A 38-story condominium tower rising on Manhattan’s Upper East Side is putting brick front and center, using a hand-laid facade to tie new construction to a neighborhood known for classic materials and proportions.
Architecture firm CetraRuddy recently unveiled plans for 175 East 82nd St., a 73-unit residential development with multi-story loggias, upper-level amenities, and a design intended to balance tradition with a contemporary approach to scale, materials, and interior layouts. “Our approach was to create a building that is rooted in the tradition of the Upper East Side, balancing the scale, materiality, rhythm, and character of its architectural fabric with a distinctly contemporary perspective,” said CetraRuddy founding principal John Cetra.
Douglaston Development conceived the project in collaboration with CetraRuddy, and Levine Builders, Douglaston’s construction arm, is handling construction. The building is expected to open in 2027.
For brick crews, the headline detail is the exterior’s custom Endicott Desert Ironspot brick, made from iron-rich clay. CetraRuddy said the team chose the brick for its natural variation and character, which is a reminder that “range” and visual blending are part of the finished look, not an afterthought. The brick facade is also doing more than cladding the tower. It frames the building’s multi-story loggias and creates a consistent exterior element up the height of the project.
At the 24th and 25th floors, tall brick piers help anchor expansive loggias where the building incorporates 30-foot ceilings. Those upper levels include penthouse residences, amenity spaces, and double-height outdoor gathering areas with views across Central Park.
Inside, planned wellness amenities include a sauna, a dedicated yoga and Pilates studio, and a 40-foot indoor swimming pool beneath 32-foot ceilings. The amenity spaces sit within the first tier of loggias, connecting indoor gathering areas with outdoor space and views.
Read the full, original article from The Construction Specifier here.