Karim Rashid’s bold East Harlem building is on the rise

Karim Rashid’s Day-Glo balcony building at 329 Pleasant Avenue is on the rise, and looking much more subdued than the king of color once intended.

Fans of the designer and some neighborhood residents might remember the saga leading up to the East Harlem building’s construction a bit differently. The design for the skinny apartment building caused quite the stir in the color-mute enclave when its white facade and pink and green balconies were revealed back in May 2014—so much so that Rashid rescinded the design in favor of a community vote that led to the building’s current white balconies with pink accents. The design is still uncharted territory for the neighborhood, and so it’ll remain (for now.)

Developer HAP Investments has announced that the building will be rentals rather than condos, according to City Realty, and include 20 studios, one-, and two-bedrooms, each with their own outdoor space. There’s been no word yet on pricing.

• Karim Rashid’s East Harlem HAP Five gets its bright pink trim [6sqft]
• Crazy Karim Rashid Building Gets New Subdued Color Palette [Curbed]
• Karim Rashid Out-Crazies Himself With New Harlem Building [Curbed]
• Karim Rashid launches Kurv Architecture, a new design and investment firm [Curbed]