New York City Development News

[HK999]

Originally Posted by yankeesfan1000

HK999, can not thank you enough, love your updates, it's so hard to keep a pulse on all of these projects and your lists really help.

One quick question though, what exactly are the Tishman Speyer Towers? I can't find any info on them.

And I was ecstatic when I saw that the Skyvoid is now an official proposal, it is truly stunning but likely 8-10 years away at least, hopefully the NIMBY's won't butcher the height.

here's the thread for the TS towers: click!. the towers are approved but on hold for now, simply because of lack of financing. but they are not dead so there's still a chance of them being built. i suggest you read through the thread (only 7 pages) to get a clear picture of what's going on.

the german wiki site has some nice info about the Edgar Towers Skyvoid project: click!.

[HK999]

more info about the Citypoint Tower in downtown brooklyn, provided by Robert Walpole:

http://gowanuslounge.blogspot.com/20...-flatbush.html

Citypoint Tower: 65 Stories on Flatbush

The Citypoint website for the project that is going up on the site of the Albee Square Mall doesn't go out of its way to highlight the height of the tower that will rise with the huge development planned for the site. (Brownstoner first drew attention to the site on Monday.) In fact, most renderings of the project has downplayed the tall building. A small rendering appears on the project's website and a somewhat larger one has popped up on the Greenberg Farrow website. The building is planned at 65 stories, far taller than the Williamsburgh Savings Bank building, which is Brooklyn's tallest structure. Here's what the architect's website has to say about the development:

City Point will enliven an already bustling office and retail district in the heart of Brooklyn. Next to the Metrotech office complex and along two major thoroughfares in central Brooklyn, this 1.9 million square foot development features over 500,000 square feet of retail, approximately 280 hotel rooms and 800 residential units along with 250,000 square feet of offices. This signature tower will rise to over 65 stories, rising above the Brooklyn skyline.

Is 65 stories too tall for Flatbush Avenue? Will there be any questions raised about the size of the Citypoint tower? Stay tuned.

i'm going to open a new thread for this project.

[desertpunk]

From: http://ny.curbed.com/archives/2010/0..._enemy_yet.php

Upper West Side Megaproject Makes Its Biggest Enemy Yet
Wednesday, September 1, 2010, by Joey



The local community board thinks Extell's Riverside Center is a bad idea for the Upper West Side, and now Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer agrees. As part of the ULURP process, Stringer got to deliver a verdict on the five-tower, three-million-square-foot megaproject, but only in an advisory role. Meaningless or not (and it's not, because the City Council won't want to look like it's ignoring the concerns of the community), Stringer has announced his conditional disapproval of the project, and in explaining why, he pretty much tees off on the mixed-use monster of Riverside South, which will also include a school (controversy!), auto dealership, oodles of parking, lush fields o' frolicking and plenty more in its Christian de Portzamparc design. Even though Extell just pledged to up the affordable housing to 20% of the units, they were still given a tongue lashing, Stringer style!

It ain't 4th of July, but there are fireworks on the West Side! >>
Here's a chunk of the statement released by Stringer's office:

The Riverside Center proposal would replicate many of the same shortcomings and negative impacts as the Riverside South development. After careful consideration of the proposed actions, the Manhattan Borough President determined that the current Riverside Center proposal requires significant modification and that outstanding unmitigated environmental impacts must be addressed. While development at Riverside Center may be a generally welcomed addition to the community, that development must not overwhelm the surrounding neighborhood.

“The Riverside Center development has the potential to either improve the neighborhood or to recreate the past mistakes of Riverside South,” said Borough President Stringer. “This is not about no development – it’s about appropriate and responsible development.”

While emphasizing that the “development of the [Riverside Center] site is desirable to the Upper West Side community,” the Borough President’s recommendations identifies several areas that necessitate improvement and modification. The current proposal lacks good site planning, creates inactive streetscapes, and obscures access to the proposed open space. Additionally, the proposed project has many environmental impacts that require real mitigations. The Borough President’s recommendation advocates for the inclusion of public amenities such as a public school of an appropriate size to meet the needs of the community and additional active recreational space. These, among other proposed modifications, are consistent with recommendations proposed by community members.

Political smackdown! But Extell isn't taking the diss lying down. A spokesman has already responded to the West Side Spirit, saying, and we'll paraphrase, "Eff that guy."

[desertpunk]

From: http://ny.curbed.com/archives/2010/0..._rendering.php

Really Big Building Has Really Big Rendering
Thursday, September 2, 2010, by Joey


The owners of the Empire State Building freaked the fuck out over 15 Penn Plaza, even though the planned skyscraper supposedly ruining their chi will go up (...someday...) two avenues away. In Manhattan, that's far enough away to be considered another country, but they have a point: 15 Penn Plaza is freaking huge! To provide the proof, we have the World Architecture News, which just weighed-in on the Midtown skyline battle and provided a centerfold-sized shot of the Pelli Clarke Pelli-designed tower. Fans of glassitechture, feel free to print it out and hang the poster up on your wall. WAN casts a critical eye on the Hotel Pennsylvania-replacing tower, writing that "the general consensus is that it simply doesn’t have the gravitas required for the address," and all that extra office space "will only further deteriorate the street life." Can the Penn Station street life get any more deteriorated? It's filled with depressed Knicks fans!

[redbaron_012]

That 'Really Big Building' reminds me a bit of a building I could see in New Jersey opposite Lower Manhattan.....you guys would know which one I mean. I have to say New York is the epicentre of skyscrapers in the world...even though many cities have taller buildings now. The union of history and continual development has been a part of New York since its inception. Even the ESB saw the demise of a grand building in the original Waldorf Astoria Hotel. If the ESB wasn't built the Waldorf now would be a protected building...I imagine ? I just hope anyone who makes decisions in the city understands the world is looking and hopes iconic visions are taken into account with future proposals....imagine buildings like this surrounding the ESB in 100 years......kinda sad really?
PS......I notice there isn't a thread about the building that abutts the ESB ? imagine being so near yet being so far ?

[HK999]

--- PLEASE READ THROUGH CAREFULLY (many new skyscraper proposals and other stuff) ---

NYC construction status

(updated list, includes U/C, App, Prep, Pro) -- 04.11.2010 --

SUPERTALLS

U/C:

- 1WTC (417m roof, 541m spire, currently working on the 46th floor, current height = 162,5m)
- 2WTC (390m roof, 414m spire, foundation work / piling, footprint taking shape, core steel expected to rise soon)
- 3WTC (349m roof, 378m spire, foundation work / piling, core steel expected to rise soon)
- Carnegie 57 (306m roof, formerly known as 157 W. 57th St., tower has passed street level, currently working on the 3rd floor)

Approved:

- 15 Penn Plaza (there are two possibilities: 371m roof (multi-tenant design) and 365m roof (single-tenant design), recently approved by the city council, construction will start when a major tenant is found, likely next year)
- The Gira Sole (323m roof- when they finish the subway tunnel this will be U/C, full construction will start in 2013, expected to be completed by 2016)
- Tower Verre (320m roof - needs a redesign, will be built)
- Tishman Speyer Towers (336m x 2, on hold, Prep)

Proposed:

- Midtown Towers (371m roof - aka One Manhattan West, they need to build the platform first)
- New York Tower (305m roof)
- Edgar Towers Skyvoid (396m roof, newest supertall proposal, 70 floors)
- Hudson Place Tower I (396m)
- Hudson Place Tower II (329m)

SKYSCRAPERS

U/C:

- 4WTC (297m roof, 6 floors already done (=base), tower is fully funded, construction speed is catching up - soon to be 1floor / week)
- 440 West 42nd street (204m roof, main roof (188m) has T/O, cladding almost done, final build- out still to be constructed, final height should be 195m)
- 99 Church Street (278m roof, construction started, currently on hold, construction likely to resume next year)
- 56 Leonard Street (253m roof, construction started, currently on hold)
- 50 West Street (218m roof, on hold, construction site already excavated and prepared for foundation work)
- Beekman Tower (267m roof, already T/O, cladding done, hoist to be removed soon, interior work ongoing)


Approved:

- 250 East 57th Street (218m roof, Phase I already U/C, Phase II following (construction of the actual tower will begin in 2012)
- 366 10th Avenue (236m roof)
- 610 Lexington Avenue (215m roof, on hold)
- 5WTC (264m roof, the port authority has taken responsibility over the site, plans to build an office tower)

Proposed:

- 1 Madison Avenue Addition (285m roof)
- PANYNJ Tower (261m roof)
- 260 12th Avenue Hotel (252m)
- Two Manhattan West (285m roof)
- 45 Broad Street (216m roof)
- 1715 Broadway (newest proposal, 229m roof (minimum 218m), demolition ongoing)
- 440 Park Avenue (likely to rise up to 70 floors)
- 225 West 57th Street (200m+, demolition)
- 1 Dekalb Avenue (200m+, 65 floors, located in downtown brooklyn)
- 3 Columbus Circle (likely to exceed 200m)
- 708 1st Avenue (203m, 45 floors)
- 700 1st Avenue Tower 3 (210m, 66 floors)
- Javits Convention Center Hotel (202m, 50 floors)

HIGHRISES

U/C:

(counting only 100m+ buildings)

--- upcoming --- (there are at least 70 100m+ towers U/C, App, Prep or Pro in NYC)

[desertpunk]

Awesome!

[spectre000]

Nice list HK999! I'd love to see a complete list of all the 100m+ towers u/c in NY. It'd be nice to see this thread get more active. For the life of me I can't understand why it's not...

[HK999]

Originally Posted by spectre000

Nice list HK999! I'd love to see a complete list of all the 100m+ towers u/c in NY. It'd be nice to see this thread get more active. For the life of me I can't understand why it's not...

Originally Posted by desertpunk

Awesome!

thanks, i'll see what i can do about the 100m+ list. it's really hard to cover them all, so i guess it will take some time (depends on how much time i will have).

btw many 100m+ buildings are recently T/O and completed, i probably won't include them on the list.

[desertpunk]

From the NY Times: http://feeds.nytimes.com/click.phdo?...20f559a80f40eb

Governor of New Jersey Blocks Hudson Tunnel Project

By PATRICK McGEEHAN
Published: October 7, 2010

Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey said on Thursday that he has decided to terminate the construction of a commuter train tunnel between northern New Jersey and Manhattan because of escalating estimates of the project’s cost.

Until last month, the project had been estimated to cost $8.7 billion. But after his staff reviewed the project, Governor Christie said they concluded it would cost more than $11 billion, and possibly as much as $14 billion.

The federal government and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey had pledged $3 billion each toward the tunnel, but Mr. Christie said New Jersey could not afford to pay the balance.

In early September, Mr. Christie surprised other elected officials and an array of transportation advocates who had supported the tunnel by ordering a temporary halt to spending on the project.

New Jersey Transit, the state-run operator of commuter trains and buses, had already hired contractors to begin digging the tunnel, and the Port Authority had begun condemning property in Midtown Manhattan that stood in the way of the project.

All told, about $600 million had been spent. Senator Frank R. Lautenberg, a Democrat from New Jersey who supported the project, said that about half of that money came from the federal government and would have to be repaid by New Jersey.

The move would scuttle a project that has been in the planning for two decades and was supposed to double the capacity on trains into New York City and alleviate congestion on the region’s roads.

Transportation advocates and officials in Washington said that the federal money would probably be spent on transit projects in other states. They said they expected Mr. Christie to suggest spending the Port Authority’s money on other projects in New Jersey.

[desertpunk]

From Curbed: http://ny.curbed.com/archives/2010/1...heel_tower.php

NYU Begins Landmarks Commission Fight for Pinwheel Tower



A key part of NYU's plan for world domination NYU 2031 expansion plan is the 40-story "Pinwheel Tower" on the Bleecker Street side of the landmarked, I.M. Pei-designed Silver Towers complex. Community rage hasn't done anything to stem the plans so far, but there's another potential roadblock in the form of the Landmarks Preservation Commission, which will have to okay an addition to the complex. NYU filed an application with the Landmarks Commission today, Crain's reports, and it should hand back a decision in a few months. Commence nailbiting, Villagers! The process involves an advisory vote from Community Board 2, at least one Landmarks hearing, and then a vote. Plan B is a new NYU tower on the corner of Bleecker and LaGuardia, so perhaps the Morton Williams supermarket currently on the block should prepare itself.

[desertpunk]

From: http://www.observer.com/2010/real-es...ce-ground-zero

Gehry Jigs for Joyce at Ground Zero
By Matt Chaban



The final piece of the World Trade Center redevelopment has fallen into place, as the mayor, governor and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver announced the allocation of $100 million in federal funds for the completion of Frank Gehry's long-delayed performing arts center at ground zero.

The $450 million center will house the Joyce dance company. It was also to include the Signature Theatre, but the group abandoned the building over uncertainty about its completion — or even realization — for a site in midtown.

As the redevelopment of ground zero trudged along, it was not clear there would be funds for the performing arts center, and it was nearly cancelled earlier this year. That is because the spaghetti of tunnels and mechanical systems that undergird the entire 16-acre site was being held up over the project's uncertain future. Just three days ago, the Post was casting renewed doubt on the project. (Take that, chumps.)

"I am tremendously pleased that this $100 million commitment clearly paves the way for this long-promised performing arts center, which will be a cultural jewel for Lower Manhattan," Mr. Silver, whose district includes the World Trade Center site, said in a statement. "I want to thank Mayor Bloomberg for his strong support and for realizing how important this is to the rebuilding of my Lower Manhattan community following the tragedy of 9/11. We are creating a world-class venue for music, dance and the performing arts that will be a celebration of the vital cultural life of our Downtown neighborhood."

The new $100 million adds to the $50 million of 9/11 rebuilding funds that had already been set aside for the project. Andrew Brent, a mayoral spokesman, said the rest of the funding would likely come from private sources, though that has not officially been determined. "This is a major contribution to make sure it happens," Mr. Brent said.

[spectre000]

It's good to see the PAC moving forward. I would've hated to see it on the Deutsche site. That plot is too big and deserves to be another tower. Nothing else would've fit into the spot next to 1WTC. The only downside is the WTC is going to seem like a never ending construction zone.

This probably won't start until 2015 at the earliest.

[desertpunk]

Yeah, 5 WTC is special and should be reserved for a big tower. And the Port Authority seems to agree. They are looking for someone else to replace the ever-hesitant JPM.

[desertpunk]

From: http://www.observer.com/2010/commerc...ynihan-station

The Port Authority: Chris Ward on the World Trade Center and Moynihan Station


By Jotham Sederstrom
October 11, 2010 | 7:08 p.m

Since being appointed as executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in 2008, Chris Ward has juggled an unruly tangle of infrastructural projects—some of them inherited from his predecessors and others all his own. Mr. Ward, 55, spoke candidly last week about a timetable for the construction of the World Trade Center, the dredging of the Panama Canal and the recently completed runway replacement at J.F.K.



The Commercial Observer: Now that the Port Authority has a financial agreement in place with Larry Silverstein, can you gauge an accurate timetable for the construction of the Word Trade Center complex?

Mr. Ward: Now that we have a deal with Mr. Silverstein, all of the construction timetables that we set in our 2008 road map are now all achievable. The one complexity of that remains taking down 130 Liberty and the construction of the Vehicles Security Center, but our delivery dates for all the other infrastructure remains.

Larry Silverstein's project—Tower 2—will be built at grade and then be available for when the market is there. As for Tower 3, we will finance his project when he secures an anchor tenant of size and financial commitment, and we should know that no later than by the end of 2012, because then he will be at the five- to six-story podium level. And if he hasn't completed a tenant deal, he would stop at that point.

Obviously, when the tenants are out in the market we're hopeful that Larry will secure the anchor tenant and the tower gets built. If it gets built with a tenant today he could be done in the middle of 2014. The final tower—Tower 4—we're hopeful his work we'll be done at the end of 2013.



Did Douglas Durst play a role in luring Condé Nast downtown, or did the Port Authority deal with the Durst Organization and Condé Nast independently?

Let me just say that the Durst negotiation was separate from Condé Nast and his proposal stood on the merits of how he approached One World Trade. He had what we would call a very thoughtful way to bring equity to the project and share risk with the Port Authority up and down. Our negotiations with Condé Nast were wholly separate from Douglas Durst.

Now, however, that we have the letter of intent with Condé Nast and a deal with Douglas Durst—obviously there's some great knowledge and expertise and awareness about the company that Douglas Durst and his team have been very helpful on.

But during the selection process, those two did not cross.



There's a lot of office construction slated for downtown Manhattan. Should all of those jobs come downtown as planned, will the transit infrastructure be in place, including the long-anticipated rail tunnel from New Jersey to New York?

I think the region is now seeing potentially the slowing down of the region's port tunnel. Governor Christie is looking at the price tag on that, which I think he had some concerns with. So that project could have some real ramifications if it were to be significantly delayed or even stopped. But I think the transit access for the rest of the region—East Side access, Second Avenue and the Path upgrades—put us all in good shape.

[Editor's note: On Oct. 7, after our interview with Mr. Ward, Governor Christie effectively canceled the port tunnel.]



How closely has the Port Authority been monitoring the dredging of the Panama Canal?

We're obviously keenly aware of the delivery date of 2014. The president of Panama has reaffirmed 2014. We think of that as a very important innovation in the shipping world, that the two canals will then be able to accommodate the large vessels, and our long-term planning—not just the Bayonne Bridge but our long-term planning for the Port as a whole—will take into account how we can capture that Asian cargo that comes through the Pacific and then through the Panama up into the East Coast ports. We think it will have a significant regional benefit.



Are you worried about competition from, say, Charleston or Baltimore?

Yes. The port business is an extremely competitive business. We are not a state-run port like Norfolk, for example, which allows them to price their services below the market. So we're very concerned about inefficient performance by competitive ports.



Give me an update on what's happening with Stewart Airport?

Stewart has actually had a couple of interesting stories. It ranks very high in customer satisfaction. We've seen a long haul of European tours dedicated out of Stewart. All of that is to the good. We think Stewart will be a major player in the aviation world.

Nonetheless, we also recognize that the aviation industry is in a downward position right now. ... But in the end, Stewart will be an important part of our five-year port system. We're putting some projects in the air to handle TSA and Customs. Hopefully, more international travel will come in through Stewart.



The Bay Runway replacement was just completed at Kennedy International Airport. Looking back, how do you feel about the results?

It was probably the most complicated aviation project to close the largest runway in the United States and completely rebuild it in four months, and we did it ahead of time and on budget. If we had a situation that required airlines to redo all their schedules it would have been an enormous problem. It took two years to put those schedules together so we're awfully proud of how we delivered that project. We just completed Phase II of that project, which wasn't the runways but the hardstand and access roads to the runways, and we finished that on time and ahead of budget also. And I think it's so important that projects like that are recognized.

You know, the public is so cynical about how we build and where we build, and the fact that we're able to demonstrate that our $400 million project can be built on time and under budget is just a great accomplishment in restoring the public's confidence.



What's the latest with Moynihan Station? Will it ever get done?

We've made great progress on Phase I. We want to turn this into a transportation project to start, and not a real estate project. So we have negotiated with our joint venture partners and the federal government for the initiation of Phase I, which is about to kick off in probably late October. And with successful completion of Phase I, a demonstration of that project is going forward. We've had good communications with Washington on funding and partnership for Phase II.

But the mistakes with the early Moynihan Station was that it was overburdened with costs and complexity, and it was clear we had to break it down into manageable construction projects and build the transportation benefits over time and then realize the large-scale real estate development afterward.



I hear you're a big music fan. What have you been listening to lately?

Actually, I've been listening to a lot of jazz. My favorite band is the Mekons, and Jon Langford is coming to town with his band Skull Orchard. I guess I'm a fan of a fair amount of rap. And I'm listening to the new Arcade Fire album.



It's pretty good, right?

It's good, but I like the first one better.

jsederstrom@observer.com

[desertpunk]

From Curbed: http://ny.curbed.com/archives/2010/1...wn_in_2011.php

Extell Bringing Bling to Midtown in 2011

image hosted on flickr


Tuesday, October 12, 2010, by Joey Arak

All eyes are on Extell's rising colossus on 57th Street, but Steve Cuozzo is aiming a sideways glance at the Diamond District in Midtown, where Extell's planned International Gem Tower was reportedly all systems go. The 32-story office condominium, designed by SOM to sport a diamond-like pattern on its facade, has yet to climb out of 47th Street, though the foundation has been complete for some time and all sorts of tax incentives are being dangled. Cuozzo reports that Extell needs commitments for 200,000 square feet of space to get bank financing to build the tower, and the company is currently a bit shy of that mark. But no matter, Extell now says they'll go vertical at the start of 2011 whether the banks are on board or not. How? By tapping into the same well of Middle East money that's getting Carnegie 57 built. Like the old saying goes, diamonds are a wealthy foreign nation's best friend.
· Reality Check [NYP, second item]

[desertpunk]

From: http://www.observer.com/2010/real-es...gn=real-estate

New York Gets Its First 21st Century Bridge
By Matt Chaban
October 11, 2010 | 3:35 p.m


Ever since the collapse of the I-35 bridge in Minneapolis, cities across the country have been warily reevaluating their roadway infrastructure. In New York, some of our bridges earned failing grades. The Brooklyn Bridge was among them and is currently being repaired. Others are in better shape, but not by much. Among them is the Kosciuzko Bridge, which carries the Brooklyn Queens Expressway over Newtown Creek from one borough to the other.

Last week, the state Department of Transportation announced it had selected a new bridge to replace the old Kosciuzko. The steel truss span is one of the steepest bridges in the city and carries 160,000 drivers per day. Last fall, the state unveiled three designs for the new bridge, including standard concrete deck arch and through arch proposals as well as a more modern cable-stayed model.

As a sign of New Yorkers' growing design savvy, the latter won out, with almost half the public voting for it. Construction is expected to begin on the new $1 billion bridge later this year, with a completion date set for 2017.

[yankeesfan1000]

Wow that new bridge came out of no where at least for me. NY has always had an incredible array of bridges and it will be nice to get a modern one to add to the list, thanks for the update.

[desertpunk]

Yeah, I'm really glad this design won out. A great new bridge for NYC!



-now if only they can clean up Newtown Creek....

[desertpunk]

From Curbed: http://ny.curbed.com/archives/2010/1...ay_someday.php

Riverside South Still Plans to Cover the West Side Highway Someday


Tuesday, October 12, 2010, by Sara Polsky

With all the back-and-forth about schools and building size at Riverside Center, one of the most dramatic aspects of the entire Riverside South megadevelopment—the plan to bury the West Side Highway—has flown under the radar. So under the radar that today NYC The Blog asks whether the plan is fact or fiction. Fact! In an article last month (these weighty urban planning issues take us a little while to digest) Archpaper explained exactly what's now going on over at the stretch of the Miller Highway between 59th and 72nd streets. Riverside developer Extell is in the middle of a $60 million tunnel shell with which it plans to, yes, cover the highway. Once the highway is rerouted, another section of the Thomas Balsley-designed park will take its place. That should happen as soon as the developers have the engineering and design work done and, uh, $400 million. Have they checked under Gary Barnett's couch cushions?