Friday, September 27, 2019

#1 Story From Summer 2019

Giant Two-Tower Project to Rise in Midtown West   
  
Properties is planning to construct a one million square foot mixed-use project consisting of two glass towers atop a massive retail podium in Midtown West.

CetraRuddy Architecture is designing the 520 West 41st Street, located in Midtown between Eleventh Avenue and Galvin Avenue. Leeding Builders Group will be the general contractor.

The project will consist of two towers enclosed in curtain walls of glass. 

The shorter tower will feature landscaped spaces that break up the building’s huge profile into multi-level volumes. A large retail podium section will occupy the lower levels. 

The new towers will make a significant impact on the western Midtown skyline. Recent submissions to the FAA indicate the taller building will rise to 758 feet, with a swimming pool on the rooftop. 

520 West 41st Street is the last full-block parcel adjacent to the westbound side of the Lincoln Tunnel. Silver Towers, the twin glass towers also owned by Silverstein Properties, are located at 620 West 42nd street, and was one of the first tall projects to rise in the area ten years ago. 



Another relatively tall skyscraper the vicinity is Extell Development's 555 Tenth Avenue, which sits across the street to the east.

The building site was previously home to a large Mercedes Benz showroom and dealership, which was demolished in 2015 after Silverstein Properties purchased the site for $115 million.

An earlier design called for a 106-story mixed-use tower that would have brought 1,400 units to the area, with thirty percent of the homes being affordable.

The skyscraper was proposed to rise 1,110 feet high, but the project stalled out during the city’s Uniform Land Use Review Procedure.

Back in 2014, Oppenheim Architecture + Design’s came up with their vision for the property. Known as 514 Eleventh Avenue, the design called for a pair of offset residential skyscrapers with a diagonally connecting member at the top. 

This would have formed an angled frame-shaped profile with a row of sleek vertical lines, highlighting the abstract geometric construct of the building.

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

#2 Story From Summer 2019

$700 Million+ Harlem River Yards Mega-Project in Bronx
A ginormous development project may soon be coming to the South Bronx waterfront. Dubbed Harlem River Yards, the mega-project plans to bring the City’s first dedicated soccer stadium, with 26,000 seats, designed by celebrated architect Rafael Viñoly. The total cost is projected at more than $700 million. 

The partnership is comprised of The Related Cos., Somerset Partners, and the New York City Football Club, which would be the occupying team for the new stadium.

A tower dedicated to affordable housing will hold a 25,000 square foot medical facility at it's base, as well as 150,000 square feet of retail space. 

The residential tower will hold approximately 550 affordable apartments.

New York State must first build a deck over a 13-acre rail yard in the South Bronx to allow for a massive waterfront development. The depressed urban area has been attracting more and more private investment as land costs rise elsewhere in the city.

The parcel sits along the Harlem River, just north of the Willis Avenue Bridge. 

It is currently used as a transfer station to move goods between cross-country trains and trucks that traverse the tristate area—a use the state plans to maintain going forward.

The site is part of a 96-acre area called the Harlem River Yards, which is owned by state Department of Transportation and leased to a private company, which in turn leases out many of the buildings to industrial tenants.

Because the zone is governed by something called a general project plan, the state does not need to get any local approvals to change the zoning—say from manufacturing to residential or retail—which can instead be implemented through a state approval process.

In addition to maintaining the transfer station beneath the deck, the state wants proposals that cover opening access to the waterfront, boosting the local economy.

At 12.8 acres, the site is slightly less than half the size of the Hudson Yards development going up over rail yards on Manhattan's west side.

Sunday, September 22, 2019

#3 Story From Summer 2019

Six Major Projects to Watch in New Brunswick
    
In his State of the City Address on New Year's Day, New Brunswick, N.J. Mayor James Cahill said there were 1,200 new housing units coming to the city.

Some of those units are in projects proposed for different parts of the city, but hundreds of units are under construction in three housing complexes that will be completed this year.

There is also one major downtown project, the $215 million New Brunswick Performing Arts Center and 23-story office and residential tower that will be completed.

Here are some major projects to watch:

1. The Standard 

In the city's downtown, at 90 New St. just off Livingston Avenue, work is underway on a 21-story building that will have 186 apartments anticipated largely serve Rutgers University students. 

The developer, Landmark Properties doing business as New Brunswick Urban Renewal LLC., received approval for the project more than a year ago.

The 21-story residential development will include 186 units that range from studio to five-bedroom layouts. 

According to Landmark Properties, the developers responsible for the new building, the lower floors are expected to mostly house local college students, while the upper levels will primarily accommodate working professionals.

Additional components include common study rooms for student residents, a fitness center, storage space, 2,000 square feet of retail space on the ground floor, and 111 parking spaces. Select units will also offer private outdoor space.

Construction only began after the city council last May approved a 30-year tax abatement. Under the agreement, the developer would make an annual payment to the city in lieu of taxes. City leaders who voted on the agreement said the property had become an eyesore, with two abandoned buildings on the site that had been vacant for five years.

The Standard at New Brunswick is expected to finish construction by 2020.

2. The Collegiate

On the opposite side of the city, another nine-story apartment building is under construction at 78 Easton Ave. that will have 181 apartments, also largely expected to serve university students. This building will have 9,000 square feet of first-floor retail space. Just as with the New Street project, the developers of the Easton Avenue project - Missouri-based Collegiate Development Group of St. Louis - were given a 30-year tax abatement, and instead will pay $1.1 million in lieu of taxes.

3. Raritan Heights

Another project expected for completion this year is not intended for college students. Raritan Heights, a 254-unit complex is going up just off Route 1 south, near the AMC New Brunswick 18 movie theaters. City officials say these will be "market rate" units, distinguishing them from low-income apartment or luxury apartments.

4. Georges Road

In the planning stages is a mixed-use project with 12,000 square feet of retail and commercial space and 112 residential units located at the corner of Georges Road and Lawrence Street.

5. Jersey Handy Redevelopment

Also, there are plans for a five story, 112,000 square foot medical office building and a four-story residential building consisting of 192 residential units in the Jersey Handy Redevelopment Area as it extends to Delevan Street.

6. New Brunswick Performing Arts Center

Probably the crown jewel of all the projects this year will be the $215 million New Brunswick Performing Arts Center and 25-story tower for office and residential use. 

The Performing Arts Center is being erected on Livingston Avenue and George Street, next to the State Theatre. It will become home to George Street Playhouse, American Repertory Ballet, Crossroads Theatre Company, and Rutgers Mason Gross School of the Arts Opera and Musical Theater.

Atop the new theater complex will be 250 residential apartments and 15,000 square feet of office space. In addition there will be a new 400 car parking garage. 

Thursday, September 19, 2019

#4 Story From Summer 2019

Two New Residential Towers Coming To Hudson Yards
         
Construction will soon begin on the second phase of Hudson Yards development with two new residential towers being developed between 29th and 30th Streets. 

Both buildings will share the rectangular-shaped parcel where a parking garage and 4-story warehouse used to sit.

A 61-story skyscraper by Douglaston Development will rise 695 feet tall at 601 West 29th Street, just west of Eleventh Avenue. 

The tower will contain 931 rental apartments within its 730,000 square feet of residential space with 9,300 square feet of retail space at street level. 
    
601 West 29th Street will include a lobby with concierge service, a fitness center, a sports simulation room, a music room, and an outdoor public terrace on the second floor. 

The sixth floor will have a residents-only outdoor terrace with a lounge and an outdoor swimming pool. The 40th floor will have a garden terrace connected to a private residential library. 

The transfer of 123,000 square feet in air rights from the Chelsea Piers Sports Complex will enable Tower A to rise 695 feet tall. 

Completion of 601 West 29th Street is planned for mid-2021.

In an adjacent lot, construction on a 45-story tower rising 545-feet between 11th Avenue and 12th Avenue will begin at 606 West 30th Street. This project is being developed by Lalezarian Properties and designed by Ismael Leyva.

606 West 30th Street will total 312,000 square feet with 260 rental apartments, 15,000 square feet of ground floor retail space and a 56 space underground parking garage. Tower B will top out at 545-feet courtesy of 4,600 square feet in air rights transferred from Chelsea Piers.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Sponsor Spotlight: AquaSafe Installations

The Express Water 10 Stage reverse osmosis filtering system is a small and efficient system which easily fits into any kitchen cabinet. 

In the following article, we review the pros and cons of using this filtration system, and we take a closer look at its efficiency, filters, and installation.

The 10-stage filtration might seem like a lot, comparing them with the products developed by the competition, which usually provides only a 5, 6, or rarely 7-step filtration. This happens because Express Water counts every stage of the mineralization as a separate stage of the filtration process itself.

One of the advantages of using this RO system is that the water produced has a great taste. Even though the number of filters noted by Express Water’s competitors is mostly marketing, we cannot deny that the mineralized water tastes great.

Another advantage is that this filtration system comes with a nice looking faucet. The faucet is capable of delivering a water flow rate of 0.8 GPM, and it’s really nice looking.

Efficiency
The Express Water system is very efficient. Some people might find it hard to believe that a filtration system that wastes 2 gallons of water for every gallon of pure water it produces like this one is efficient, but there are reverse osmosis systems that can use up to 20 gallons of water for every filtered gallon.

When an RO system uses 4 gallons of wastewater for a gallon of pure water, it’s considered efficient. With a wastewater pure water ratio of 2:1, this unit is very efficient, ranking among the best units available on the market.

Filters
As with every reverse osmosis system, filters are very important. This system has a 10-step filtration sequence. The first 5 steps of the filtration process are exactly the same as you can find when using other models available on the market, but things change at the sixth step. 

Most manufacturers count the remineralization of the water as a single step in the filtration process, but Express Water does not. Instead, they count every step in the remineralization as a separate step in the whole process, thus the increased number of total steps.

The filtering steps are as follows – 1st step is sediment removal. This is where the larger and finer particles in the water are removed. Sand, rust, dirt and other components are blocked from going farther.
    
      
The second filter removes organic compounds, chlorine, odor, and tastes from the water. The third one further removes any tastes and odors, but it will also remove common chemicals and volatile compounds. The fourth stage is actually the reverse osmosis membrane which will stop any particles larger than 0.0001 microns, including chemicals and bacteria. The fifth stage will make the water more alkaline, improving its taste. The sixth step is separated into 4 different smaller steps, but its role is to remineralize the water.

The filters are easy to install and change. They are color-coded, so you will always be aware of which one goes where, which is especially important since there are a lot of them.

For Installation
Contact AquaSafe Installations at (516) 693-8355
or email AquaSafeInstallations@gmail.com
We do Installation and Maintenance of this Made in USA filter!
    

Pros
• Designed to easily fit under your kitchen sink.
• Great Taste – One thing is for certain, the water produced has a great taste, and nobody can deny that.
• Nice Looking Faucet – This system comes with a nice looking faucet which will make an excellent addition to most kitchens.
  
Cons
• None

Friday, September 6, 2019

Two New Residential Towers Coming To Hudson Yards

Construction will soon begin on the second phase of Hudson Yards development with two new residential towers being developed between 29th and 30th Streets. 

Both buildings will share the rectangular-shaped parcel where a parking garage and 4-story warehouse used to sit.

A 61-story skyscraper by Douglaston Development will rise 695 feet tall at 601 West 29th Street, just west of Eleventh Avenue. 

The tower will contain 931 rental apartments within its 730,000 square feet of residential space with 9,300 square feet of retail space at street level. 
    
601 West 29th Street will include a lobby with concierge service, a fitness center, a sports simulation room, a music room, and an outdoor public terrace on the second floor. 

The sixth floor will have a residents-only outdoor terrace with a lounge and an outdoor swimming pool. The 40th floor will have a garden terrace connected to a private residential library. 

The transfer of 123,000 square feet in air rights from the Chelsea Piers Sports Complex will enable Tower A to rise 695 feet tall. 

Completion of 601 West 29th Street is planned for mid-2021.

In an adjacent lot, construction on a 45-story tower rising 545-feet between 11th Avenue and 12th Avenue will begin at 606 West 30th Street. This project is being developed by Lalezarian Properties and designed by Ismael Leyva.

606 West 30th Street will total 312,000 square feet with 260 rental apartments, 15,000 square feet of ground floor retail space and a 56 space underground parking garage. Tower B will top out at 545-feet courtesy of 4,600 square feet in air rights transferred from Chelsea Piers.

Monday, September 2, 2019

26-Story Tower Coming to 30 Front St in DUMBO

Construction on a new 26-story, mixed-use building will soon begin at 30 Front Street in DUMBO, Brooklyn.

Fortis Property Group is developing the 360,000-square-foot project that will rise 26-stories on a triangular parcel and stand 370 feet tall. 

The new building will hold 76 apartments averaging 2,400 square feet apiece.

30 Front Street, designed by Hill West Architects, will have a distinctive look among the surrounding industrial warehouses, with a series of different sized balconies and geometries on the edge of each floor.

The building will be topped with an elegant sloped crown that will complete the sweeping sail-like look. 

The building will hold 178,000 square feet of residential floor space, 72,500 square feet of community space, with the remainder for a three-story school 220 parking spaces. 

Apartments on the 22nd and 26th will be full-floor units, with two duplex penthouses on the 24th and 25th floors.

30 Front Street will feature a large residential lounge, a bowling alley, a sauna and spa, a yoga room, with a swimming pool and recreational space on the sixth-floor.

The project's unit count and abundance of amenities suggest condos. DUMBO maintains one of Brooklyn's highest sales medians of $1,408 per square foot. One-bedrooms have a median ask of $996,500, two-bedrooms at $2.149 million and three-bedrooms at $4.92 million.



The building site was previously a parking lot for the Jehovah’s Witnesses former headquarters, famous for its prominent Watchtower sign and is the largest undeveloped tract in the neighborhood.