Gregg Rechler, a principal of R Squared LLP, appeared before the New York City Board of Standards & Appeals today seeking a variance to build an attractive, 13-story residential building at 180 West Broadway in TriBeCa.
A similar but larger proposal was submitted before the board last December and then withdrawn and Community Board 1 last June indicated it was not enchanted with a revised and lower scheme.
The proposal involves cantilevering part of the proposed building about 16 feet over an existing garage on the site that will remain on the site, according to Ross Moscovitz of the law firm of Stroock Stroock & Lavan, which represents R Squared.
Richard Metsky of the architectural firm of Beyer Blinder Belle, which has designed the project, told the board that the project's proposed height of 135 feet two inches is lower than some nearby buildings such as the Western Union Building. He also said that the project is seeking permission to have a street-wall height of a bit more than 101 feet as opposed to the 85 feet height permitted by the site's existing zoning. He said that the building would be set back at the 101 foot level and that its total height would be 136 feet.
R Squared LLP is a joint venture of Gregg and Michael Rechler, who are former executives of Reckson Associates Realty Corporation where "in their 20 year tenure" they directed the management, acquisition, development and disposition of over 25 million square feet of commercial property. Reckson is one of the pre-eminent commercial real estate developers on Long Island and in recent years it has also been acquiring properties in New York City.
Gregg Rechler, who has leased the site from Louis Provenzano, told CityRealty.Com that the plan for the site now calls for 34 cooperative apartments. Earlier plans called for 60 condominium apartments.
A rendering of the handsome design of the building is on the R Squared LLP website and it indicates a red masonry facade above a one-story rusticated base with shed marquees that Mr. Metsky described as "a grand canopy." The building is on West Broadway between Leonard and Worth Streets.
As proposed the building would have a 6.79 FAR (floor-to-area) ratio as opposed to the 5 FAR now permitted. Mr. Moscovitz pointed out that the Western Union Building's FAR is about 20.
The developers are also seeking variances from regulations relating to street plantings, lot coverage, street wall height, and overall height. A subway runs under part of the site, which creates problems for tree plantings on the sidewalks.
The site has been one zoning lot for more than 50 years, according to Moscovitz, who told the board that because part of the site was an active gas station from 1950 to 1985 there are a "host of environment issues" that could impact "neighboring sites" if not remedied.
Mr. Metsky argued that the proposed building uses the "quiet and calm" "vocabulary of a loft building in terms of street wall, masonry, rhythmic facade," and scale of windows.
The proposed building would have an entrance on Leonard Street.
The site is now occupied by a garage and Buster's Garage, a large sports bar.
Part of the discussion at the board meeting focused on recent reports of higher costs for construction materials.
Meenakshi Srinivasan, chairman of the board, shown in the photograph at the right, suggested that condos might bring more revenue to the developers than the proposed co-ops and therefore prove less of a financial hardship.
She gave the developers a new submission date of Nov. 8 and said the hearing would be continued November 22.
A similar but larger proposal was submitted before the board last December and then withdrawn and Community Board 1 last June indicated it was not enchanted with a revised and lower scheme.
The proposal involves cantilevering part of the proposed building about 16 feet over an existing garage on the site that will remain on the site, according to Ross Moscovitz of the law firm of Stroock Stroock & Lavan, which represents R Squared.
Richard Metsky of the architectural firm of Beyer Blinder Belle, which has designed the project, told the board that the project's proposed height of 135 feet two inches is lower than some nearby buildings such as the Western Union Building. He also said that the project is seeking permission to have a street-wall height of a bit more than 101 feet as opposed to the 85 feet height permitted by the site's existing zoning. He said that the building would be set back at the 101 foot level and that its total height would be 136 feet.
R Squared LLP is a joint venture of Gregg and Michael Rechler, who are former executives of Reckson Associates Realty Corporation where "in their 20 year tenure" they directed the management, acquisition, development and disposition of over 25 million square feet of commercial property. Reckson is one of the pre-eminent commercial real estate developers on Long Island and in recent years it has also been acquiring properties in New York City.
Gregg Rechler, who has leased the site from Louis Provenzano, told CityRealty.Com that the plan for the site now calls for 34 cooperative apartments. Earlier plans called for 60 condominium apartments.
A rendering of the handsome design of the building is on the R Squared LLP website and it indicates a red masonry facade above a one-story rusticated base with shed marquees that Mr. Metsky described as "a grand canopy." The building is on West Broadway between Leonard and Worth Streets.
As proposed the building would have a 6.79 FAR (floor-to-area) ratio as opposed to the 5 FAR now permitted. Mr. Moscovitz pointed out that the Western Union Building's FAR is about 20.
The developers are also seeking variances from regulations relating to street plantings, lot coverage, street wall height, and overall height. A subway runs under part of the site, which creates problems for tree plantings on the sidewalks.
The site has been one zoning lot for more than 50 years, according to Moscovitz, who told the board that because part of the site was an active gas station from 1950 to 1985 there are a "host of environment issues" that could impact "neighboring sites" if not remedied.
Mr. Metsky argued that the proposed building uses the "quiet and calm" "vocabulary of a loft building in terms of street wall, masonry, rhythmic facade," and scale of windows.
The proposed building would have an entrance on Leonard Street.
The site is now occupied by a garage and Buster's Garage, a large sports bar.
Part of the discussion at the board meeting focused on recent reports of higher costs for construction materials.
Meenakshi Srinivasan, chairman of the board, shown in the photograph at the right, suggested that condos might bring more revenue to the developers than the proposed co-ops and therefore prove less of a financial hardship.
She gave the developers a new submission date of Nov. 8 and said the hearing would be continued November 22.
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.
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