DDG's XOCO 325 model unit in NYC

A lounge area with a light brown sofa, a leather chair, a black fabric chair, a coffee table, a white round rug, a grey console, a round wall mirror and sliding doors.

XOCO 325 is a former chocolate factory in New York’s SoHo district. DDG has slowly transformed the structure into luxury residences since acquiring it in 2012.

(Image credit: Robert Granoff)

By Ann Binlot

last updated 27 August 2022

in Features

Chocolate may no longer fill the inside of 325 West Broadway, the former site of a brick chocolate factory in New York’s SoHo district, but its name, XOCO (the Catalan word for ‘chocolate’) 325, keeps the building’s legacy alive. DDG took over the building in 2012, transforming it into a 21-unit residential property in the heart of one of Manhattan’s chic-est neighborhoods. DDG chief creative officer and head of design and construction Peter Guthrie and his team wanted to pay tribute to SoHo’s evolution from an industrial district into one of New York’s most sought-after residential, luxury shopping and dining neighborhoods.

The condominium's eye-catching façade is made from cast-aluminum – a lighter and more cost-effective option that still references that of the cast-iron loft buildings that line the streets of SoHo, with a curvilinear grid that resembles a series of interlocked bones and subtly echoes the eccentric curves of Spanish architect Antoni Gaudí. A vertical garden dangles through the building’s exterior over a hanging glass wall. Its 21 residences range from 1,055 to 4,837 sq ft, most of which feature balconies or terraces.

DDG hired the same Washington foundry that produces work for artists including Jeff Koons, Maya Lin and Matthew Barney to fabricate the elements of the building. Each unit boasts sculptural plaster work, ceilings with heights of at least 10 feet, Austrian white oak plank floors, hydronic radiant heated floors and custom millwork. Inside, an inviting courtyard garden leads residents to the basement-level, glass-walled fitness studio. The project is expected to earn LEED certification, and has a green roof system, green marquee, green cleaning program, irrigated exterior planter system and a bicycle storage room.

This month, the building unveiled its swish model home, entirely decked out with sculptural, handcrafted furniture from BDDW and artistic accessories from the company’s 'M Crow' line. Although the chocolate is no longer there, through its mashup of old, new and green, XOCO 325 looks like it has reached a sweet spot.

A kitchen with a black marble island, wooden chairs, white storage shelving and a potted plant. — This month, DDG has unveiled a model apartment filled with BDDW’s sculptural, handcrafted furniture and accessories from its ’M Crow’ line.

A dining room with a six seater table, wooden chairs, a vase with plants in, a large wall painting and wooden floors. — Each unit boasts sculptural plaster work, ceilings with heights of at least 10 feet, Austrian white oak plank floors, hydronic radiant heated floors and custom millwork.

A bathroom with grey marble walls, an oval tub, a clear glass shower area and a black vanity. — DDG hired the same Washington foundry that produces work for artists like Jeff Koons, Maya Lin and Matthew Barney to fabricate the elements of the building.

The outside of a building the large vertical round cornered windows. — The condominium’s eye-catching façade is made from cast-aluminum with a curvilinear grid that resembles a series of interlocked bones.

A bedroom with a double bed with a wooden base, a wooden side table with lamps on, a wooden floor and an open sliding door with the view of the city. — Its 21 residences range from 1,055 to 4,837 sq ft, most of which feature balconies or terraces.

INFORMATION

For more information, visit the XOCO 325 website

Photography: Robert Granoff

ADDRESS

XOCO 325
325 West Broadway
New York, NY 10013

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Ann Binlot is a Brooklyn-based freelance writer who covers art, fashion, design, architecture, food, and travel for publications like Wallpaper*, the Wall Street Journal, and Monocle. She is also editor-at-large at Document Journal and Family Style magazines.