The Secret to Winning NYC's Building Amenity Wars Is #IYKYK Access

The New York building amenity wars continue. Does your address include a golf simulator? A personal shopper? Helicopter access? An experiential shower? Residential status used to be defined by how close you were to the park. Now, proximity and a view remain lovely, but are they enough?

53 West 53, that gleaming tower designed by Jean Nouvel with interiors by Thierry Despont—and with an impressive 82 stories—has never really rested on those kinds of laurels. Residents enjoy the perks of partnerships related to everything from gourmet groceries (Butterfield Market), to blonde highlights (John Barrett Salon), to a good night’s sleep (Frette linens). Now it adds a level of amenity that not only offers residents access and convenience, but something quintessentially New York: insider information.

Aida Bicaj has been the secret to the skin of some of the city’s most admired faces for almost two decades, and is openly credited with introducing the Biologique Recherche product line to New York—your addiction to P50 can thank her. If you live at 53 West 53, that will now just mean taking the elevator down a few floors. Residents will have the ability to book appointments with the Aida Bicaj team in the dedicated spa treatment room located within the 15,000-square-foot Wellness Center (or in-residence services for those who request it). They also have access to preferential appointments at either of the two Aida Bicaj spas in New York City, which include the flagship Upper East Side location at 30 East 67th Street near Madison Avenue, and the newly opened Tribeca spa at 64 North Moore Street.

And the #IYKYK factor is high. “Those who really know beauty, know Aida Bicaj. Having a world-class skincare expert just an elevator ride away is a true rarity in Manhattan and we’re thrilled to offer this exclusively to our residents,” says Samantha Sax, Chief Marketing Officer of Pontiac Land U.S.

"We couldn’t be more excited to partner with this iconic New York City building to bring our deeply personalized skincare services to its residents in a way that has never been offered before,” Bicaj says. “My team and I see skincare as true self-care, and we’re passionate about making every client feel their best.”

Full disclosure: if residents decide to leave the building for an Aida Bicaj facial and venture to the East 67^th Street location, they might see a familiar face: mine. I have been a client for more than a decade, and though the thought of ever moving strikes fear in my heart, the notion of a manual lift and remodeling facial just downstairs is awfully tempting.

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