Gary Burnett, the head of Extell Development, one of the city?s most active developers, told Community Board 8 last night that the designs for a new building on the southeast corner of 86th Street and Lexington Avenue have ?changed completely? since a rendering was published in The New York Times February 1.

The 210-foot-high building will occupy the entire avenue frontage between 85th and 86th Streets and extend 190 feet eastward on 86th Street and 100 feet on 85th Street.

Mr. Burnett said that the project will have ?a substantial retail component? with one retail space leading down to two sub-levels and another leading up one level.

The building, he said, will have some rental apartments beneath some residential condominiums and that the residential entrance will be in the middle of the Lexington Avenue frontage and it will also have a new subway entrance within its property lines.

Mr. Burnett?s other current development projects include the Orion at 350 West 42nd Street, the Avery on Riverside Boulevard at 65th Street, the Arion East and West at Broadway and 99th Street, and Altair 18 and Altair 20 in Chelsea. He also recently acquired the air rights from the Art Students League on 57th Street between Seventh Avenue and Broadway.

Mr. Burnett said that demolition for the Lexington Avenue project is likely to begin in ?several months.? He said that the building will have a loading dock and when asked if the new design would be masonry he indicated it would be ?probably? be ?modern? and ?glass.?

Construction of the project will necessitate the closing of the subway entrance at its corner for about a year, he said, adding that his company was coordinating its plans with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

In his ?informal presentation? to the board, Mr. Burnett said the building will not have a garage. It is an as-of-right project that does not require public review.

One board member said that the construction of this project and a similar one also advancing one block to east on 86th Street by The Related Companies presented a ?wonderful opportunity? to improve 86th Street and stop its ?rapidly becoming a suburban shopping mall.?