Park 53

45 E 53 was built in 1991 for Santander Bank and remained a single tenant headquarter building until it was sold to ZG Capital and Rialto Capital Management in 2022. Directly adjacent to the iconic Lever Building in the heart of New York City’s prestigious Plaza District, the building’s location presented an extraordinary opportunity to become one of the premier addresses just off Park Avenue.

MdeAS was retained by ownership to re-imagine the luxury asset as a multi-tenant boutique building that caters to the Park Avenue submarket. MdeAS partnered with Vocon to envision modern programming for the building, including a destination restaurant on the ground level, and boutique suites on the 2nd floor with private dining, a terrace, a board room, and a quiet lounge to cater to high finance companies. Meanwhile, a full redesign of the storefront and lobby support the modern aesthetic of the new programming and make it visible from the street.

City New York, NY

Year 2024

Size 112,993 sq ft

Client ZG Capital & Rialto Capital Management

Design Partner Vocon

Hospitality-Fresh Arrival

The entry to the building was formerly clad in heavy granite and darkened glass, causing it to become lost in its surroundings. MdeAS designed a grand entrance with double height storefronts, painted wooden club doors, and darkened metal columns that give it a distinctive, elevated quality. MdeAS also redesigned the lobby. The former lobby provided bank services and connected to a multi-functional assembly space at the lower level that was used for the bank’s onboarding and town hall meetings. The new lobby evokes boutique hospitality with materials like limestone, herringbone marble, and bleached white oak. These materials connect the lobby aesthetically to the newly finished elevator cabs and the 2nd floor amenity suite above, creating continuity with the building’s new branding.