The Lower East Side’s Rhythm

The Rhythm apartments are ready for residents. Our photos capture a crew applying the finishing touches to the new apartment building at 1640 N. Water St., but a number of residents have already moved in to the building’s finished apartments.

Developed by a partnership of Tim Gokhman and Jim Wiechmann, the seven-story building includes 140 units. The majority of the units, 110, are under 600 square-feet in size. That space doesn’t feel small because of an obsessive attention to detail by the development team that includes right-sized appliances and a built-in queen bed that converts to a dining room table. Space savings are also found through the utility infrastructure, radiant heat is provided through the floors and a central hot water system eliminates the need for a water heater in every unit. In short, unlike many other studio or one-bedroom apartments, the space you’re leasing is almost entirely usable.

General contracting on the project is being led by Catalyst Construction. The $10 million project is being designed by Kindness Architecture and Planning, which was recently acquired by Eppstein Uhen Architects.

According to the New Land Enterprises website, rental rates range from $1,175 to $1,625 based on the size and location of the unit. All units include granite countertops, in-unit washer and dryer, Blomberg stainless steel appliances and a balcony. A fitness center and lounge is available fore tenants on the first floor. The building is pet friendly.

When construction began on this project in 2015, this area of the Lower East Side was often a ghost town. Today it feels like an identifiable, active place. A Bublr Bikes station, coffee shop, grocery store, gym and hundreds more apartments have made the intersection of N. Water St. and E. Pleasant St. a happening area. To the south the Mandel Group celebrated the grand opening of the fourth phase of The North End, dubbed Vignette, on Wednesday. Just across N. Water St. a new Fresh Thyme Farmers Market grocery store opened in the first floor of the Aperture apartments at The North End (see inside the apartments and read our coverage of the grocery store’s grand opening). The area just got another boost as well when Bader Rutter moved into 1433 Water, a new office building developed by Wangard Partners.

This is far from the only project Gokhman and Wiechmann have underway. In the past year they opened Trio Apartments in Walker’s Point. They’re developing a 13-story project that Gokhman’s firm New Land will ultimately manage. They’re also developing a an apartment building immediately behind Rhythm.

New Apartment Building Behind Rhythm

As our photos also capture, a site behind Rhythm at 1627 N. Jackson St. is being developed into an apartment building by Wiechmann and Gokhman that will have 33 rental units spread over five floors. Catalyst Construction is listed as the general contractor on permits and Scott Kindness of Eppstein Uhen Architects is listed as the architect.

A detailed planned development document on file with the city notes that the building is to include permeable pavement, solar panels and solar hot water.

The project is planned to include 19 surface parking spaces and 27 indoor parking spaces.

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