220 West 98th Street
A Neoclassical Building Gets a Contemporary Elevator Design.
2 min read
220 West 98th Street, also known as the Borchard Apartments, is a pre-war residential building designed by Rouse & Goldstone and completed in 1911. The architecture of this neo-classically designed building maintains the old-world charm typical for the period it was constructed, with its many ornate and intricate details. In 2021, working alongside VDA Consultants, BP Elevator, and architect Naphtali Deutsch AIA, we were awarded the modernization of 220 West 98th Streets two elevator interiors, the first phase of an ongoing complete renovation of both the lobby and corridors. Although the building exterior is ornate and opulent, the "quiet and elegant" elevator design, as lead architect Naphtali Deutsch states, lends to a more contemporary interior styling. "For the elevator cabs, I decided to use a black and white color palette that would have been used in the original building to achieve a classic Upper West Side look, but still have a bright and contemporary feel," Deutsch explains.
“Its simplistic yet impressive design and strong reliance on the beauty of its quartz make it a timeless elevator design.”
Both elevator interiors were engineered using the raised removable system; the design called for three full-width and length panels, one on each interior wall. "I specified white Calacatta marble paneling with bold grey veining, substituted by Ducal Gold Quartz by Ascale panels for durability..." Deutsch said. Inspired by Italian Calacatta marble, the quartz panels feature beautiful and striking gold-silver veining that is even more pronounced when book-matched, as in this case. As Deutsch explained, "the white book-matched panels are framed by matching mitered-corner borders, referencing the marble paneling in the much more heavily detailed lobby, which will be brought back to its original state in the next phase of the renovation." To offset the heaviness of the quartz, we utilized a honeycomb backer. The ceiling of this stunning elevator features a wood-core drop ceiling faced with ebony-stained white oak veneer. The crown moldings, also made of ebony-stained white oak, feature a classic design adding a further touch of elegance to the elevator design. In addition, a Lightology Finch light fixture illuminates the elevator, creating a soft and inviting ambiance. Currently, there are furnished temporary floors using Samoa Antracita tiles by Porcelanosa. The final floor design (to be installed after the lobby renovation) will be a "white marble set on the diagonal, with each tile framed by an absolute black border," Deutsch explained. The metalwork inside the cab design is faced with dark oxidized bronze, including the chair rail, handrail, fronts, reveals, base, and doors.
“Inspired by Italian Calacatta marble, the quartz panels feature beautiful and striking gold-silver veining”
"Rouse & Goldstone were all about the details, and I wanted to respect their aesthetic and attentiveness," Deutsch explained. "We took a great deal of care to specify details that keep the overall look simple and not overly ornate; subtle and elegant." And indeed, the elevator interior of 220 West 98th Street is subtly elegant. Its simplistic yet impressive design and strong reliance on the beauty of its quartz make it a timeless elevator design that complements this centuries-old classic Upper West Side building instead of rivaling it.
