overall appearance, as reported by Michael Young on YIMBY, April 4, 2025. It was designed by BKSK Architects and developed by Izaki Group, with Alba Services as the general contractor for the property. Many of the apartments have floor-to-ceiling windows. The 145-foot-tall structure will contain 123,000 square feet for 71 condominium units plus ground floor commercial space. The building’s main entrance will be located within a tall arched opening along Sixth Avenue, below a sidewalk canopy, while the rest of the first level will be enclosed in floor-to-ceiling glass for the retail frontage.

525 Sixth Avenue’s anticipated completion date is slated for spring 2026, as noted on site posters.

The result of all these new residential construction projects will be hundreds of new residents in 165 apartments, hundreds of square feet for commercial space and amenities, and improved subway stations with elevators, not to mention interesting architecture for the streetscape. And that’s not counting all the other projects that have kept other parts of 14th Street buzzing. Stay tuned!