New million dollar lofts in FiDi go from sliding rules to sliding doors

Just in case you thought there wasn't enough high-end condos in the Financial District. Debuted now on Fulton Street, a few doors west of our old friend the Blarney Stone...

Anyway, meet the Compass Lofts... oh, and excuse me, it's The Compass Lofts at 42 Ann Street. Even thought I'm standing on Fulton Street. Ann runs parallel to Fulton. And probably doesn't have as much of a stigma as Fulton Street, the home of, well, nothing.



Anyway, as the sign says, the lofts, which hit the market last week, start at $2.4 million... and they provide a nice view of the Beekman ...



Here's some of the listing:

The Compass Lofts is a landmarked boutique residential loft building in the heart of FiDi offering seven extraordinary homes that perfectly fuse 19th century distinction with 21st century luxury. Every aspect of the architectural restoration epitomizes the developer’s reverence for the building’s role in history as a symbol of precision and design integrity.

The Compass Lofts offers a choice of six gracious full-floor lofts and one newly added rooftop penthouse duplex. All offer grand living spaces that boast oversized windows, fireplaces and high vaulted-barrel ceilings that set the stage for dramatic entertaining. The loft layout bedroom area and spa-like baths provide for a quiet retreat. The open custom kitchen includes RAK Ceramics marbleized polished porcelain counters with premium Liebherr and Viking energy-efficient kitchen appliances. The penthouse duplex is flanked by spacious north- and south-facing terraces plus a private rooftop deck.

And a little history on the building:

It was built in 1892 and landmarked 113 years later. Now the former factory at 127 Fulton Street is on the brink of becoming one of the finest, best-restored residential buildings in the Financial District. The 10-story Keuffel & Esser building was named for the family-run company that built it. Famous among engineers who relied on its products, “K&E” was the brand of the early 20th century for all sorts of drafting materials and instruments — T squares, compasses, measuring tapes, leveling rods, surveying equipment, and even furniture. It was the first American company to manufacture slide rules, and its success helped make Lower Manhattan a commercial capital in the days when industry rivaled finance downtown

Here's more on the history of the company. And if you want to know more about the Compass Lofts, there's an open house on Sunday...