2025 East Best Projects
Award of Merit, Residential/Hospitality: Claremont Hall

Claremont Hall
New York
Award of Merit
Submitted by RAMSA (Robert A.M. Stern Architects)
Owner/Developer: Lendlease Development Inc. and L&M Development Partners
Construction Manager: Lendlease
Lead Design Firm: RAMSA (Robert A.M. Stern Architects)
Structural and MEP Engineer: WSP USA
Civil Engineer: GeoDesign Inc.
The 41-story, 300,000-sq-ft mixed-use tower enables historic Union Theological Seminary to expand its footprint while also funding a much-needed facility restoration.
The building’s massing and material palette of grey brick, limestone-colored precast and intricate stonework blend seamlessly with the campus and the surrounding neighborhood’s decade-old structures.
During the design phase, onsite testing of custom brick prototypes ensured the materials’ hue and texture resonated with adjacent aged masonry under natural light settings. The lower eight-story wing, housing faculty units and academic functions, anchors the tower with a scale sensitive to Claremont Avenue’s historic context.
Photo by Mario Papajani, courtesy LBG
The project team incorporated the facade of the former refectory building, transforming the soaring, timber-framed hall into a distinctive amenity featuring a saltwater swimming pool.
This allowed the refectory’s most striking features to remain intact, including its expansive leaded-glass windows and a massive original fireplace, which was relocated to preserve the room’s spatial and architectural integrity.


