Rockefeller Group Files Plans to Build 340 Units at 200 West 97th Street

New York City-based developer, owner and operator Rockefeller Group has submitted big housing plans for the Upper West Side development site it bought in January.

Rockefeller, along with Atlas Capital Group, has filed plans to build a 340-unit, 392,319-square-foot residential building at 200 West 97th Street, according to a recent filing with the New York City Department of Buildings.

If approved, the proposed 28-story building would feature 2,465 square feet of ground-floor retail space, as well as a parish center school, a residential lobby and an amenity lounge. The building would have between five and 19 apartment units on each of the second through 28th floors. A terrace and pool are planned for the building’s rooftop.

“We are so pleased to advance plans for our project at 200 West 97th Street in partnership with Atlas Capital,” Hilary Allard Goldfarb, head of development for Rockefeller Group in the Northeast, told Commercial Observer. “Together, we will deliver a best-in-class multifamily community that will flourish on the Upper West Side, while offering a critical affordable housing component and improvements to the church property.”

The cellar of the planned building would also have several amenities, including a pet spa, a podcast room, a screening room, a lounge, a sports simulator and a kids room. The ninth floor would have coworking spaces, a cafe, a fitness center, a “glam room” — though it is unclear exactly what that is — and outdoor space.

Timothy Flynn, senior vice president of design and construction for Rockefeller, submitted the plans, while Frank Fusaro from Handel Architects was listed as the architect. Fusaro did not immediately respond to Commercial Observer’s request for comment.

Rockefeller Group and Atlas Capital Group acquired 200 West 97th Street, at the corner of 97th Street and Amsterdam Avenue, in January from the Roman Catholic Church for $96 million, CO reported at the time. As part of the deal, the buyers agreed to preserve the existing church and rectory on the site while redeveloping underutilized parts of the campus into housing.

Demolition permits were filed last week for an existing four-story structure on the property, and Rockefeller expects to begin vertical construction in the first quarter of next year.

The residential part of the development is being built through the 485-x tax abatement program, which requires that 25 percent of the units in the building be designated as affordable housing in exchange for tax breaks.

“This project demonstrates what’s possible when thoughtful development aligns with strong public policy and how it can address multiple community needs simultaneously,” a spokesperson for the buyers said in a statement in January.