Kalahari Harlem
March 1st, 2009
“Living Green” usually means recycling, using alternative power sources, minimizing energy use and cutting down or eliminating the use of automobiles. Kalahari Harlem, located at 40 West 116th Street, is a development designed for those who wish to bring their green lifestyle full spectrum. Structurally, the building is recycled steel and concrete. It was built to comply with the US Green Building Council’s LEED Silver Standards, the highest environmental ratings possible in housing today, even higher than New York’s stringent energy guidelines.
From the moment residents step into the Kalahari lobby, they will feel at home. It has high ceilings, warm woods and a unique indigenous African motif, including original El Anatsui artwork. There are some standard offerings here, like the 24/7 concierge and an impressive fitness center for the health-conscious. Some not-so-typical amenities will attract people looking for more than the norm. The development offers business folks meeting facilities, and musicians practice rooms. And owners were careful to make sure their units included as many environmentally friendly aspects as possible. They utilize solar and wind power, and low VOC materials, as well as energy-efficient filtered air. A green roof is not just aesthetically pleasing, but absorbs water for irrigation. Bamboo flooring is a natural alternative to traditional wood decor, and it is highly renewable (not to mention just as strong as steel).
Aside from these naturally-friendly, but easily replicated offerings, Kalahari Harlem offers perhaps the biggest perk of all: a practical solution to the common Catch-22 of living in a major metropolitan area, that of how to get where they need to go with as little environmental impact as possible. Yes, there are busses and subways, but those aren’t always practical. So, Kalahari brought in Zip Cars, a unique car-sharing service that turns what would be eighty vehicles into four. Residents of Kalahari can own a car, without really owning it. No gas costs, no insurance, just an online reservation process, a simple walk to the car, and a return when they’re finished. It’s a trend that’s growing quickly, but this development is one of the first to offer it to their residents.
Kalahari reveres its residents almost as much as it does the environment. Units are large and breezy, with wide windows and friendly tones. European-style gourmet kitchens have maple-finished cabinetry and stone countertops. Stainless Steel Kitchen Aid appliances and a Grohe faucet mesh well with full-height glacier glass backsplashes and brushed steel cabinet handles. In the master baths, designers have tried to create an oasis for the typically overworked. Crema Ella Marble flooring soothes tired feet, and the deep espresso shade wood vanity provides residents a nice contrast. Kohler brand, polished chrome fixtures and the frameless glass-enclosed shower add a stately elegance. A six-foot soaking tub serves as the focal point of the room. Second baths contain a different sort of luxury, with natural maple wood vanities and porcelain floors and walls. A Bosch washer and dryer complete each home.
Kalahari residents really do have the best of both worlds. Their homes are full of class and their neighborhood meets the same distinction. Outside opportunities abound, with a communal green roof, private terraces in some homes, and an outdoor cafe. The development is less than ten minutes (walking) from Central Park and the historic Mt. Morris Park. And Kalahari Harlem serves as the home base to Street Squash, an after-school program for children in need that will offer tutoring, mentoring and squash lessons. Kalahari Harlem’s 250 homes have been created to provide to not only new residents of the area, but to those who are already established here, with half of them selling at market rate and the remaining sold at a reduced rate for area residents. As of February 2009, there are a number of units still available. The smallest two-bedroom, two-bath unit is 1086 square feet, priced at $685,000. Other two, three and four bedroom units range in size from 1,143-1,850 square feet and run from $740,000-$1.6 million. Kalahari Harlem
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