Alexico Group and Hunter Roberts

Buyers market┬áThe economic slowdown has led to an increasing stock of residential properties on the market. Ben Sansom finds out why the prestigious new Laurel condominium in Manhattan is appealing to buyers. Experts agree that now is an excellent time to buy property if you have the financing available. With so many residential properties on the market and such variety to choose from, buyers can afford to be selective.┬á This means that for those with property to sell, the current market is tough. New York property developer Alexico Group operates at the top end of the residential property market, building and restoring high-specification high-rise executive apartments and condominiums in some of the most desirable areas of Manhattan. After 20 years in the business, it is not surprising that the company has developed a very exact understanding of the needs and aspirations of its target customers and knows how to design and build the properties they desire. Alexico works in close collaboration with architects and builders on every aspect of construction, from concept through delivery, to ensure the final product is exactly as visualized. The most recent Alexico development to come on the market is The Laurel condominium, a luxury residential block set at the intersection of 1st Avenue and East 67th Street, between Central Park and the East River. With a range of properties from studios to four-bedroom residences, it is aimed at the professional family and those who want to enjoy everything that city life can offer. In spite of the current economic slowdown, over 50 percent of the properties have already been sold.Location is obviously of prime importance, and this area of Manhattan is already a magnet for young families. Not only is it well supplied with shops and high-quality restaurants, but there are peaceful parks where children can play, schools, academic institutions and hospitals. And of course, the financial area and theater district are within easy reach. The Laurel rises to 31 floors, with a serene Indiana limestone and glass fa├ºade that adds a new dimension to the famed East Manhattan skyline. Behind this elegant, almost effortless exterior there is a wealth of well-resourced features.Designed by award-winning architects Costas Kondylis & Partners, it is, for example, one of New YorkÔÇÖs first LEED-certified buildings. Environmental issues have been considered from the first stages of construction, with general contractor Hunter Roberts taking responsibility for recycling construction waste and using recycled materials and non-volatile organic compounds wherever possible in the new building. The interior spaces have been designed to maximize the use of daylight. For those who like to put their environmental beliefs into practice, there are residential waste-recycling schemes and even bicycle racks and storage facilities for alternative forms of transport to complement the more traditional on-site parking.As discerning professionals would expect, the building is more than simply a block of apartments; it provides social facilities that are designed for their lifestyle. Health and fitness is a high priority for many. To cater to this, New YorkÔÇÖs most prominent fitness specialist, John Sitaras, has designed one of The LaurelÔÇÖs most impressive facilities: the Trophy Club. This bi-level fitness and triathlon training center is stocked with state-of-the-art equipment and decorated in a luxurious and almost sensual way, offering high-quality swimming, running and cycling facilities to a professional standard. And for those looking for inspiration before they venture into the club, the New York Marathon passes the door of The Laurel each year.The apartments themselves are beautifully designed in classical or contemporary styles and equipped to a very high standard. Flooring, for example, is solid white oak with a choice of dark or light finish. Each bedroom has its own luxurious white marble-floored bathroom with almost decadent luxury fittings, and each apartment boasts an additional powder room with natural quartz slab floor.Each apartment has a kitchen equipped to a high specification, with a convection oven and a steam oven, an induction cooktop and a natural gas top, all in stainless steel by Gaggenau. The Poggenpohl cabinets are topped by white marble counters, and the Sub-Zero refrigerator is accompanied by a wine cooler.The 31-floor block accommodates 129 apartments in all and provides an attractive base from which to enjoy city life. ÔÇô Editorial research by Dan Finn┬á