Prewar Gut Renovation & Apartment Combination in CPW

230 Central Park West, NYC

If you love this CPW prewar apt combo reno as much as we do, and you’re ready to renovate, contact Paula McDonald Design Build & Interiors today!

Get Started

Prewar Apt Combo Transformation into a Prewar Oasis in Central Park West

Gut Renovation Combining a 1 Bedroom, 1 Bath and 2 Bedroom with 2 Baths into a 2000 sf, 3 plus Family Room convertible to Bedroom, 4 Bath, Washer/Dryer, Smart Home (Lutron) with wired window treatments, Programmed keypad lighting and apartment cable/network system, and with Wood Burning Fireplace:  The goal was to combine the apartments utilizing every space we could, moving wet over dry, opening the kitchen with clever pocket window/doors above the countertop into the family room. This required building and engineering reviews, Board Approvals, Landmark Approvals, Full DOB plan reviews to pull DOB permits. The Building Architect and Engineering reviews and final Co-op Board approval took over three months and slowed the process down. The DOB full plan review took longer because of the “kitchen” vs. “kitchenette” and actual window opening sizes no longer being code compliant for our current light and air ratios for habitable space, who knew??!!

Project Overview

TYPE: Gut Reno / Apartment Combo

LOCATION: Central Park West

CONSTRUCTION DURATION: 7 months (Planning phase including Approvals and Permits 10 months, Fireplace Repair/new flu 13 floors, Window Replacements, Asbestos Removal, Building Riser Changes)

The Challenges of a Prewar Apartment Combo in Central Park West

This was a complicated project for demo with the 2 BR side being an estate condition apartment that required ripping a lot of walls to change kitchen, moving bathrooms over dry areas, ripping up old wood floors and leveling between the apartments is always a challenge, bedrooms and closets, new Radiators and steam piping to the risers opened up asbestos remediation required as did some of the hot water building risers. Air flow testing, new duct and fire rated shaft replacements, new fire dampers and double waterproofing under the new wet areas, one to include a full sized recirculating Washer/ Dryer closet, leveling subfloors, replacing all heating systems and bringing in high speed internet services to the utility panels for the smart home system was required. We custom built wall to wall covers, changed the fire rated entrance door and more. Complete rewiring, dropped ceilings, added soundproofing so we couldn’t hear the adjoining apartments in the walls and under the new wood floor, plumbing, wall changes, closet changes, new door openings, and all new door/door hardware. Every detail, from baths to trim, is perfection!

Beautiful new European white oak floors with a Custom Stained oil finish throughout, an elegant Foyer floor with honed Carrara tile was a nod to the Contemporary PreWar Deco floor, the Kitchen was large with 5 feet between the counters that included Custom Cabinetry designed and built by my firm, deco inspired but all bells and whistles with appliances, built in features for hiding appliances, electrical under the cabinetry, LED lighting, pantry and a seated bar inside the kitchen facing the Family Room had tandem pocket doors for privacy for guests, but served as four seated countertop dining area with the two counter stools in the Family room! The over 25 foot Living room/dining room had a focal center point of the Custom Fireplace Mantel, along with Custom built-ins and perfect lighting design along with new and a re-plated 30’s Chandelier set the stage for the contemporary interiors to complete this stunning Design & Build, Pre War into an easy to live in Contemporary transformation!

A Contemporary Apt Combo Transformation into a Prewar Oasis

Coupled with extremely difficult approvals by management, and our client living mostly out of the country, we were able to transform this apartment into an amazing, contemporary Prewar oasis! We know that they were truly amazed at how we were able to create their gorgeous New York home away from home that perfectly suits their lifestyle and tastes, despite challenges every step of the way!! It exceeded both our expectations!!

Adventures in Design Build – Prewar Apt Reno Before & After Videos

For those of you who love the ups and downs of renovation transformations, don’t miss my prewar project playlist featuring before and after videos of my most complex prewar apartment renovations.