$75 Million Renovation of The Ayer Sets New Standard in Upscale Living
PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 24 /PRNewswire/ — Located in historic Society Hill overlooking Washington Square, The Ayer Condominium, which recently completed a two-year, $75 million renovation project, will officially open its doors at a Grand Opening celebration on Wednesday, September 26. Local developers The Goldenberg Group and Brown Hill Development formed a unique partnership to preserve this historic landmark building. The Ayer features 56 luxury homes of the highest quality, character and service, unparalleled in Philadelphia.
A monument to the age of Art Deco, The Ayer (pronounced: air) was originally built in 1929 for NW Ayer, the nation’s first advertising agency. During its renovation, the building facade was preserved and restored to its original condition, highlighting gorgeous Egyptian-style sculptures, reliefs and pressed metal work, as well as The Ayer’s landmark bronze doors. Inside, renowned Philadelphia architect Wesley Wei, in collaboration with PZ Architects, carried out a vision in keeping with The Ayer’s storied history, yet tailored to meet the demands of today’s sophisticated buyer.
“We set out to define luxury, upscale living on Washington Square. Without compromising the unique history of the building, we have created a home for timeless, modern design,” says David Mercuris, vice president of development for The Goldenberg Group.
An intimate and exclusive residence, The Ayer’s 56 high-end condominiums — including four penthouses — feature expansive floor plans, high ceilings and large windows with spectacular, panoramic views of the square, the river and the city. The Ayer stands alone in quality and detail with exquisite interior selections including slates from the finest quarries in England and Portugal; quarter-sawn hardwood floors from the United States; and the ultimate in German made kitchens.
“We worked extremely hard to provide buyers the best overall quality and design to match this building’s timeless appeal,” said Greg Hill, partner at Brown Hill Development. “An historic gem, The Ayer now sets a new standard in Philadelphia living with five-star service and myriad luxurious conveniences.”
Each residence includes the award-winning, innovative bulthaup b3 kitchen system and state-of-the-art appliances including Miele stainless steel cook-top, oven and dishwasher and integrated sub-zero refrigerator. The master baths make for a tranquil retreat with Thassos pure white marble floors and walls, and marble showers with glass and chrome enclosures. Serene yet highly functional, bath appliances include Dornbracht Meta sink and tub fixtures, and floating custom cabinetry with a Duravit vanity, standard in each residence along with Miele washer and dryer.
Just steps from restaurants, galleries, performing arts venues and boutique stores, residents of The Ayer will enjoy a vibrant cultural scene, ripe with activity. To make the most of their surroundings, residents will be treated to personalized service amenities including a full-time concierge, chauffeur-driven Mercedes S550, and valet service for onsite parking. A private, state-of-the-art fitness center is also available to residents.
One-, two- and three-bedroom residences are available with views of all sides of the city and the square. One-bedroom residences start at $870,000 and penthouses start at $3.9 million. The property is 70 percent sold. Residents have been moving in since early August.
The Ayer: History Made Modern
This 12-story Deco building plus Penthouse was designed by Philadelphia architect Ralph Bencker, also known for The Rittenhouse Plaza, the Ethical Society building and the Horn and Hardart chain. Built of Indiana Limestone, the masonry is ornamented with iconic sculpture, geometrically shaped corners, industrialized reliefs on spandrels, and pressed metal work. Large Egyptian-style Deco sculptures adorn the top of the building, while gorgeous bronze doors facing Washington Square illustrate a geometrically-purified sunrise and Mayan temple shapes.
The Ayer was the original home of the country’s first advertising agency, where an array of timeless ad slogans were born: DeBeers’ “Diamonds Are Forever”, Morton’s Salt’s “When It Rains It Pours”, AT&T’s “Reach Out and Touch Someone” and Kellogg’s Rice Krispies’ “Snap, Crackle and Pop”. Today, The Ayer touts a tagline all its own: History Made Modern.
About The Goldenberg Group
Headquartered in Blue Bell, Goldenberg owns and manages 5 million square feet of commercial retail space with an additional 1.5 million square feet in various stages of development. The members of the Goldenberg Group are adept at conceiving of and successfully developing large, complex real estate projects, with areas of concentration including retail and “power” shopping centers, center city “urban” projects, community revitalization projects, residential projects and acquisitions for renovation and/or conversion. The Goldenberg Group is currently under construction at Parkwest Town Center, a retail center in West Philadelphia, and Haverford Reserve, a residential community in Haverford Township.
About Brown Hill Development
Brown Hill Development, based in Philadelphia and New York City, seeks to redefine the residential development industry. Brown Hill delivers high-quality, design-driven projects to savvy and sophisticated users, those typically under-served by today’s traditional, more conventional development companies. As a result, Brown Hill Development has undertaken some of the more distinct and esteemed projects in the Northeast, including the award-winning “Porter House Condominiums” in the meatpacking district of Manhattan and “Old City 108 Condominiums” in Philadelphia’s historic district.
SOURCE The Goldenberg Group & Brown Hill Development
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