By Stephanie Wilson

In a city that is inundated with developments, upscale family-friendly housing options are few and far between. While the Upper East Side is home to an abundance of old world-style apartments that offer families their own private floor, during the shift towards loft-style living, family-friendly spaces have been left behind.

A development in the Triangle Below Canal Street-aka Tribeca-is reversing the trend, providing homes for families in a swanky neighbor-hood that is known for providing chic lofts in former warehouses.

Tribeca Five is a blend of restoration and new construction in a 19th-century building that was occupied for the past 60 years by a plumbing supply company. The building’s humble roots don’t even begin to tell what the future that is in store. The Dynamic Group has gotten their hands on the property, and has gutted the building, creating five full-floor residences, modeled after the pre-war apartments of Park Avenues.

Thanks to its 283 West Broadway location, the building is blessed with light flowing in from three sides, an abnormality in New York City where high-rises tend to blot out the sun. Tribeca Five takes advantage with a plethora of windows, which leads to an apartment full of light and life. Each residence has an eat-in kitchen that flows into family rooms. Brad Zackson, a Dynamic Group principal, explains, “We were able to build like people used to, when the pre-war apartments were being constructed with families in mind. There are a lot of families moving into Tribeca, but not a lot of family-type apartments. Tribeca Five’s units are unique, with separate living rooms, in a full-floor home.” And don’t let the “family-friendly” term conjure up visions of plastic finishes and crayon-resistant walls. These homes, which range in price from $2.7 to $3.795 million, are full of resplendent luxuries. Lavish master baths are true home spas, with specially heated mirrors that will not fog, heated towel racks, heated tile floors, and an iPod station. Each residence even comes with an eight by ten foot storage space, a rarity in a city where space is a luxury.

The building also offers a rooftop terrace-just like a private house’s backyard-with chaise lounge chairs, an outdoor kitchen with grill, ice maker and drink station, a food bar, fire pit, outdoor shower, and extensive plantings, making this the ideal place for entertaining, family-style or otherwise.

Renowned interior designer Dorothy Draper & Co is creating the dramatic interior lobby of the building, adding to the sense of luxury. Draper, whose works include The Breakers in Palm Beach and The Plaza in Manhattan, will be loaded with a dramatic Chinese red color, with several muted tones to enhance the feeling of elegance and sophistication. Zacker says, “Having Draper design the lobby is like allowing our residents come home to a great work of art.

“We have tried to create the ideal urban lifestyle building,” Zacker concludes. “This is the first of the quality, high-end buildings in Tribeca that is comparable to those of 5th and Park Avenue… Tribeca Five really feels like a home, not just an apartment.”