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PRESS RELEASE |
1929 Art Deco Icon to
Celebrate Grand Opening on Washington Square
$75 Million Renovation of The Ayer Sets New Standard in
Upscale Living
PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Located in historic
Society Hill overlooking Washington Square, The Ayer
Condominium, which recently completed a two-year, $75 million
renovation project, will officially open its doors at a Grand
Opening celebration on Wednesday, September 26. Local
developers The Goldenberg Group and Brown Hill Development
formed a unique partnership to preserve this historic landmark
building. The Ayer features 56 luxury homes of the highest
quality, character and service, unparalleled in Philadelphia.
A monument to the age of Art Deco, The Ayer (pronounced: air)
was originally built in 1929 for NW Ayer, the nation's first
advertising agency. During its renovation, the building facade
was preserved and restored to its original condition,
highlighting gorgeous Egyptian-style sculptures, reliefs and
pressed metal work, as well as The Ayer's landmark bronze
doors. Inside, renowned Philadelphia architect Wesley Wei, in
collaboration with PZ Architects, carried out a vision in
keeping with The Ayer's storied history, yet tailored to meet
the demands of today's sophisticated buyer.
"We set out to define luxury, upscale living on Washington
Square. Without compromising the unique history of the
building, we have created a home for timeless, modern design,"
says David Mercuris, vice president of development for The
Goldenberg Group.
An intimate and exclusive residence, The Ayer's 56 high-end
condominiums -- including four penthouses -- feature expansive
floor plans, high ceilings and large windows with spectacular,
panoramic views of the square, the river and the city. The
Ayer stands alone in quality and detail with exquisite
interior selections including slates from the finest quarries
in England and Portugal; quarter-sawn hardwood floors from the
United States; and the ultimate in German made kitchens.
"We worked extremely hard to provide buyers the best overall
quality and design to match this building's timeless appeal,"
said Greg Hill, partner at Brown Hill Development. "An
historic gem, The Ayer now sets a new standard in Philadelphia
living with five-star service and myriad luxurious
conveniences."
Each residence includes the award-winning, innovative bulthaup
b3 kitchen system and state-of-the-art appliances including
Miele stainless steel cook-top, oven and dishwasher and
integrated sub-zero refrigerator. The master baths make for a
tranquil retreat with Thassos pure white marble floors and
walls, and marble showers with glass and chrome enclosures.
Serene yet highly functional, bath appliances include
Dornbracht Meta sink and tub fixtures, and floating custom
cabinetry with a Duravit vanity, standard in each residence
along with Miele washer and dryer.
Just steps from restaurants, galleries, performing arts venues
and boutique stores, residents of The Ayer will enjoy a
vibrant cultural scene, ripe with activity. To make the most
of their surroundings, residents will be treated to
personalized service amenities including a full-time
concierge, chauffeur-driven Mercedes S550, and valet service
for onsite parking. A private, state-of-the-art fitness center
is also available to residents.
One-, two- and three-bedroom residences are available with
views of all sides of the city and the square. One-bedroom
residences start at $870,000 and penthouses start at $3.9
million. The property is 70 percent sold. Residents have been
moving in since early August.
The Ayer: History Made Modern
This 12-story Deco building plus Penthouse was designed by
Philadelphia architect Ralph Bencker, also known for The
Rittenhouse Plaza, the Ethical Society building and the Horn
and Hardart chain. Built of Indiana Limestone, the masonry is
ornamented with iconic sculpture, geometrically shaped
corners, industrialized reliefs on spandrels, and pressed
metal work. Large Egyptian-style Deco sculptures adorn the top
of the building, while gorgeous bronze doors facing Washington
Square illustrate a geometrically-purified sunrise and Mayan
temple shapes.
The Ayer was the original home of the country's first
advertising agency, where an array of timeless ad slogans were
born: DeBeers' "Diamonds Are Forever", Morton's Salt's "When
It Rains It Pours", AT&T's "Reach Out and Touch Someone" and
Kellogg's Rice Krispies' "Snap, Crackle and Pop". Today, The
Ayer touts a tagline all its own: History Made Modern.
About The Goldenberg Group
Headquartered in Blue Bell, Goldenberg owns and manages 5
million square feet of commercial retail space with an
additional 1.5 million square feet in various stages of
development. The members of the Goldenberg Group are adept at
conceiving of and successfully developing large, complex real
estate projects, with areas of concentration including retail
and "power" shopping centers, center city "urban" projects,
community revitalization projects, residential projects and
acquisitions for renovation and/or conversion. The Goldenberg
Group is currently under construction at Parkwest Town Center,
a retail center in West Philadelphia, and Haverford Reserve, a
residential community in Haverford Township.
About Brown Hill Development
Brown Hill Development, based in Philadelphia and New York
City, seeks to redefine the residential development industry.
Brown Hill delivers high-quality, design-driven projects to
savvy and sophisticated users, those typically under-served by
today's traditional, more conventional development companies.
As a result, Brown Hill Development has undertaken some of the
more distinct and esteemed projects in the Northeast,
including the award-winning "Porter House Condominiums" in the
meatpacking district of Manhattan and "Old City 108
Condominiums" in Philadelphia's historic district.
Source: The Goldenberg Group & Brown Hill Development
CONTACT: Vince Powers or Kim Hallman, +1-215-568-2525, both
for The Goldenberg Group & Brown Hill Development
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