First Hotel and Office Development in 30 Years Slated for Harlem

By Barbara Jarvie

NEW YORK CITY- Plans will be unveiled Thursday for the first Marriot Courtyard in an inner city community and an office building in Harlem. The 585,000-sf mixed use development, which is located at 125th Street and Park Avenue and dubbed Harlem Park, marks the area's first hotel and office development in 30 years.

The model of the $190-million development, designed by Enrique Norten, principal, Ten Acquitectos/Design International, will outline a vision that the developers, 1800 Park LLC, hope will "inspire a new source of community pride in Harlem."

This is just one of a number of developments in Harlem. A groundbreaking was held earlier this week for Strivers Gardens, a $67 million residential condominium on Frederick Douglass Boulevard between West 134th and 135th streets. The building will feature 169 condominiums, 37,000 sf of retail and underground parking and is expected to be ready to go by fall 2004.

Last year, the first phase of Harlem Center, an $80-million, 300,000 sf mixed-use development was being constructed by Forest City Enterprises Inc. Located on state-owned land at 105 W. 125th St., the office building scheduled to open in early 2004 will be anchored by two state agencies. First announced in late 1999, the project falls under the auspices of the empowerment zone, a 10-year, $300-million program to stimulate economic growth through financial incentives designed to attract new private investment. The state has contributed $100 million to match the federal and New York City contributions to the program.

Robert Redicker, SVP of Forest City Ratner, had previously stated his enthusiasm for the area. He noted last year that an inventory analysis of the 125th St. Corridor shows a thriving retail area that will be attractive to future commercial tenants. "It was clear to us that this corridor is more than a retail multilevel project," says Redicker. "A class A office property could also be very successful, and we believe our building will be well situated for that use."

Ahh, it's very nice to see some new development going on around here. If I get a chance, I'll get some pictures of the lots and the Strivers' Gardens rendering.

Here's a tiny model of it:

http://www.ny1.com/Content/images/live/51/101469.jpg

Also, here's the link to an article about it:

http://www.ny1.com/ny/TopStories/SubTopic/index.html?topicintid=1&subtopicintid=1&contentintid=34185

Great news. Harlem needs it!

what is the tallest bldg in Harlem at this time?

wow, looks very tall

Originally posted by rj2uman

what is the tallest bldg in Harlem at this time?

I believe it's the Adam Clayton Powell building on 125th and 7th, but don't quote me on that.

From the Daily News, scan courtesy of NYguy.

http://www.pbase.com/image/22842838/large.jpg

Looks good! Hope to move to NYC one day.

That is great news for Harlem! It looks like a cool building too. NYC is moving on up, again!

Wow! This tower seems to stan dout from a flat looking Harlem? Is Harlem generally low-rise?

Originally posted by huaiwei

Wow! This tower seems to stan dout from a flat looking Harlem? Is Harlem generally low-rise?

Yea, Harlem isn't well known to have any tall skyscrapers.

Here's another tiny model I found:

http://www.nydailynews.com/ips_rich_content/345-harlem_marriot.JPG

WOW that's a nice building harlem is very lucky

Originally posted by huaiwei

Wow! This tower seems to stan dout from a flat looking Harlem? Is Harlem generally low-rise?

Yeah... the only buildings that really stand out are the Powell building and Riverside Church around Broadway.

That, and numerous projects. ;)

I haven't been to Harlem in 10 years or so but it is exciting to see from afar how much Harlem has improved in that time. Building looks great as well.

Originally posted by phxmania2001

Yeah... the only buildings that really stand out are the Powell building and Riverside Church around Broadway.

That, and numerous projects. ;) Thanks for the replies dudes. I suppose this means the area has potential for highrises soon, even if it is one of the "poorest" areas, if I am not wrong?

Originally posted by huaiwei

Thanks for the replies dudes. I suppose this means the area has potential for highrises soon, even if it is one of the "poorest" areas, if I am not wrong?

Some areas might be called "poor" or "gritty", but many parts are also becoming gentrified. So, yes, there definitely is a potential.

More of the good stuff...

http://www.ten-arquitectos.com/images/harlem_01.gif

http://www.ten-arquitectos.com/images/harlem2_01.gif

wow! It has a nice crystalline shape to it. I think it'll stand out like some towers do in Croydon, London.

Cool building! It will really stand out in Harlem! :cool:

Did anybody else notice the people? They're hilarious....

http://www.ten-arquitectos.com/images/harlem_model_02.gif

http://www.ten-arquitectos.com/images/harlem_02.gif

http://www.ten-arquitectos.com/images/harlem_section_02.gif

Description:

http://www.ten-arquitectos.com/images/harlem_05.gif

More from Newsday...

http://www.nynewsday.com/media/photo/2004-03/11979090.jpg
Enrique Norten, a member of the World Trade Center memorial jury, has been called in to give some glitz to the redevelopment of Harlem and Brooklyn. He poses with his "wavy" models of the Harlem tower to be built at Park Ave and 125th Street.

http://www.nynewsday.com/media/photo/2004-03/11978938.jpg
[/i]Cross section architectural rendering of the new Marriot Hotel slated to go up at 125th Street and Park Avenue in Harlem, New York - designed by the architect Enrique Norten who is a member of the World Trade Center memorial jury and principal at TEN Arquitectos.[/i]

http://www.nynewsday.com/media/photo/2004-03/11979052.jpg
Architectural rendering of the new Marriott Hotel as seen from Marcus Garvey Park, slated to go up at 125th Street and Park Avenue in Harlem

From Arquitectos website...

http://www.ten-arquitectos.com/images/harlem2_02.gifhttp://www.ten-arquitectos.com/images/harlem2_07.gifhttp://www.ten-arquitectos.com/images/harlem2_08.gif

http://www.ten-arquitectos.com/images/harlem3_02.gifhttp://www.ten-arquitectos.com/images/harlem3_05.gif

NIMBY's out in full force...

NY Daily News

Harlem Marriott soars
Neighbors sore over height

By LORE CROGHAN
DAILY NEWS BUSINESS WRITER

A mammoth skyscraper project for Marriott in Harlem may be cut down to size if an effort by a host of politicians and community groups bears fruit.

The structure, which would dominate the historic 125th Street corridor, would dwarf the highest building currently standing - the Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Building at 163 W. 125th, which is less than half the proposed Marriott's height.

At 518 feet, the Marriott would be as tall as a 51-story apartment tower - heads above anything else on the Harlem skyline.

"It dwarfs anything the eye can see, north, south, east or west," city Councilman Bill Perkins (D-Manhattan) told the Daily News.

Perkins and a number of community groups have been making a last-ditch effort to get the height of the project lowered. Today, it comes before the City Council.

They object to the height of the project, called Harlem Park - which would house the neighborhood's first full-scale tourist hotel since the 1966 closing of the Hotel Theresa, where Fidel Castro once stayed.

The city council has veto power over celebrity architect Enrique Norten's design for the $200 million hotel, office and residential skyscraper. Developer Michael Caridi - whose investors include cowboy entertainer Gene Autry's widow, Jackie Autry - thinks the height of the tower makes it special.

"My point of view is the building is an iconic structure," said Caridi, who renovated the Holiday Inn on W. 57th Street. "Harlem deserves something magnificent."

Perkins also wants something special for his district - but not in a 518-foot package. He said his constituents welcome the project's 1,800 construction jobs and 986 permanent jobs, but object to such a building overshadowing their neighborhood.

"Development is past due - but that doesn't mean anything will do," Perkins said.

Caridi's publicists have already sent bulletins saying the ground-breaking is next month for the 222-unit Marriott. The project also includes about 100 apartments, 160,000 square feet of offices and 57,000 square feet of restaurants and shops.

It would be built on a parking lot at Park Avenue next to the Metro North train station. The site belongs to the New York College of Podiatric Medicine.

There's room on it for a 21-story building that would have the same floor area as the current design, and generate the same number of jobs, said architect Raymond Plumey of Civitas, a community group on the Upper East Side and East Harlem.

Civitas sent the City Council a letter of protest after learning last week the tower would soar way past what 38 stories represents in the minds of New Yorkers. Civitas members had assumed these were 10-foot floors, like in residential buildings, which would have meant 380 feet. They were wrong.

"We are in favor of the project," said Plumey, who works and lives in Harlem. "But we oppose the scale of the project."

Originally published on October 26, 2004

It has now been cut down to like 485 feet. Sucks.

dammit. This would've been real nice only a few feet higher (to 500)

But I guess it's better than it being cancelled altogether... :)

NY POST

MARRIOTT CHECKS IN WITH HARLEM HOTEL

February 18, 2005 -- Gov. Pataki and Mayor Bloomberg broke ground yesterday for a new hotel in Harlem — the neighborhood's first major hotel in 40 years.

The $236 million project will feature a 204-room Marriott Courtyard Hotel, 167,000 square feet of office space, about 100 residential units, retail stores, a health club, an outdoor swimming pool and an underground garage.

Bloomberg said the project, particularly the hotel, will add to Harlem's status as a tourist destination.

"This is a great day for Harlem and New York City," he said. "This will prove without a doubt that Harlem's economic revival is moving, and moving at full speed."

Said Pataki, "If you give this community an opportunity, give it the tools and you will see again Harlem shining bright."

A study carried out by one of the project's developers, Majic Development Group, found that about 30 percent of New York tourists visit Harlem.

The Harlem Park development will be located across the street from the Metro-North railroad station at 125th Street and Park Avenue, a few long blocks from former President Bill Clinton's office.

The hotel, scheduled to be completed by late next year, has committed to hiring Harlem residents for 25 percent of its jobs.

It will be Harlem's first major hotel since the Hotel Theresa closed in 1966.