Construction Update: National Black Theater and Ray Harlem at 2033 Fifth Avenue
Facade installation is underway at the mixed-use development Ray Harlem at 2033 Fifth Avenue in the East Harlem neighborhood of New York. The development is a joint venture between LXMD (an affiliate of L+M Development Partners) and Ray, a new real estate venture from art patron and philanthropist Dasha Zhukova that combines culturally inspired apartment buildings with publicly accessible art spaces. As the inaugural project of the Ray venture, the development includes a 222-unit residential rental tower sitting atop a podium with 27,000 square feet of space for the National Black Theater, a ground floor community space to be open to the public, and retail. The National Black Theater has been in operation since 1968. Design of the project is led by Handel Architects and Frida Escobedo Architects.
Ray Harlem’s brick facade features a pink-red hue that references the Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove in Nigeria. Laying of the brick has begun at the lower floors of the residential tower, to be followed by the installation of large windows.
Architects: Handel Architects and Frida Escobedo Architects; Developers: Ray and LMXD; Program: Residential, Theater, Retail; Location: East Harlem, New York, NY; Completion: Late 2024 (Residential), 2026 (Theater).