

Look up The Albert building in New York City and you’ll find a rich history, as the famed Greenwich Village hotel-turned-apartment complex has been graced by everyone from Jim Morrison and Carly Simon to James Taylor and Joni Mitchell. The Mamas & The Papas actually wrote their evergreen classic “California Dreamin” at The Albert. That rich history resonated amidst our recent NYC apartment combination for a young family with twins, who purchased two units in the historic building in hopes of combining two apartments into one with a more modern and engaging layout that can provide balanced comfort for years to come.
The client bought a studio apartment and one bedroom apartment, plus hallway space in the commons area, to allow for the added square footage required to accommodate creating a floor plan with three bedrooms, an open dining space, two bathrooms, plus a totally new powder room and laundry space.
Beyond common complexities associated with combining apartments in NYC, the new entranceway for our apartment combination called for us to move the standpipe for the building’s sprinkler system, which meant strong coordination between our team and the building’s super, along with the local NYC fire department.


The significance of the pre-war apartment combination allowed us to build the kitchen from scratch, moving far beyond the small, narrow kitchens the previous apartments had. Our new luxury kitchen remodel is wide open and walkable, with a centerpiece island capped by a Cambria quartz countertop. Sleek Bologne cabinetry with a faceless wrought iron finish compliments the light tones throughout the free-flowing dining space, which our clients find ideal for hosting family gatherings or a much-needed night with friends only.
Our plan called for three bathrooms, but the two apartments combined only had one each, so we created an additional powder room which didn’t exist. That new powder room has an evergreen floral print wallpaper and Barclay Vessel stone sink, providing an organic, inviting feeling for the space, which will ultimately be used as a kids bathroom. The other two bathrooms are more high-end, with endless Dolomiti Pulido porcelain tile throughout the master bath and Paradise white penny-tile in the guest bath. Each space conveys a unique look and feel.
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Considering an apartment combination in NYC? View our full portfolio of apartment combination before and afters, learn more about Gallery KBNY, or simply contact us today.
We are a New York Times-featured design-build firm in New York City with a full-service approach to residential renovations in Manhattan and Brooklyn that includes everything from interior design and architectural services to facilitating building management and board approval, to construction and construction management. We’re experts in renovating pre-war homes, kitchens, bathrooms, flooring, sourcing custom pieces, building entirely new rooms (or even balconies), millwork, and all that falls in between. Let Gallery bring your dream home to life.























For a full apartment of about 1,700 square feet, construction typically runs five to six months. Design, board approval, and permitting come first and usually take four to six months, so most full renovations move from first consultation to move-in in 10 to 12 months. Scope, building rules, and how much infrastructure is being replaced set where a project falls in that range.
Read More: How Long To Renovate An Apartment In NYC?
The construction portion of a full kitchen renovation typically takes 7 to 11 weeks. Door to door, the timeline depends mostly on the building: about 10 to 14 weeks in a private townhouse, 14 to 20 weeks in a condo, 16 to 24 weeks in a post-war co-op, and 20 to 30 weeks in a pre-war co-op, where board and engineering review take longer. Gallery KBNY orders custom cabinetry, stone, and long-lead appliances during design and approvals, so materials arrive ready for the build.
Read More: How Long Does a Kitchen Renovation in NYC Take? A 2026 Timeline Breakdown
The construction portion of a bathroom renovation typically takes three to four weeks. Gallery KBNY renovates bathrooms as part of larger interior renovations, so bathroom work is sequenced alongside the rest of the apartment within the overall project schedule.
Learn More: Our NYC Bathroom Renovations
Board review and execution of the alteration agreement typically take 6 to 10 weeks in a post-war co-op and 8 to 14 weeks in a pre-war co-op, where asbestos filings, electrical load letters, and engineering review add steps. DOB permits usually run at the same time. A complete package with full technical drawings and specifications tends to clear the building's reviewing architect in one or two rounds, which keeps the approval phase on schedule.
Get Into The Specifics: In-Depth Co-Op Board Approval Process For Complex NYC Renovations: What to Expect
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