Park Ave Kitchen by David Burke

As New York City’s workflow continues to stabilize from the pandemic, 277 Park Avenue is enticing a return to office with new amenity spaces and restaurants.

Goldman Copeland is the Engineer of Record for 277 Park Avenue, a 50-story midcentury modern office building completed in 1964 which occupies a city block between 47th and 48th streets, just north of Grand Central.

Park Ave Kitchen by David Burke
GOCO’s focus for Park Ave Kitchen was to provide an energy efficient and code compliant MEP system while cohering with Chef David Burke’s high-end aesthetic vision inspired by his visits to an Italian town with an aquatic feel. The restaurant, which opened in December of 2023, is approximately 8,700 square feet with two separate full kitchens, grab-and-go area, sit down dining room, and a full bar. The restaurant can be accessed by passing patrons at street level and from the building lobby by tenants.

To maximize floor space, the design team provided a mezzanine level to be used for MEP equipment, which required navigating complex existing conditions. The MEP design provides service for over 100 pieces of kitchen/restaurant equipment. HVAC design included a 40-ton chilled water Air Handler Unit (AHU) with VAV distribution, also used for make-up air for kitchen exhaust relief. Due to space constraints, GOCO recommended using “eliminator hoods,” a new kitchen hood technology that integrates the precipitator with the hood itself along with a grease wash down and Ansul system, greatly reducing the footprint. The lighting and electrical design included a new dedicated electrical room, a Wattstopper lighting control system with theatrical effects, and an illuminated Himalayan salt wall with an integrated linear light requiring multiple electrical connections. Plumbing design included strategically routed waste piping with low-profile p-traps to accommodate the shallow slab due to the Metro North underground train station located directly below the restaurant.

Photo by Maxwell Stertz Photography, Inc.