Anagram Turtle Bay | 300 East 50th Street

Anagram Turtle Bay at 300 East 50th Street is a 23-story, 194-unit multi-family building with ground floor retail at the corner of East 50th Street and 2nd Avenue. Under the Affordable NY program, the mixed-income building has 30% of the units built as affordable. The design captures the building’s prominent corner presence and verticality, and is achieved through intricate masonry that blends the traditions of the solid masonry corner towers of Manhattan’s Midtown East and Upper East Side neighborhoods.

Various outdoor spaces including balconies and green roofs exist at points where the building steps back, offering views to the East River and west through the city. The building steps down along East 50th street toward the smaller existing neighboring buildings, creating a low-scale, 6-story volume where the inviting entrance is located.

Once inside, there is a sense of calm as the rear garden and conservatory is immediately visible with natural light filling the path that brings you past amenity spaces to the elevator lobby. The ground floor garden is designed to include a skylight water feature to bring dappled natural light to the cellar fitness space.

Brick is the heart of this project—chosen for its timeless character, versatility, and craftsmanship. A single custom chamfered brick shape is used throughout to form woven patterns, corbelled details, and deeply textured surfaces that animate the façade. From the recessed window bays to the sculpted entry architrave, each brick course contributes to a unified expression that feels both modern and rooted in New York’s architectural history. Through thoughtful material use and hand-laid precision, the building achieves a sense of timelessness and artistry fitting for its Turtle Bay setting.