Former Hammer and Nail Building, Now The Plaza, Begins Renovation

The Plaza will have 72 apartments, plus retail, and should be complete by early 2017

By Robin Runyan Apr 18, 2016, 8:22am EDT

Photography by Michelle & Chris Gerard

Ground broke Friday on the former medical building known as the Hammer and Nail building, due to its large hammer and nail on top. And in true groundbreaking form, ground wasn't actually broken, but nails were hammered into something that was not part of the building.

Roxbury Group, who also did the David Whitney Building restoration, is leading the $22 million redevelopment of the building, which will have 12 stories of 72 apartments, plus retail. The Plaza will have 50 one-bedroom, 20 two-bedroom, and two three-bedroom units, ranging from 685 to 2,500 square feet. The group is calling them market-rate apartments, with rents starting at $1,500/month. Midtown living, y'all!

There will only be two apartments on the top floor, and those lucky apartment dwellers will have some of the best views in the city.

The iconic hammer and nail signs that were on the top of the building have been taken down. One will be be incorporated into the project, while the other will be donated back to the Carpenters Union.

Quinn Evans Architects is the architect and historic consultant for the plaza, and the Monahan Company is the construction manager.

The exterior renovation will need a lot of work. It will restore elements of the building's late, mid-century design through refurbishment of all concrete columns and metal window mullions, and replacements of windows and spandrel panels. You can see what it looks like today, compared to the shiny rendering of the future.