Couple Buys and Transforms NYC Apartment Without Ever Visiting It
A New York couple has bought and transformed a Washington Square apartment without ever stepping inside it. Steve Byrnes and Jamie Mandelbaum relied on a virtual tour via FaceTime to make their decision. The purchase soon led to an extensive renovation overseen by architect Andrew Franz.
Byrnes and Mandelbaum initially approached Franz for a simple decorating job. But the apartment's awkward layout and outdated design pushed the project into a full-scale rebuild. The couple never visited in person before buying, trusting Franz's guidance during a live video walk-through.
The apartment's location offers an unusual sense of calm for the city. Instead of traffic noise, residents hear birdsong from the trees lining MacDougal Alley. Franz also noted the low windows, which frame sweeping views of Washington Square Park, the West Village, and northern Manhattan.
The renovation turned a distant purchase into a tailored home. Franz's design addressed both structural quirks and the apartment's natural advantages. The result is a space that balances urban living with unexpected tranquillity.
