NEW YORK | Projects & Construction

[desertpunk]

NY observer

How About Another Empire State Building or Two?
City Outlines Mega Midtown East Rezoning





By Matt Chaban 7/12



It’s the moment developers, planning geeks, and perhaps the entire city without knowing it, has been waiting for all year: the unveiling of the city’s plans, first hinted at in the mayor’s State of the City address, to remake the face of Midtown Manhattan.

It is big. No, really big. Bigger than almost anything the city has ever seen. Empire State Building big. While that will not be the case for every tower that is eventually built through the program, it could be for at least a few.

The parameters, unveiled at Community Board 5 last night, are close to what had been previously hinted at, an area stretching from 39th Street up to 57th Street, emanating out from Grand Central. Fifth Avenue has been eliminated from the original study area, as has the northern reaches of Third and Lexington avenues, which were considered too residential. Still, the plan affects all or part of 74 blocks in the heart of the city.

Far fewer of them will be developed because a provision in the plan limits development sites to only those that stretch the length of an entire avenue blockfront, and they must sit on a site that covers at least 25,000 square feet, or a little more than half an acre. Still, that is already the case for many Midtown towers, including landmarks like the Seagram and Lipstick buildings, for example. The bigger challenge would be emptying old towers of tenants so new buildings can be built.

Just how big? As suggested at another public meeting last month, the focus of the rezoning is on the blocks surrounding Grand Central Terminal as well as the length of Park Avenue to 57th Street. Surrounding avenues will see their density bumped up slightly, from a floor area ratio of 15 to 18 (excuse the technical numbers for a moment). Park Avenue and the Grand Central subdistrict, which will expand one block north to 49th Street and two blocks south to 39th Street, between Madison and Lexington Avenues, will have an FAR of 21.6. A new Grand Central core district will be created for the blocks immediately around Grand Central with an FAR of 24. (See: map.)

To put that all in perspective, the massive Pan Am/MetLife tower that currently looms over Grand Central has an FAR of 18. City Planning pointed to the old Bear Stearns headquarters around the corner, at 383 Madison Avenue, as having an FAR of 21.6. One Bryant Park, just down 42nd Street, hits 24 FAR, and is one of the biggest buildings in the city. Frank Ruchala, the project manager for the rezoning from the Department of City Planning, mapped out scenarios with towers rising between 575 feet and 700 feet on Park Avenue and between 700 and 800 feet around Grand Central, approaching the height of 30 Rockefeller Center.

“We think that’s what’s appropriate to build the kinds of building we need,” Mr. Ruchala said. After all, this plan is predicated on preparing the Central Business District for a major modernization over the coming decades.

But the fun does not end there. All these big new buildings can be built as of right, meaning no cumbersome public reviews. But should a developer wish to aim high, really high, they can go for an additional FAR bonus, a jump to 24 along Park and around Grand Central, while the Grand Central core subdistrict, the eleven small blocks around the train station, jumps up to a whopping 30 FAR, on par with the skyline defining Empire State Building (FAR of 33, the only thing in town that comes close). As if to drive this point home, City Planning’s presentation showed a spindly tower, which looked not unlike the MoMA tower it once rejected, piercing the skyline above Grand Central.

To achieve this, a developer must submit to a special permit, requiring the standard (and often torturous) public reviews. There would be a considerable emphasis on quality design, both at the top of the building, which would almost certainly take a prominent place on the skyline, as well as at the base, where “a significant public space” would be required, as Edith Hsu-Chen, director of the Department of City Planning’s Manhattan office, put it.

[...]

[desertpunk]

Westfield Inks WTC Retail Deal

After 11 years of grueling talks, a $93.9 million payment yesterday finally clinched a deal between the Port Authority and Westfield Group for control of the World Trade Center’s retail space.

Global shopping mall developer Westfield wired the Port Authority a check, sources told The Post — the first installment of $612.5 million Westfield will pay the PA for a 50 percent, joint-venture stake in the site’s eventual 460,000 square feet of retail.

Although a tentative agreement was struck last year and the PA board approved it in February, like many other concrete-sounding “deals” at the WTC, it had no teeth — until now.

“Remember, the PA board also approved Vornado’s office tower over the bus terminal years ago. Have you noticed an office building over the bus terminal?” an insider cracked.

Westfield will lend its skills in developing, leasing and operating an initial 365,000 square feet inside under-construction 4 WTC, the WTC Transportation Hub, above-ground along Church and Dey Streets and inside 3 WTC in the planning stage.

It will also include 90,000 square feet more when 2 WTC is developed in the future.

[...]
Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/busines...#ixzz20XwtBRZx

[desertpunk]

Mercedes House, July 10


http://constructbirmingham.wordpress...of-two-cities/

[desertpunk]

image hosted on flickr

Cloudy One WTC by michael.2999.pics, on Flickr

[ZZ-II]

awesome shot

[garret_jax]

Hello to everyone,
I need help to found New York Trump Soho floorplan, specially ground-third floors...

[sbarn]

There was a great photo update on Curbed the other day with more details about the design of 400 Park Avenue South:

image hosted on flickr


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All photos courtesy of Curbed.

[sbarn]

Photo update from Curbed, showing 120 West 57th Street (Willow Hotel) one continuing to rise. I think the glass will either make or break this building.

image hosted on flickr

[sbarn]

I had a work-related visit to the Lower East Side on Monday. I was able to snap a few shots of some construction in the area (and beyond).

Looks like the infamously stalled ghost building of the LES has resumed construction. This one sat as an empty concrete shell for over 3 years.
image hosted on flickr


In the foreground there are a few projects that I'm unfamiliar with... and beyond the WTC complex.
image hosted on flickr


Close up of the WTC.
image hosted on flickr

[ZZ-II]

Originally Posted by garret_jax

is there an old thread about Trump Soho CondoHotel??

I need info to know what is there from the ground to seventh floors....

images are welcome...


p.s. I'm sorry for my english

it's in the archives: http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showth...ght=trump+soho

[sbarn]

Photo update on the Willow Hotel (120 W 57th St). Despite its poorly placed setback, it really is shaping out to be a pretty good looking tower. Apparently black vertical struts will be added to the facade to accentuate its verticality. Could be interesting. Too bad the other hotel developers in the city couldn't learn a thing or two from this project. Anyway, to the photos:


Source: Wired New York

Close up of the new windows:

Source: Wired New York

[desertpunk]

DNAinfo

Sneak Peek at New High Line Designs Show Train Car Cafe, Playground

CHELSEA — A train car-turned-food-shop, a beam-and-girder playground, and many more plants are all in store for the High Line's upcoming third section, according to documents obtained by DNAinfo.com New York.

The new plans for the High Line's final section show significant changes since renderings were originally presented in March, with more plants, a clearer path for visitors to walk on, and a unique new play area for kids.

Friends of the High Line presented the plans for the $90 million project as a draft to Community Board 4's Waterfronts and Parks Committee. They were meant to be released on Aug. 6.

The park's history of innovative design is on full display in the renderings, which show off a variety of new flourishes not seen in the park's first two sections. The final segment of the park travels west from West 30th Street and 10th Avenue, then loops up 12th Avenue around the West Side Rail Yards to West 34th Street.

Designers plan to put an actual boxcar at the very end of the High Line on West 34th Street that will open up to host a food vendor, currently called "Cold Train." Visitors will be able to enjoy their food in a new picnic area, complete with bright green umbrellas that spin in the wind.

The park's unique take on playgrounds include a "beam exploration area" west of 11th Avenue that, by coating them in rubber, turns the beams of the original High Line structure into a play area that kids can twist, turn and play hide-and-seek in.

A large, plant-filled section east of 11th Avenue is tentatively called the "Grasslands." Hanging vines also dangle off the sides of the elevated park in the new plans.

An interim walkway traveling up 12th Avenue has been enlarged since previous plans, creating more space to walk and more places to sit while maintaining aspects of the "wild" plants already on the elevated track.

CSX Transportation, the owner of the defunct stretch of railroad slated to become the final section of the High Line officially handed over the elevated structure to the city on Tuesday, clearing the way for construction of the park's much-anticipated third segment.

Construction on the project is expected to begin later this year.

[...]
Read more: http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/2012...#ixzz224wdO6CE

[desertpunk]

NYU Expansion Wins Final Approval

The City Council approved New York University’s modified expansion plan last night by a 44-to-1 vote, meaning the school has cleared the final hurdle in its effort to develop 2 million square feet of classrooms, dorm rooms and office space on the Greenwich Village superblock south of Washington Square Park.

“I think this plan appropriately balances the need of an important university to grow and expand — which is good for our city — with the historic neighborhood it’s in,” Speaker Christine Quinn said before the vote. The size of the approved plan has been reduced by 26 percent since its initial proposal.

[desertpunk]

Manhattan panorama

image hosted on flickr

Beanhead4529

[desertpunk]

New Hotel To Rise Near WTC


133 Greenwich St.

[desertpunk]

State Approves Harlem Tower Plan


http://welcometoharlem.wordpress.com...ltural-center/

The Empire State Development Corp. has approved Danforth Development Partners’ proposal to build a $143 million addition to the legendary Victoria Theater on 125th Street in Harlem. The plan calls for 360,000 square feet to be built across two 26-story buildings that feature 229 apartments and 210 hotel rooms. They will sit atop 25,000-square-foot non-profit art complex that is replacing the theater, although the Victoria’s lobby and fountain will be preserved.

The ESDC’s approval marks a major step forward for the long-planned project that now appears to be a reality. Officials began seeking a developer in 2005 and reached a deal with Danforth in 2007, but financing difficulties delayed the project further.

[desertpunk]

MTA seeks Fulton Center retail manager as new spaces flood Lower Manhattan

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is issuing a request for proposals Thursday to find a manager for 70,000 square feet of high-end retail space under construction at the Fulton Street Transit Center. While the Wall Street Journal noted that this is just some of the nearly 1 million square feet of new retail space being prepared for the area, retail brokers believe there is enough demand to fill the flood of new supply.

[desertpunk]

Horizen Developer Closes On Site


http://www.cz-studio.com/horizen-tower.php

[sbarn]

A quick montage I did using ChodHound's amazing midtown photo, gives a rough idea of things to come (minus several proposals I'm sure I overlooked).

Original Photo Source: ChodHound

image hosted on flickr

[desertpunk]

John Catsimatidis getting ready to build his second of four Downtown Brooklyn buildings


curbed

It’s not happening as quickly as everyone would have hoped, but billionaire John Catsimatidis appears to be preparing to build his second of four promised buildings on Myrtle Avenue between Ashland Place and Flatbush Avenue in Downtown Brooklyn. As you may recall, he had to shelve plans to do the whole complex (initially two towers then scaled backed to four smaller buildings) at once when the world fell apart a few years ago, opting instead to do a single rental building (The Andrea) as a good faith gesture. But at the end of June he filed for a new 15-story mixed-use building at 81 Fleet Place. The DOB application calls for about 160,000 square feet of residential and 13,000 square feet of commercial. This filing was followed up by structural drawings at the end of July. This is what the rendering looked like back in 2007 but we can’t find anything more recent: