| ARO | |
|---|---|
 The building's exterior in 2019 | |
 Interactive map of ARO | |
| General information | |
| Coordinates | 40°45′49″N73°59′03″W / 40.763637°N 73.984081°W /40.763637; -73.984081 |
| Construction started | 2015 |
| Construction stopped | 2018 |
| Opened | October 2018 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architecture firm | CetraRuddy |
| Developer | Algin Management |
ARO is a rental luxury apartmentskyscraper in theMidtown Manhattan neighborhood ofNew York City, New York. Designed byCetraRuddy, it is located on 242 West53rd Street, the former site of theRoseland Ballroom.[1] Construction began in 2015 and was completed in 2018; it started leasing in October 2018.
ARO stands at the former site of theRoseland Ballroom.[2] In November 2013, it was announced that the ballroom would be replaced with an approximately 50-story tower designed byCetraRuddy. The first renderings of ARO were published in January 2014, when it was reported that the building would be 59 stories.[3] Modified versions of the renderings were released in July 2017, alongside the "ARO" name.[4] The name combines the first letter of former Roseland owner Albert Ginsberg's name with the first two letters in "Roseland".[5]
The ballroom was razed starting in August 2014, and demolition was completed in 2015. Algin Management began developing ARO later that year.[2][6][7]DeSimone Consulting Engineers worked on the building's structural supports.[8] The building's foundation was constructed in the summer of 2016. By November 2016, construction had reached a height of 12 stories.[6] The building topped out in 2017.[1] Triumph Property Group started leasing one- to three-bedroom apartments in the building in October 2018; at the time, rent prices ranged from $2,900 to $17,500 a month.[2][9]
ARO is a 62-story, 700-foot-tall (210 m) glass tower with a steel lattice exterior.[1] The building'smassing, or shape, changes on the upper levels to give each apartment the best lighting and view.[9] To do this, the architects purchased development andair rights from the surrounding low-rise theaters.[5] It has 426 luxury rental apartments, as well as amenities. Retail stores are at ground level, and parking is available underground.[1][2][9] Each apartment covers an average of 1,024 square feet (95.1 m2).[10] The apartment models range from one to four bedrooms. Each apartment has a 10-foot-tall (3.0 m) ceiling and floor-to-ceiling windows. It has oak floors, but marble floors in the bathroom. The walls are tiled marble.[2] Some apartments have balconies.[9]
ARO's lobby includes a sculpture, which spells out ARO using letters from the "ROSELAND" sign on the ballroom's53rd Street side. The sculpture's creator, James Greco, worked as a bartender at the ballroom.[2][5][9] Various items related to the ballroom, including concert posters, decorate the lobby.[5] The ARO Club is one of the building's amenity spaces, and is made up of three lounges, which include many sporting and athletic facilities; these are located next to ARO's fitness center. Another amenity space is the ARO Sky Club at the top of the building, which includes a residential rooftop lounge with a glass ceiling.[2][11]
The building won numerous architectural prizes, such as the 2015 SARA National Award, the 2017 American Architecture Prize, the 2017 Architecture Podium International Award, and a 2018 Architecture, Construction & Design Award.[11][12]