SoMA at 25 Water Street

SoMA at 25 Water Street is the nation’s largest completed office-to-residential conversion. The project reimagines a 1960s-era commercial building in New York City’s Financial District into a vibrant vertical community with 1,320 units, an unprecedented 10-story overbuild, and 100,000 SF of world-class amenities. The project was led by CetraRuddy Architecture, with architecture and interiors developed through the firm’s integrated approach. CetraRuddy’s interior design division is a women- and minority-owned practice led by Principal and Interior Design Director Ximena Rodriguez alongside Founding Principal Nancy J. Ruddy. CetraRuddy is comprised of over 60% women and 40% of all licensed architects at the firm are women. Women played pivotal roles across all phases of the project. Senior Interior Designers Sodam Ha and Jessica Delbridge led the development of the interior architecture and finishes, translating the project’s urban context and large-scale program into warm, livable, and community-centered spaces. Project Manager Emily Menez coordinated complex collaboration across multiple client, consultant, and construction teams, ensuring a shared design intent was realized throughout the 1.1 million SF building. Lead Architect Lindsey Doren played a central role in managing the project’s most ambitious architectural feats, including the 10-story overbuild and structural reinforcement. Her leadership in navigating the intricate challenges and opportunities of office-to-residential conversions was essential to the project’s market-defining success on a rapidly accelerated timeline. The resulting design transforms an underutilized office building into an activated neighborhood, complete with layered amenities, welcoming communal spaces, and intentionally crafted residences. The project demonstrates how women’s leadership fosters inclusive, human-centric environments at an impressive scale. These are the women leading a revolutionary moment in our city’s history—shaping projects that are not only architecturally significant, but socially impactful, paving the way for more equitable and forward-thinking approaches to housing in New York City.