Extell Development Company's proposed 3.1 million-square-foot Riverside Center mixed-use project on the Upper West Side received unanimous thumbs up from the City Council after two City Council committees unaimiously approved it earlier this month.
"Affirmation from the Committee on Land Use and the Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises came after the developer agreed to build a bigger school than originally offered, as well as at least 220 units of affordable housing on the eight-acre parcel, which spans from West 59th Street to West 61st Street, between West End Avenue and the West Side Highway," an article by Theresa Agovino at crains.com had said.
"We are happy with the deal," said City Councilwoman Gale Brewer, who represents the neighborhood, adding "We always want more, but Extell negotiated in good faith," the article said.
The project includes 2,500 apartments in five high-rise towers, retail space and a school.
"Extell," the article continued, "had pledged to build a 75,000-square-foot school but the community wanted to double the size of the facility. Now, Extell has promised to build a 100,000-square-foot school, Ms. Brewer said. The councilwoman had also wanted Extell to pledge 20% to 30% of the units on site as affordable housing. Under the deal, the developer will build 500 units of affordable housing, or 20% of the total, but only 9% of them will definitely be on site, she said."
An article by Joey Arak at ny.curbed.com today said that "Extell's development, which will take the place of an eight-acre lot between West 59th and 61st Streets from West End Avenue to Riverside Boulevard, will be dominated by five towers (the tallest climbing to 44 stories) designed by French starchitect Christian de Portzamparc.
The development will include 2,500 apartments, a 250-room hotel, 140,000 square feet of retail and service space, 104,000 square feet of office space, a cinema, parking for 1,500 cards, 2.76 acres of public park and playground space designed by Mathews Nielsen and 500,000 square feet of affordable housing, according to the article, which added that "Extell will add $17.5 million to the City's $2.5 million to finish the renovation and modernization of Riverside Park South and also to renovate the West 59th Street Recreation Center"
The article said that Extell gave no indication of a starting date for the large project which is "the final piece of the 'Riverside South' community."
"Affirmation from the Committee on Land Use and the Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises came after the developer agreed to build a bigger school than originally offered, as well as at least 220 units of affordable housing on the eight-acre parcel, which spans from West 59th Street to West 61st Street, between West End Avenue and the West Side Highway," an article by Theresa Agovino at crains.com had said.
"We are happy with the deal," said City Councilwoman Gale Brewer, who represents the neighborhood, adding "We always want more, but Extell negotiated in good faith," the article said.
The project includes 2,500 apartments in five high-rise towers, retail space and a school.
"Extell," the article continued, "had pledged to build a 75,000-square-foot school but the community wanted to double the size of the facility. Now, Extell has promised to build a 100,000-square-foot school, Ms. Brewer said. The councilwoman had also wanted Extell to pledge 20% to 30% of the units on site as affordable housing. Under the deal, the developer will build 500 units of affordable housing, or 20% of the total, but only 9% of them will definitely be on site, she said."
An article by Joey Arak at ny.curbed.com today said that "Extell's development, which will take the place of an eight-acre lot between West 59th and 61st Streets from West End Avenue to Riverside Boulevard, will be dominated by five towers (the tallest climbing to 44 stories) designed by French starchitect Christian de Portzamparc.
The development will include 2,500 apartments, a 250-room hotel, 140,000 square feet of retail and service space, 104,000 square feet of office space, a cinema, parking for 1,500 cards, 2.76 acres of public park and playground space designed by Mathews Nielsen and 500,000 square feet of affordable housing, according to the article, which added that "Extell will add $17.5 million to the City's $2.5 million to finish the renovation and modernization of Riverside Park South and also to renovate the West 59th Street Recreation Center"
The article said that Extell gave no indication of a starting date for the large project which is "the final piece of the 'Riverside South' community."
Architecture Critic
Carter Horsley
Since 1997, Carter B. Horsley has been the editorial director of CityRealty. He began his journalistic career at The New York Times in 1961 where he spent 26 years as a reporter specializing in real estate & architectural news. In 1987, he became the architecture critic and real estate editor of The New York Post.
6sqft delivers the latest on real estate, architecture, and design, straight from New York City.
