Manhattan's First Passive House is on the Market

When we retrofitted an Upper West Side townhouse to become Manhattan's first Certified Passive House, we immediately fell in love with the project – and now, it is on the market!

The design of this house is exciting in many ways. Beyond being Manhattan's first Certified Passive House, it is also Certified LEED for Home Platinum, and it is in an NYC Landmark District. Our first step in rejuvenating the house was restoring the Renaissance Revival front façade, designed by Thom & Wilson in 1889, to its original state by bringing back the ornamental details and stoop entry that were removed in the 1940s.

We added a rooftop, rear addition, and multiple architectural details to bring the entire house to life. Some of these architectural features include archways to create a more open floor plan, a sculptural staircase, larger doors, larger windows for more natural light without compromising air leakage, and efficient and cost-effective mechanical systems, including solar panels to power the house. The five-story townhouse includes many amenities, including a finished cellar, wine room, billiards room, playroom, modern kitchen, a yoga studio, an entertainment room, and exterior terraces.

Thanks to the entire team that made this project a reality:

• General Contractor: Taffera Fine Building & Finishes

• Interior Designer: BIA Interiors

• Project Team: Project Plant LLC, Zola Windows & Doors, Sound Sight Technologies, Steven Winter Associates (LEED Consultants), Rosini Engineering, D'Huy Engineering

• Brokers: Richard Pretsfelder and Thomas Wexler of Leslie J. Garfield

• Photographer: Peter Peirce