Apartments in NYC’s first passive house rental now going from $2,600/month

The city’s first rental building designed to Passive House standards, PERCH Harlem, has now launched leasing on its 34 units, Curbed has learned. Apartments at this seven-story building range in size from studios to two-bedrooms and prices range from $2,600 to $4,600 per month. The building’s penthouse units will rent for about $5,300 per month.

Developed in collaboration between Synapse Development Group and Taurus Investment Holdings, the building is located at 542 West 153rd Street in the Hamilton Heights section of Harlem. Architect Chris Benedict designed the exterior of the building with a mix of glass squares and rectangular shapes, which in turn help to maximize the impact of light and solar energy on the building. The larger windows are fixed but units also come with smaller operable windows for fresh air, and some offer views of the George Washington Bridge, and Midtown.

Interior work was carried out by the firm Me and General Design. The apartments feature wallpaper made out of 31 percent recycled material; the kitchens are fitted with stone countertops, porcelain tile backsplashes, stainless steel appliances, and a washer and dryer; and designers have also used baroque hardwood flooring and triple pane windows in the units. Each of the units is also fitted with a heating and cooling system along with a energy-recovery ventilator that allows residents to control the temperature and fresh air flow according to their own needs.

Amenities at the building include a roof deck, bicycle storage, a residents lounge, and an exercise room.

"Our partnership’s mission to create a building that combines high quality design with low-impact living has finally been conceived and we are excited to offer residents a new way of living," Justin Palmer, the CEO of Synapse Development Group, said in a statement.

The project was first announced at the end of 2013 when the developer acquired the previously vacant lot the rental building now stands on. The structure topped out in January this year, and the first group of residents will be able to move in sometime this fall.