Eight New and Noteworthy Buildings That Came to Market in 2021

From dazzling residences in a historic London building to Manhattan penthouses with breathtaking vistas of Central Park, here are a few new and noteworthy buildings that hit the market in 2021.

The OWO, London

History buffs, perk up your ears: This impressive opening is housed in London’s landmarked Old War Office, where Winston Churchill commanded during World War II and British writer Ian Fleming was inspired to create the James Bond spy novel series. The historic space has been closed to the public for over 100 years, but that changes with the building entering its newest life as luxury-branded residences and a hotel by the hospitality brand Raffles. Sales kicked off at The OWO’s 85 residences in June, with pricing for its studios to five-bedrooms starting at £5.8 million ($7.6 million).

The residences, designed by 1508 London, all draw on the history and classical materials of the Old War Office, with original features like oak paneling and mosaic flooring appearing in each condominium. The OWO is also home to two turret residences, one of which went into contract in November at a London record-breaking £11,000-plus per square foot. The 120-key Raffles Hotel will showcase interiors by Thierry Despont, the acclaimed New York-based, French-born architect and designer. Move-ins will begin in 2022.

109 East 79, New York

These Upper East Side condominiums from Legion Investment Group launched sales in September from $5.5 million. Situated on a tree-lined block east of Park Avenue, the exclusive collection of 31 residences designed inside and out by Steven Harris Architects features sweeping, elegant layouts that nod to revered early 20th century New York architects Rosario Candela and J.E.R. Carpenter. Lest residents think their style will be cramped, rest assured that some apartments are a sprawling 6,000-plus square feet. The building’s architecture melds elements of the current Upper East Side skyline with hat tips to Art Deco, mid-century modern, and Bauhaus design. 

Within each home, residents can expect ample natural light thanks to oversized windows and high ceilings, stylish kitchens with hand-painted bespoke Italian cabinetry, marble bathrooms, and privacy doors custom crafted from steel and Bendheim art glass for all half- and full-floor residences.

The condominium interiors are designed by Rees Roberts + Partners, and when building residents step outside of their handsome home base, they will enjoy amenities like a lounge perched over a landscaped garden with a sculptural water wall, a fitness center, an international squash court, and a spa with treatment rooms, a sauna, a steam room, and a hair salon. 

A five-bedroom, full-floor penthouse in the building went into contract in mid-January, prior to the sales launch, with an asking price of $32.5 million. There are several other penthouses and a two-story townhouse with a private garden and outdoor fireplace on the building’s premises. Closings are anticipated for summer 2022.

200 East 83rd, New York

The residences of 200 East 83rd officially hit the market in October, with 30% of the building’s 86 condominiums already spoken for ahead of the formal sales launch. The new 35-story Upper East Side condominium building, developed by Naftali Group and Rockefeller Group, first made a splash for setting a Third Avenue sales record with a $27 million penthouse deal in November. The tower is designed by the esteemed firm Robert A.M. Stern Architects and spotlights details such as intricate ironwork and expansive setback terraces. Another endearing feature: Wildflowers that were native to the area are etched in the tower’s facade of Indiana limestone flanking the front door. Sculpted railings also offer a nod to nature—this time, suggesting the street’s verdant treescape.

Inside, floor plans include half-floor and full-floor residences as well as three dramatic penthouse residences at the building’s crown, all with their own private foyer, modern finishes, oak cabinetry, custom crown molding, and cutting-edge technology. Residences start at $2.05 million, and some are outfitted with private outdoor space, such as the penthouses, which have large terraces as well as custom-designed stone parapets with metal and glass railings. 

There’s no shortage of amenities in the building, with offerings running the gamut from a fitness center with a 70-foot pool and yoga studio to a private cinema and a vaulted porte-cochère with automated parking opening onto a private courtyard. Should residents need to destress after closing on their new homes, there’s also a spa with a steam room, sauna, and treatment room.

The Bellemont, New York

A few weeks after the residences of The Bellemont hit the market in October, the building’s top two penthouses sold together for $66.5 million, setting a new record on the Upper East Side above 59th Street. The Robert A.M. Stern Architects-designed and Naftali Group-developed boutique building, with its impressive limestone and iron-work facade, offers a collection of 12 homes with half-floor, full-floor, duplex, and penthouse layouts. 

Rome-based interior designer Achille Salvagni worked wonders in creating timeless, luxurious homes, his work harmonized by the grand proportions of the apartments, the soaring ceilings, and sweeping views of Central Park. Noteworthy specs from Salvagni—who is known for his work on superluxury yachts and high-end private residential projects—include large-scale polished doors, high moldings, and chefs’ kitchens. Amenities include a rooftop lounge overlooking the park, fitness space, children’s play room, regulation squash court, and screening room.

Aria Reserve Miami, Miami

An eye-catching development is on the horizon for Miami’s Biscayne Bay. The 62-story side-by-side buildings of Aria Reserve launched pre-construction sales from $750,000 earlier this year. The south tower of Aria Reserve, set to break ground in 2022 and wrap construction in 2024, will encompass 391 residences priced from about $750,000 to over $2 million.

Developed by Melo Group with architecture by Arquitectonica, the waterfront towers will offer condominiums in one- to four-bedroom configurations, ranging in size from 1,100 to 2,600 square feet. Residences will also have 10-foot ceilings and spacious terraces. A collection of 15 penthouses, with prices up to $12 million and floor plans spanning from 3,500 square feet to over 9,000 square feet, will also be available. 

On the amenities front, there is a two-acre recreation deck, a wellness center with a meditation garden, sauna and massage room, and two pools. There will also be water sports such as kayaking, canoeing, paddleboarding, and personal watercraft riding for residents to enjoy.

La Baia, Bay Harbor Islands, Miami

Renowned New York developer Ian Bruce Eichner’s newest Miami-area condominium, La Baia, Bay Harbor Islands, hit the market in October with residences priced from $810,000. The 68-residence building features one- to four-bedroom homes ranging in size from 1,125 to 2,500 square feet. Revuelta Architecture designed the entrancing exterior, while the interiors are appointed with handsome fixtures and high-end finishes by Durukan Design. Ideally located just north of Indian Creek and west of Bal Harbour, La Baia, Bay Harbor Islands will feature an in-demand private marina.

Residences will include wide-plank European flooring and kitchens with Snaidero Italian cabinetry and Miele appliances. Ceilings will extend to nine feet in the luxury residences and 10 feet in the penthouses. The bayfront retreat is set to be finished in November 2023, with 30,000 square feet of amenities such as a rooftop pool, fitness center, and dedicated areas for kids and adults. 

“La Baia’s waterfront setting offers the optimum active and healthy Miami lifestyle. Now more than ever, families are taking pleasure in a wide range of outdoor activities and experiencing the joys of boating as never before,” said Phil Gutman, president of Pgutman LLC, which is exclusively handling sales at the building. “Our private marina is a fabulous amenity, as is the ability to kayak, paddleboard, or swim. It’s the essence of a Florida lifestyle.”

Waldorf Astoria Residences Miami, Miami

Another reason to flock to Magic City: The eye-catching stacked cube tower designed by architects Sieger Suarez and Carlos Ott that, at 100 stories, will become the tallest condominium tower south of Manhattan. The forthcoming Waldorf Astoria Residences Miami kicked off sales from $1 million in March, with construction poised to begin in 2022. The hybrid hotel and residences will include 360 condominiums, from junior suites to four-bedrooms, and 205 hotel rooms and suites. The tower marks the storied brand’s first foray into the Miami market.

“It’s not every day that you get to work with an iconic five-star brand to build a tower that is also the tallest below New York City,” Ryan Shear, managing partner of PMG, the New York- and Miami-based developer behind the project, previously told the New York Post. And iconic it shall be, with panoramic views of Downtown Miami and the Atlantic Ocean; kitchens with custom cabinetry curated by BAMO and fabricated by Italian design house Italkraft, as well as Sub-Zero and Wolf appliance packages; rain-style showers and custom Italian vanities in select residences; and smart-home technology for lighting, temperature control, and more. Some of the residences are also being listed with fully furnished interiors that complement their 10-foot floor-to-ceiling windows. When it comes time to blow off some steam, condominium dwellers can head to the spa or fitness center.

Yerba Buena Island, San Francisco

Sited in the San Francisco Bay between the city and Oakland, Yerba Buena Island is in the midst of receiving a mix of 266 residences from developers Stockbridge and Wilson Meany, including condominiums, single-floor residences, townhomes, and five single-family homes. The idyllic isle will also boast five miles of trails, and amenities that include a fitness center, outdoor pool and hot tub, massage room, library lounge, game room, and more. Residents may feel miles away from a sprawling metropolis, but they’re only a 10-minute ferry to Downtown San Francisco.

After 20 years in various states of development, sales began in April with studios priced from $800,000 in The Bristol, the island’s flagship condominium. The 124-residence building showcases design by Hart Howerton and Edmonds + Lee Architects, with residences done up in white oak plank flooring, chefs’ kitchens with Miele appliances, spa-inspired bathrooms with Carrara marble vanity countertops, and floor-to-ceiling windows. 

The single-floor homes at The Flats boast 2,500- to 4,000-square-foot floor plans, designed by Hart Howerton with interiors by Meyer Davis. Townhouses, too, feature the same designer credentials, this time for three- and four-level row houses with attached garages. Residences at Courtyard Townhomes feature similar specs with private interior courtyards for indoor-outdoor living at its finest. At the island’s Estate Homesites, there’s the opportunity to build five custom homes.