February 19, 20196 yr No. That requires a zoning change. That has only successfully happened a few times in recent history but takes years and you can't legally hold up a project for future zoning changes. Without a zoning change there's nothing anyone, including Gale, can do about it since it's as of right. It's the exact same reason her opposition to the 57th Street supertalls amounted to a hill of beans. The only thing that really could have stopped another supertall is if this site was in a landmarked district, but it's not. It's highly unlikely this will get split back up. It's more valuable as one collective assemblage. It's more likely that the tower that gets built won't be as skinny as proposed which will help with the current state of construction and the market, but that's to be seen.
February 19, 20196 yr 7 minutes ago, jmicha said: No. That requires a zoning change. That has only successfully happened a few times in recent history but takes years and you can't legally hold up a project for future zoning changes. Without a zoning change there's nothing anyone, including Gale, can do about it since it's as of right. It's the exact same reason her opposition to the 57th Street supertalls amounted to a hill of beans. The only thing that really could have stopped another supertall is if this site was in a landmarked district, but it's not. It's highly unlikely this will get split back up. It's more valuable as one collective assemblage. It's more likely that the tower that gets built won't be as skinny as proposed which will help with the current state of construction and the market, but that's to be seen. Thanks! Good news to hear.
February 19, 20196 yr Zoning here is such a crazy mess of rules, regulations, overlays, special districts, etc. haha. But it's fun to see what can and can't be done. I like having the advantage of understanding the zoning to know what can and can't happen in the future with these kinds of sites. I'm hoping something prominent does get built here. It's an extremely dramatic site looking from Brooklyn. Would be interesting to have a Lower Manhattan skyline with two equal peaks instead of just one.
February 19, 20196 yr Author yes its a great air rights assemblage, but the problem is the luxury market is soft and the other midtown supertalls are about to come online. its a large lot so it could get chopped to two rental towers or something boring if the buyer gets tired of sitting on it. its up for auction at the moment so we will see. and we will have the best perch to watch as its right next to my spouses' office building.
February 19, 20196 yr Author i saw the next domino sugar plant redevelopment tower in brooklyn is well underway.
April 3, 20196 yr B&H made a hey Millennials we're a quirky little company! video: ...except they're most definitely not. They are, however, significantly more fair than their various Jewish-owned NYC competitors like Cambridge Camera and Abe's of Maine. All of those places advertised heavily in every camera magazine when I was a teenager, but B&H was much more aggressive in establishing a website. But they wouldn't have pulled way ahead if they kept ripping people off like the outfits in Brooklyn. Back in the Bad Old Days, you'd see a deal advertised by Cambridge Camera or Abe's of Maine, order the thing, you'd get something different, and they'd refuse to accept a return. What were you going to do, drive 15 hours to New York and demand to speak to their manager? You'd get on the phone and complain and the guys would just hang up on you.
April 3, 20196 yr ^Speaking of New York and camera places, are there any other stores worth popping into to see if they have some cheap 35mm film to pick up, or is B&H my best bet? “To an Ohio resident - wherever he lives - some other part of his state seems unreal.”
April 4, 20196 yr Author 16 hours ago, BigDipper 80 said: ^Speaking of New York and camera places, are there any other stores worth popping into to see if they have some cheap 35mm film to pick up, or is B&H my best bet? of course — you could pop in adorama in union square. that was always the other biggie. but try to go to b&h and then check out hudson yards! nobody used abes or cambridge, those were second rate operations. if you insist abes is still around in linden, nj i believe.
April 25, 20196 yr Macy's in talks to place office tower above its flagship store Cincinnati-based retailer Macy's Inc. is reportedly in talks to build a skyscraper atop its flagship Herald Square store in New York City. Bloomberg reports that Macy's (NYSE: M) has had preliminary discussions with New York City officials to construct a 1.2-million-square-foot office tower atop its New York flagship. The news service cites "a person with knowledge of the matter," but a spokesperson for Manhattan Borough president Gale Brewer confirmed that she met with the retailer about its plans. “Such a major addition of square footage to the area will require major public improvements to the streets and sidewalks that surround the Herald Square neighborhood, and I look forward to Macy’s contributions to ensure that this part of Midtown and the Garment Center sees relief,” Brewer's statement read. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2019/04/25/report-macys-in-talks-to-place-office-tower-above.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
May 5, 20196 yr On 2/18/2019 at 1:09 PM, mrnyc said: crown heights is losing melanin faster that trump is losing pesos to pay for his wall. just look at that render foreground, becky is pointing out her new apt and deshawn is getting out of there as fast as he can. Its been losing since at least 2000. When I live in Brooklyn Heights, Park Slope, Prospect Heights and the Western Crown Heights was already undergoing a change. The West Indian communities were being pushed further East. The street immediately North and South of Eastern Parkway were being redeveloped and turned into market rate apartments. The Subway stations were renovated, the public areas around Prospect Park and GAP were renovated. It wont be long before the WI Caribbean day parade and festivals are moved off of Eastern Parkway.
May 8, 20196 yr Author ^ i doubt the parade will move anytime soon, at least i hope not, but i could see it along other places where it would be just fine, like liberty ave for example. this is shaping up to be an exciting summer with all the biggest towers topping out. the central park aka nordstrom tower will top out 7/16/19, one vanderbilt late summer and 111 w57 only has about 150' of stepped back crown to go. i think the real excitement will be when they peal all the protective wrapping off of the glass on these.
May 21, 20196 yr Author looks like brooklyn has a new tallest. the 720' citypoint phase three mixed use tower downtown topped out 4/23/19: https://www.amny.com/real-estate/brooklyn-tallest-building-1.29879425
May 23, 20196 yr this is gonna be better than New Year's Eve! Daredevil Nik Wallenda and sis to walk on high wire above Times Square https://nypost.com/2019/05/23/daredevil-nik-wallenda-and-sis-to-walk-on-high-wire-above-times-square/ http://www.mainstreetpainesville.org/
May 24, 20196 yr Author ^ you have to wonder how that is even allowed? i mean, who approves that? ha. the midtown biggies are getting close to topping out
June 11, 20196 yr with gentrification of the Lower East Side now intensifying rapidly, the old Essex Street Market (at the corner of Delancey) is closed and a new, yuppified version has opened across the street. I've lost track of how many similar food courts are now in New York, but they are starting to all look the same. The new Essex looks very much like the revamped and expanded Chelsea Market. Fortunately the vendors from the old 80-year old one--which was built originally to serve "regular" people--were promised spaces in the new one. But I guess you can never have enough places to buy $7 artisanal doughnuts. old Essex Market Edited June 11, 20196 yr by eastvillagedon http://www.mainstreetpainesville.org/
June 17, 20195 yr Author ^ $7 donuts? yikes. to be fair the new essex crossing developments are a long, long, long awaited resolution to the biggest waste of space in manhattan. the area was literally eyesore parking lots since the 1960s, so nothing is lost, only gains here. half of the 1000 new apts are market and half subsidized. also the essex market was saved, moved into a new, modernized setting and i heard none of the rents were raised (for now?). i dk what is to become of the old market buildings --- i mean we can guess, ha, but i dk the specifics. here is more about essex crossing --- take a look and clik around because its really an impressively nice looking website in and of itself: https://www.essexcrossingnyc.com/about Essex Crossing is an unprecedented development in the heart of the Lower East Side. Spread over 1.9 million square feet, it comprises nine sites with over 1,000 new residences, 450,000 square feet of retail, 400,000 square feet of office space, community attractions, and green spaces. These nine sites, commonly known as the Seward Park Extension Urban Renewal Area (SPEURA), sat mostly vacant since 1967 and represent one of the most significant urban renewal developments in the history of New York City. Phased construction began in the late Spring/early Summer of 2015 and is planned to be completed by 2024.
June 17, 20195 yr 3 hours ago, mrnyc said: ^ $7 donuts? yikes. to be fair the new essex crossing developments are a long, long, long awaited resolution to the biggest waste of space in manhattan. the area was literally eyesore parking lots since the 1960s, so nothing is lost, only gains here. half of the 1000 new apts are market and half subsidized. also the essex market was saved, moved into a new, modernized setting and i heard none of the rents were raised (for now?). i dk what is to become of the old market buildings --- i mean we can guess, ha, but i dk the specifics. here is more about essex crossing --- take a look and clik around because its really an impressively nice looking website in and of itself: https://www.essexcrossingnyc.com/about Essex Crossing is an unprecedented development in the heart of the Lower East Side. Spread over 1.9 million square feet, it comprises nine sites with over 1,000 new residences, 450,000 square feet of retail, 400,000 square feet of office space, community attractions, and green spaces. These nine sites, commonly known as the Seward Park Extension Urban Renewal Area (SPEURA), sat mostly vacant since 1967 and represent one of the most significant urban renewal developments in the history of New York City. Phased construction began in the late Spring/early Summer of 2015 and is planned to be completed by 2024. The thousands of people who were forced out of this area 50 years ago were promised new homes for comparable rents when they were built. Guess what? 50 years later many, if not most of those people are deceased or have settled elsewhere and have no desire to return. I guess developers were waiting for the neighborhood to gentrify before the could actually be bothered to invest in rebuilding. On a sad note: When the first of these fancy yuppie towers opened a couple of years ago, I remember reading of a man--a talented chef of Puerto Rican background who had lived in Florida and California--who was one of those displaced (he was child at the time) and decided to move back, only to have a heart attack and die a few months later. He was only in his mid-50's. okay, I just made up $7 donuts, but the do exist somewhere. But $4 donuts might as well be $7, an absurd price no matter how good it is. It's a donut! http://www.mainstreetpainesville.org/
June 20, 20195 yr Author ^ no, nothing to do with developers. the reason the essex crossing lots sat empty for so long is very clear cut. the criminal sheldon silver fought off redevelopment for decades because he was afraid it would over overtake his jewish constituency. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/15/nyregion/essex-crossing-renewal-lower-east-side.html otherwise, i would hope any old residents from 50-60yrs ago who could prove it would have had a better chance of renting something. doubtful, but your example got in, almost, so who knows? it says there were 93k applicants!
June 21, 20195 yr On 5/21/2019 at 12:34 PM, mrnyc said: looks like brooklyn has a new tallest. the 720' citypoint phase three mixed use tower downtown topped out 4/23/19: https://www.amny.com/real-estate/brooklyn-tallest-building-1.29879425 Downtown BK has changed so much. I remember when you could see the Manhattan Bridge from Flatbush and 8th Avenue. Fulton Street was "dangerous", there was a invisible divide between Brooklyn Heights/Cobble Hill from Downtown Brooklyn. There was no Dumbo and Boerum Hill was a secret, Clinton Hill and Ft. Greene were "chocolate Chelsea". Now there a bunch of non descriptive, "High Rise human warehouses" masquerading as apartments and condos.
June 21, 20195 yr I remember walking around downtown Brooklyn in 2000 or 2001. I remarked that it looked kind of like a burnt-out secondary Ohio downtown with its one lonely old skyscraper.
June 22, 20195 yr Author ^ you misremembered or were drunk -- downtown brooklyn had at least a dozen skyscrapers at that time. and has about 40 more built since then, with more to come.
June 22, 20195 yr Author hows about a bit of the forgotten boro for a change? ny finally has an outlet mall in staten island -- it opened last month it's actually pretty nice and its giving the ferry tourists something to do over there and i see plenty of locals in it too: http://empireoutlets.nyc i saw theremin guy there for opening day nice views lastly, this is part of lighthouse point, which is right next to the ferry
June 27, 20195 yr Author and speaking of downtown brooklyn again, a 942' mixed use tower with a public school at its base is on the way, w/25% affordable housing apts (8.9% is the zoning rule): REAL ESTATE DOWNTOWN A first look at what could become one of Brooklyn’s tallest buildings June 26, 2019 Mary Frost ^ to be designed by som --- more: https://brooklyneagle.com/articles/2019/06/26/a-first-look-at-what-could-become-one-of-brooklyns-tallest-buildings/
June 28, 20195 yr The development in Downtown Brooklyn is getting crazy! How many years do we think it will take for Fulton Mall to become fancy mall?
June 28, 20195 yr Vaguely reminds me of a (more) modern version of the Georgia-Pacific Tower in Atlanta. I like it. "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
June 28, 20195 yr Author ^ it does — it seems that som inspired themselves here. 4 hours ago, TraderJake said: The development in Downtown Brooklyn is getting crazy! How many years do we think it will take for Fulton Mall to become fancy mall? oh man now that is just nuts, but indeed all indications are for dior and hermes openings in 2023... ...and closing 2025 after the worldwide wealth redistribution riots.
June 28, 20195 yr Author so it turns out the new chase bank tower on park ave, replacing the classic union carbide tower, will go to 1322'. demo work is under way. more: https://ny.curbed.com/2019/6/28/19102607/jp-morgan-chase-270-park-avenue-plans-new-building
June 28, 20195 yr 22 hours ago, TraderJake said: The development in Downtown Brooklyn is getting crazy! How many years do we think it will take for Fulton Mall to become fancy mall? Not long. When I lived in Downtown Brooklyn, A&S was still open and Fulton Street was a mess. I generally DGAF, and I'm worried about other people, but there were times I would avoid Fulton, Willioughby, or Livingston streets. I think if more luxury retailers move into downtown Brooklyn, they will move along Atlantic. Fulton Street, Fulton Mall and surrounded by middle class and upper middle class neighborhoods and Clark Street/Brooklyn Heights (north of Court) is upscale, but the target audience doesn't make enough $$ to support Madison Avenue level boutiques.
June 28, 20195 yr On 6/22/2019 at 12:09 PM, mrnyc said: ^ you misremembered or were drunk -- downtown brooklyn had at least a dozen skyscrapers at that time. and has about 40 more built since then, with more to come. There was the one stone-looking thing that looked like how the occasional smaller midwest city has that one classic skyscraper. Before that, my first time in Brooklyn was in 1996. I remember walking up the subway staircase and thinking....this is Sesame Street. It never occurred to me as a kid that the setting of Sesame St. was based on anything factual, or at least something that still existed.
July 5, 20195 yr Author ^ ah i see, you totally missed downtown, which is around borough hall, not atlantic yards. at that time there were less than a handful of skyscraper sized buildings in brooklyn than in cleveland, ohio’s skyscraper city. and probably the same or more if you counted nearby pj’s and college stuff, along with the iconic williamsburgh bank tower you are referring to as well of course. downtown brooklyn, the whole of it that is, is the asbury park or montevideo of nyc, its had a lot of up and downs eras. it needs a thread, especially with all the changes going on these days. *** warning — this clip will give you vertigo!!!
July 6, 20195 yr There is disappointment in some of the downtown Cleveland threads over the fact that a few buildings are turning out to be shorter than hoped. Last week I had the opportunity to walk along Park Avenue in the Lenox Hill area of Manhattan and was impressed by the uniform 14-16 story buildings lining both sides of the street. On foot, that height is pleasantly impressive. It doesn't do much for skyline views, but it makes a very nice urban setting. Remember: It's the Year of the Snake
August 14, 20195 yr We’re in town for a few days. First time I’ve been in Manhattan since I moved from the Jersey side of the Hudson to Cleveland in 2012. A couple of tall ‘n’ skinny’s under construction around 57/ 58th overlooking the south end of Central Park. My hovercraft is full of eels
August 21, 20195 yr Lots of great architecture in NYC and really enjoyed my visit last week. The one major let-down was The Oculus. I was looking forward to seeing some organic, modern Euro-style architecture in the straight-edged glass expanse of the WTC site, however it is an absolute disaster. Over-scaled, sterile and already aging horribly with cracks, yellowing masonry and dirty glass panes that are in completely inaccessible areas. I predict it will be razed and replaced easily within my lifetime and I’m 50. My hovercraft is full of eels
August 28, 20195 yr Author ^ it doesn’t look that bad yet, but i wouldn’t doubt it gets cut down sooner than later. all of calatrava’s stuff looks rickety.
August 28, 20195 yr On 8/20/2019 at 8:57 PM, roman totale XVII said: Lots of great architecture in NYC and really enjoyed my visit last week. The one major let-down was The Oculus. I was looking forward to seeing some organic, modern Euro-style architecture in the straight-edged glass expanse of the WTC site, however it is an absolute disaster. Over-scaled, sterile and already aging horribly with cracks, yellowing masonry and dirty glass panes that are in completely inaccessible areas. I predict it will be razed and replaced easily within my lifetime and I’m 50. I'm not a fan of the guy. Plus, people are hiring to plop down "his thing" on whatever. Look at the new bridges in Dallas - they're absolutely ridiculous.
September 8, 20195 yr Author the oculus is leaking and wont be opened on 9/11 like its supposed to. apparantly opening it only yearly or occassionally caused the rubber seals to rip. which of course anyone could have guessed would happen, but what do the rest of us know, right? https://ny.curbed.com/platform/amp/2019/9/5/20851546/world-trade-center-oculus-santiago-calatrava-repair
September 8, 20195 yr Author dumbo/downtown brooklyn developments hard to resist this view down here downtown now the dekalb tower site work Edited September 8, 20195 yr by mrnyc
September 18, 20195 yr Author amazing midtown construction news today — the central park (nordstrom) tower and one vanderbilt tower topped out — on the same day.
September 21, 20195 yr On 6/11/2019 at 2:58 PM, eastvillagedon said: with gentrification of the Lower East Side now intensifying rapidly, the old Essex Street Market (at the corner of Delancey) is closed and a new, yuppified version has opened across the street. I've lost track of how many similar food courts are now in New York, but they are starting to all look the same. The new Essex looks very much like the revamped and expanded Chelsea Market. Fortunately the vendors from the old 80-year old one--which was built originally to serve "regular" people--were promised spaces in the new one. But I guess you can never have enough places to buy $7 artisanal doughnuts. old Essex Market It feels very sterile and suburban.
September 22, 20195 yr Author ^ it does. but the old one was grungey and dirty. there doesn’t seem to be a middle ground! and although being all new essex may look similar, but it is different from the food halls as its still an actual food market. otherwise, yes there are too many stupid, generic and overpriced food halls that have popped up all over. tourists and zoomers seem to love them tho. i dk — at least its easy to ignore them.
September 22, 20195 yr 27 minutes ago, mrnyc said: ^ it does. but the old one was grungey and dirty. there doesn’t seem to be a middle ground! and although being all new essex may look similar, but it is different from the food halls as its still an actual food market. otherwise, yes there are too many stupid, generic and overpriced food halls that have popped up all over. tourists and zoomers seem to love them tho. i dk — at least its easy to ignore them. Although I did not visit frequently I preferred the old one. Sometime my grand mothers or mother would want to go there if in NYC and needed certain things. The new one feels like it was built as a destination for instagrammers instead of a neighborhood cornerstone. It feels very different than the Westside Market, Reading Terminal, The French Market (NoLa) or Pikes Peak.
September 22, 20195 yr Author ^ well thats a good thing that it looks different from other city markets. unfortunately, it looks very similar to other generic nyc food halls.
September 22, 20195 yr Author this is one of the best airplane pics i have seen lately. both an amazing shot and a clean window? wow lol. its cavalry cemetery in the foreground, hunters point in the middle and midtown.
September 22, 20195 yr 9 minutes ago, mrnyc said: ^ well thats a good thing that it looks different from other city markets. unfortunately, it looks very similar to other generic nyc food halls. That a very good description. Food halls were over rated from jump.
September 22, 20195 yr Author far as i could tell on two quick visits essex has the same vendors. at least so far. so thats a good thing.
September 22, 20195 yr 3 minutes ago, mrnyc said: far as i could tell on two quick visits essex has the same vendors. at least so far. so thats a good thing. It just feels more like a multi use department store, not a market.
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