Turning an Unexpected Eviction Into an Office Upgrade

Building

54 West 21st Street

Lease Term

7 + Years

Lease Type

New Direct Lease

Delivery Condition

Modified To Suit

The Challenge

Rafael de Cardenas was located in a fantastic, iconic building with economics and charm that could not be replicated elsewhere in the city. Unfortunately, the building’s owner had larger plans and evicted every tenant in the building.

The challenge was finding a new, built-out space with fantastic natural light, economics comparable to the former location, and a convenient location for the team. Since the RdC team tends to work with the lights off, natural light was especially important.

The Solution

54 West 21st Street

Rosen Equities is one of the ownership groups in the city, and the Jacob Wolkenfeld team has a great working relationship with them.

When the Rafael de Cardenas team saw the 12th-floor unit in one of Rosen’s Chelsea buildings, they immediately fell in love with the massive skylight and oversized windows with south-facing views.

Although RdC could have inherited a designer’s space from the previous tenant, the team decided to have the space redone to meet its standards. The new layout was designed to be more open and featured a samples closet, a brand-new wet pantry, and new conference rooms.

The Outcome

RdC found a new home that captured the natural light and character the team valued while providing a layout tailored to its needs. The redesigned space offered an open environment, dedicated areas for samples and meetings, and a brand-new wet pantry, all in a convenient Chelsea location.

The result was a workspace that maintained the qualities RdC loved about its former location while giving the team a space designed around the way it works.