Housing
What the World Doesn't Need Are Steampunk Luxury Condos
A new Manhattan development is geared towards rich, "creative" people who want all the glamor of the wretched 19th century, but also really nice hardwood floors.
Every so often, circumstances conspire to deliver a perfect send-up of an unfortunate national trend. This is not one of those moments. This is a story where all of us lose.
A new luxury development called 15 Renwick in New York is giving built form to steampunk. That's right, steampunk: that dark, Victoriana-obsessed cousin of Renaissance festivals and Star Trek conventions is now a theme for condos. I'm sorry to report that it gets worse: Steampunk is the entire pitch for the building.