At 10 Madison Square West, Hill West converted a former toy building into a 23-story building containing 175 of the most coveted residential condominiums in NoMad.

The now fashionable neighborhood north of Madison Square Park, was a former industrial zone that has become a thriving destination for restaurants, culture and art installations. The Toy Building was one of two buildings that made up the International Toy Center, a hub for the nation’s toy manufacturers and distributors.

As with any adaptive reuse project, the designers had to devise ways to make an existing building, in this case made for toy distributors, become an ideal space for living. The building was a U-shaped, 16-story brick building with oversize windows on Broadway overlooking the park. The design team carefully removed one leg of the U- shape, allowing for light and air to flood the new residences and for the creation of a lush green roof courtyard at the 2nd floor that provides residents with a serene escape from city life.

The existing building’s shell and structure were maintained but the interiors were gutted. New windows were designed for the large masonry openings with mullions designed to break down the scale and make the transition to residence while still maintaining the industrial appeal.

Above the 17th floor, a new addition, clad in white limestone, is set back to create wrap-around terraces with unrivaled view of the city beyond. At the base of the building, the first 3 floors received new limestone cladding that complements the existing brick, ties the building base to the new addition, and lends elegance to the building’s street presence. Retail spaces enliven the neighborhood at the street level and a new canopy marks the private residential entrance to complete the building’s transformation from factory to luxury residential experience.