Developers are finishing luxury apartments with the same care as buyers, says De Niro

Two new downtown residential buildings are beginning a revolution, elevating the level of luxury to new heights, according to Raphael De Niro, one of Prudential Douglas Elliman’s premier realtors. The buildings, 41 Bond and 55 Warren, each include fewer than 10 units, but the apartments are spacious and embody an unparalleled quality. The demand for large apartments over 3,000 square feet is a well-established trend, but the ultra-luxe finishes on the two boutique buildings are a new consideration for upscale buyers. Says De Niro, “The apartments are finished to an extremely high standard— the way residents refinish custom apartments as opposed to the way developers handle them.” Carrara marble, terrazzo floors, exotic woods, and other extravagant finishes make these residences a prime buy for someone who might otherwise gut an apartment and spend $750 per square foot to rebuild it, De Niro explains. The talents of 55 Warren’s interior designer, Leopoldo Rosati, and 41 Bond’s architect, Peter Guthrie, ensure clean lines and the best use of the lavish materials. As banks are more willing to back these in-demand, high-end projects with spacious but few units over enormous 200-unit projects that take time to fill, De Niro predicts that the emergence of boutique buildings and the focus on quality detailing will continue. “It’s building excitement in Manhattan and raising the bar in terms of what people are starting to deliver in terms of new developments,” he says. 690 Washington St., 212-460-0655