Developers take New York-style approach

New property will bring a fresh perspective

Good-bye stucco. Gemstone Development is designing New York-style condominiums that bridge the gap between typical apartment living and unreasonably priced luxury high-rise penthouses.

Appropriately named Manhattan Condominiums, the property features many of the amenities a person might find on a street in New York, but they range in cost from $149,000 to $400,000 and in size from 900 to 1,800 square feet.

Alexander Edelstein, managing partner for Gemstone Development, said the project will give potential condominium buyers a fresh perspective. Residents have the chance to use a concierge service and full-service business center.

"The precedent that we're trying to set is affordable," Edelstein said. "We're trying to show that you can get a condo for $200,000 to $300,000 and get a quality of life people in Las Vegas don't know is attainable. There's a concierge service, wireless internet connectivity and a fitness center.

"We thought carefully about what kind of lifestyle we wanted to create and we kept coming back to Manhattan, where it's low maintenance and high service."

In keeping with the visual aspects of Manhattan, the property offers several different exteriors for different homes. Edelstein said the last thing Gemstone wants to do is create uniform designs.

"When you go walking on a nice street in Manhattan you see graystones next to brownstones," he said. "Gemstone doesn't want to build boring or bland things, and I think the exteriors of the buildings reflect that. These residential structures also have an art deco feeling and are done with a lot of articulation that makes one building look like many small buildings."

In addition to amenities offered outside the 600 units, interiors also can be custom designed according to the buyers' specifications.

"One of the unique things it will offer is wireless Internet connectivity," he said. "You'll be able to take your laptop and whether you're sitting under a tree or by the pool, you can be on the Internet. We'll also have a media screening room with a great sound system built into the wall. People can borrow the room, bring their friends over, watch a ball game or hang out. There's a rotating DVD library that allows residents to rent movies. Also our Central Park runs down the center of the project and offers people a large comfortable grassy area."

Located on the corner of Las Vegas Boulevard at Serene Avenue, the future site of Manhattan offers close access to the Strip without venturing too close.

Edelstein said people are opting to purchase a new condominium at Manhattan as opposed to a more expensive property with less amenities and more hassle involved.

"We see a lot of need for this type of housing here," he said. "People are looking for something different from traditional tract houses. People from California and New York are used to urban areas, but people here don't realize that a condo lifestyle has a lot of amenities you sometimes can't find in a $700,000 to $800,000 house."

Sales appointments are available only to those who have registered through the Web site at www.Manhattanlv.com or by calling 893-2663.


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