Kenwood Gardens

Kenwood Gardens is a six-story, Georgian-style, courtyard apartment with sixty-nine apartments. Built in 1925 by architect Leroy Ward, the seven-story H-shaped brick and terracotta building is Long Island’s oldest cooperative apartment building. The building originally served its 66 luxury units with hotel-like amenities, including a barbershop, staff apartments, drug store, and dining room. The coop remains a much-loved fixture of downtown Great Neck.

The board hired us to redesign and refresh public spaces, especially the lobby which had, over time, lost most of its original charm to multiple renovations, leaving it with dated rec room paneling and tired furniture which greatly diminished the street appeal of the apartments and was cited by many as a reason for poor apartment sales and values.

Our renovation of the lobby preserves the traditional elegance of the gallery-like space while updating the lighting and finishes. The design takes cues from the existing building’s Spanish Colonial/Neoclassical design, adding paneled wall moldings and deeply coffered ceilings to recall the original grandeur of the space.

Original detail including intricately decorated wrought-iron and glass doors and variegated rustic terracotta Balchelder floor tiles are preserved, while new cove lighting, moldings, furniture, and artwork give the space a freshened, dignified update. A gym space is also being improved as part of this project.

Before Photo