This 11-story condominium at 495 West Street introduced many of the features that defined Tamarkin’s work in New York City.
Credit: Tamarkin Co.
An Architect-Developer’s Journey, in 6 Buildings
Cary Tamarkin designed some of New York City’s most distinctive new structures. But if you’re not careful, you might miss them.
Developers sometimes commission great architects — but not usually. Aesthetic quality just usually isn’t their first aim, unless that developer happens to be an architect, and the person they’re hiring is, well, themselves.
Architect-developers are a somewhat rare breed; well-known examples include John Portman, famed for his signature atrium hotels, and Charles Luckman, who designed Madison Square Garden and Boston’s Prudential Tower. Another example is Cary Tamarkin, the 65-year-old architect responsible for a number of unusual and very good buildings in New York City.