From press release: Developers of Kalahari, an exciting green residence located in Central Harlem set for 2008 completion, announced that the property has topped out. Kalahari, which includes two buildings connected with a garden, offers 249 homes with amenities such as a rooftop garden, concierge, a parking garage and grand lobby featuring original artwork by a MoMA-retained artist.
…In addition to the 129 premium residences, Kalahari also contains 120 affordable homes whose owners were selected at random in May of 2006 in a New York City housing lottery. Kalahari’s developers believe that the homes, which celebrate sustainability, traditional African culture and design and living beautifully should be accessible to a wide range of income levels.
…As one of Manhattan’s greenest residences in today’s market, Kalahari utilizes a fresh-filtered air purification system, wind-generated energy provided by Con Ed Solutions, on-site solar panels that supply over 25 percent of the building’s energy and Energy-Star appliances throughout. These revolutionary features reduce anticipated energy consumption by more than 30% below the New York State Energy Code.
Kalahari also features one of the area’s most striking facades, decorated with the powerful African Adinkra symbol in bold colors. The homes integrate the textures, patterns and decorative motifs made famous by traditional African painting, decorating and design.
Zipcar, an environmentally-friendly car sharing service, will also retain 3 environmentally-friendly Toyota Prius’ reserved for residents’ and community use in Kalahari’s parking garage. A movie theater, restaurant and café development will be situated next to Kalahari, and films will relate to the African and Latin diaspora.
What does everybody think of the facade? Eyesore? Beautiful?
Kay
January 1, 2008
The Kalahari is the best real estate investment going right now. The materials used are tasteful and attractive to the eye, the “green” aspect is a very positive attribute, the rooms don’t lose sq ftg with risers or poles like many other new condo’s, and the architecture is unique. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Well done!
ROGER
November 4, 2007
Green=Good! Why doesn’t NYC enact a building code requiring LEED for all new large projects? Money? Green is cool. People have an extra 10% for green. Especially when the ROI on energy savings is calculated and offered.
jem
November 4, 2007
This building is impressive. Go look at it..different than the pictures. When will they finish it?
Anonymous
November 1, 2007
People grow up..who cares about the “look” what is really great here is the “GREEN” fact. There is a reason why the world is the way it is right now. There are far too many people caring about irrelevant stuff like appearance. Come on people???
Please
October 17, 2007
I think its beautiful..stop hating
Disappointed with adults
October 11, 2007
After listening to these commnets, I have ought to have nothing to say: my comment is, however, the old adage: if you have nothing good to say, don’t say anything at all. Few appear to admit –whether they are white or black–that it is the African theme that likely frightens them. Few who condemned the facade, for instance, took the time to comment in any way on the Green concept, the garden, or any of the other amenities. How disappointing “adults” can be. No wonder we are at war in Iraq!
Disappointed with adults, G
AMK
October 1, 2007
Not usually in favor of painted brick….but I’ll make an exception in the Kalahari’s case!
Marie
September 30, 2007
To whom it may concern:
I attended a open house at the site on the corner before the kalahari was constructed and signed a waiting list at that time.By the way, it was three of us that signed the waiting list.We are very much still interested in the kalhari co-op,s.
Thank you
Neighbor
September 7, 2007
Unfortunately, when I open my bedroom window each morning, I get a big heaping eyeful of this ticky-tacky design flaw. It is truly painful for me to look at, and the fact that it is environmentally friendly inside does not really help.
Despite all of the protests to CB10 to tone it down, the voices of the community were obviously ignored. When designers were looking for “different” in the 80s, no one thought it was a good idea to do a polka dot high rise. Likewise, I have a feeling that in 5-10 years the bldg’s coop board will be looking for an environmentally responsible way to reface their investment. At least, I hope so!
jeremy
September 7, 2007
I like it but I don’t think it went far enough. Could they have used more windows, perhaps to utilize some solar heating? made the outside work as a passive heating device. I dunno, but at least it’s a step in the right direction.
From that picture the design looks pretty bland. I’m sure there’s more than two colors in Africa.
Anonymous
September 7, 2007
It’s just an extension of the Projects it’s across the street from, only more tacky. I am sure the set-a-side lottery buyers who are allowed to buy below market have no problem with this crappy look, they’re just happy to be one of the chosen few.
However discerning market rate buyers? I’m sure many took one look and said no f___ing way! How far are they going to take this theme, anyone know?
Will the doorman or concerige be dressed like Shaka Zulu ? If not, why not? Why stop the theme at the facade? I think the maintenance men should wear classic native tribal wear modeled after the same tribe of the design of the building, anyone have a problem with that?
anon
September 7, 2007
While I agree with everyone about the design, I think we’re overlooking the really cool thing about this building. It’s a green building. Harlem doesn’t have any of those, and it’s pretty groundbreaking for nyc in general. To me, this is the utmost priority in my world these days (to live a more green lifestyle) so I could give a crap what the outside looks like, because aesthetics are not nearly as important as taking responsibility for our planet and what we’re doing to it.
How about some priorities people?
Chris
September 7, 2007
The back of the buildings actually don’t look half bad. This development would be so much better if the design faced the courtyard and the refined geometric pattern faced the street.
Mike
September 7, 2007
I like it. I don’t know why blog commenters (Curbed, Gothamist, etc) get so apoplectic about this stuff. It would be one thing if it was just another generic concrete or glass box; at least they tried something different. Chill out.
etchgecko
September 7, 2007
I dig it. NYC is all about eclectic, beautiful, bizarre architecture. The value of that facade will really be for future generations to decide.
divine1906
September 7, 2007
The developers are Carlton Brown, Ron Moelis and Walter Edwards. Carlton and Walter are local (Harlem) developers. They also built the “1400 on Fifth” building at 116th & 5th Ave..
Ron Moelis is from Westchester, but has done a bunch of projects in Harlem.
When I first saw the Kalahari’s facade I thought it was unattractive and still do.
I won’t engage in “Uptown’s” overheated ranting, but I think that the developers idea of somehow tying in their ideas about African culture into the facade of this buidling were poorly conceived and the results are evident.
Part of the responsibility here lies, I believe, with the then local Councilman, Bill Perkins. The Kalahari was buillt on previously city-owned land disposed of to the developers via an RFP process.
Before the final disposition of the land, the local Councilman has the authority to review the designs for the development and request changes (as long as they’re reasonable).
For example, back in 1995-96 when the city was moving to develop the entire block between Malcolm X Blvd. and Adam Clayton Powell Blvd. along 117th street, a local Islamic Mosque was part of the development team selected for the block. When the then Councilmember reviewed the plans for the buildings, the facades contained a sort of Islamic motif. The Councilmember believed that the facades were out of character with the surrounding area and asked the developer to change the facade. Unless the facades changed, the City Council wouldn’t release the land to the development team.
While the Mosque’s members proceeded to publicly malign the Councilmember, the facades were changed.
Joe
September 7, 2007
I’d rather have a glass tower. This design is AWFUL for an apartment building. Complete kitsch as design for a building
mike
September 7, 2007
How is having a parking garage “green”?
Folks, this is New York, not the suburbs. Enough with the parking garages.
And yes, it’s ugly too, but at least it’s not a glass dildo tower.
Daniel
September 7, 2007
Hmm, well, on the upside at least it looks different from the hundreds of glass towers that are going up all over the place. I’d be lying, however, if I said I was in love. I like to be supportive of new things going up in our neighborhood, but the truth is that I’m on the fence on this one.
Junkindatrunk
September 6, 2007
I think the facade looks REALLY awful. Can you imagine it a couple of yrs from now when it’s worn????? Yuck! Yuck! I say. These developers really pushed the envolope with this one.
Uptown
September 6, 2007
It’s ugly today, it will be ugly tomorrow, and forever. There’s a reason you’ve no seen something like this anywhere in the world including in Africa, it’s f___ing ugly.
The joke is there are people that try to romanticize it in notions of culture. Lots of cultures have characteristic prints however you don’t see them emblazoned onto architecture (and for a reason).
Fabric designers don’t design fabrics to look like the exterior of buildings, and buildings have no business designing themeelves to mirror fabrics. Why? That’s trying to place a square peg in a round hole.
This building is the reflection of one man’s ego, that’s all, nothing more. It was imposed onto the community. You could only pull this off in Harlem, other communities would not tolerate this BS.
The only thing remotely close to this is Public Housing. Sometimes you’ll see public housing with some crazy checker board design or something, that’s it.
Quality and class? No words are spoken. There need not be an effort of explanation. BS, Hype, Nonsense and crap? That’s when you have to weave a story, that’s the problem. To present this building to the public, it takes a “sales job”, you have to be “con’ed” basically. They want you to buy into their vision, hence they talk, you romantic notions, etc.
Give me a break. A turd is a turd, no matter how hard you polish. This piece of S–T building is out of step and not congruent with anything in the world. No, this is not so dynamic and innovative that the rest of the world has to catch up to Harlem. Sorry, no, that’s not the case. This is simply, purely, a piece of S___t that cannot be legitimized in any context.
Eric
September 6, 2007
I think it is neither eyesore or beautiful. Just something different so in that sense, I guess it’s a positive.
My question is the theater/restaurant/cafe, is that part of this development or is it another one altogether and where exactly will it be?