The Two Bridges neighborhood, named for its location between the Manhattan and Brooklyn bridges, is commonly defined as stretching from the East River Drive to East Broadway, and from the Brooklyn Bridge to Montgomery Street. Usually considered as a subsection of the Lower East Side, the area has largely been defined by large mid-20th-century housing developments on superblocks and walk-up tenement buildings.
In the 1930s, a large portion of the historical Two Bridges was razed to build Knickerbocker Village, a 12-building complex that was one of the country's first middle-income developments subsidized by the federal government. Nearly 100 years later, Two Bridges is in for another transformation as towering new residential projects with equally dizzying prices beckon newcomers to a formerly tight-knit bastion of affordability in Lower Manhattan.
In the 1930s, a large portion of the historical Two Bridges was razed to build Knickerbocker Village, a 12-building complex that was one of the country's first middle-income developments subsidized by the federal government. Nearly 100 years later, Two Bridges is in for another transformation as towering new residential projects with equally dizzying prices beckon newcomers to a formerly tight-knit bastion of affordability in Lower Manhattan.
Between concern for the environmental impact of new buildings, fears of being pushed out in a wave of gentrification, and not wanting to see cherished views blocked by skyscrapers, there has been major community pushback against new development, particularly against a cluster of skyscrapers proposed along South Street and the East River waterfront. Opponents of the project include City Council Member Christopher Marte, former Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer and former City Council Member Margaret Chin, among other community activists. The New York Court of Appeals rejected attempts to halt the projects in May 2021, but activists returned to court in October 2022, calling the previous approved environmental review “anachronistic” in the wake of environmental protections newly enshrined into law.
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Amidst all this, the sites have not stayed quiet. Ground broke on 259 Clinton Street, which is zoned for a 62-story tower, before the 421-a program expired in June 2022, which allows it to receive tax abatements in exchange for providing a percentage of affordable housing units. More recently, Extell Development closed on the site for $40 million, having purchased it from Starrett Development.
In addition to 259 Clinton Street, the new towers are set to include a 1,013-foot-tall tower at 247 Cherry Street from JDS Development Group as well as two +60-story towers at 260 South Street from The Chetrit Group. Meanwhile, the Extell-developed, 847-foot-high One Manhattan Square led the area's new development charge and is located next to 259 Clinton Street. We take a look at the newest section of the Manhattan skyline below.
247 Cherry Street
Developed by JDS Development Group | Designed by SHoP Architects
1,013 feet high | 77 stories
639 rental units (25% affordable housing)
Completion estimated for 2025
JDS Development's 247 Cherry Street (l) and One Manhattan Square (r)
After bringing the world's most slender skyscraper to 111 West 57th Street and Brooklyn's tallest building to 9 Dekalb Avenue, dynamic duo JDS Development Group and SHoP Architects turn their attention to the East River waterfront. The dramatic, five-sided tower is set to be clad in a striated green terra cotta facade with floor-to-ceiling windows, and to partially cantilever over the 10-story senior housing building at 80 Rutgers Slip.
Upon completion, the tower will house 639 rental units with 25 percent (approximately 160 units) designated as below market rate. The new building will offer its residents, as well as those residing in the senior housing building, sky decks, a community garden, and meeting space. The developer has also promised that they will bring “significant improvements to the neighboring building to ensure that it remains a source of affordable, high-quality homes for the next generation." Other improvements will include new neighborhood retail, a new community courtyard, improvements to the pedestrian streetscape designed by SCAPE, and flood resiliency upgrades.
JDS Development's 247 Cherry Street will stand more than 150 feet taller than Extell's One Manhattan Square.
260 South Street
Developed by Chetrit Group | Designed by Handel Architects
798 feet high | 70 stories
1,300 rental units (25% affordable housing)
Completion estimated for 2025
260 South Street (Galaxy Capital Solutions via New York Observer)
Sited in the middle of the bunch, the first signs of life emerged at 260 South Street last spring: Sections of the parking lot site were cordoned off and construction vehicles began drilling test pits and readying for excavation work. Formerly owned by L&M Development Partners with the CIM Group, the northeastern tower of the two-spire project will soar 70 stories, 798 feet tall. Designed by Gary Handel of Handel Architects, there will be a total of 1,300 rental units, with a quarter allocated as affordable and senior housing. It will also include 16,000 square feet of retail space and a parking component to accommodate 130 vehicles.
Starrett Development's 259 Clinton Street
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The site preparing for construction as of mid-April 2022
In April 2022, The New York Observer reported
that local developer Chetrit Group has secured $70 million in acquisition financing to go towards erecting the pair of 64- and 70-story rental towers. It was part of a trend of developers across the city rushing to break ground on projects before New York State’s 421a tax-abatement program expired on June 15, 2022.
259 Clinton Street
Developed by Extell Development | Designed by Perkins Eastman
724 feet high | 62 stories
706 rental units (25% affordable housing)
Completion estimated for 2025
In April 2022, Starrett Development received approvals from the Department of Buildings to start foundation work at 259 Clinton Street, the easternmost of the new towers. However, the developer was also shopping the site for approximately $100 million. Extell Development entered contract to buy it in September 2022, and closed on it for $40 million. This suggests a major discount, but an unnamed source close to the deal says the ask was actually closer to $60 million. Either way, the site still qualifies for tax abatements under the expired 421-a program.
One Manhattan Square, 252 South Street
Developed by Extell | Designed by Adamson Associates
847 feet high | 72 stories
811 Condominiums | 204 Affordable rentals
Completed in 2019
19 available listings from $1.23M
One Manhattan Square (Extell Development Company)
Decades after growing up on Pike Street, Extell's founder and director Gary Barnett took the old neighborhood by storm with One Manhattan Square, his "vertical village" on the former site of a Pathmark grocery store. All 811 units enjoy panoramic views through floor-to-ceiling windows as well as interiors by Meyer Davis Studios with premium appliances and finishes.
One Manhattan Square's standout, 100,000+ square foot amenity package includes a multi-level health and wellness center, including a spa with private treatment rooms and a hammam, centered on a tranquil courtyard and relaxation garden. It also features a private indoor swimming pool, fitness center, bowling alley, basketball court, golf simulator, squash court, and yoga studio. As well as a state-of-the-art cinema and performance space, children’s playroom, teen arcade, culinary lounge, wine room, cigar room, cellar bar, and demonstration kitchen.
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In addition to the indoor amenities, there are 45,000 square feet of landscaped areas, including gardens, fire pits, an adult treehouse, a tea pavilion, a stargazing observation deck, social courtyards, and a covered dog run that offers residents an unparalleled outdoor living experience in Manhattan. Finally, as part of Extell's commitment to opening a full-service supermarket to replace the shuttered Pathmark, Brooklyn Fare Kitchen & Market signed a lease for its largest location yet in the base of the building. The opening is estimated for mid-2022.
With available land on Manhattan island constrained, more tumultuous/contentious developments can be expected in the coming years. Even the neighborhood's robust stock of NYCHA housing has been eyed as land that can be infilled for future growth.
Design concept of infill tower on the grounds of The LaGuardia Houses (Leong Leong)
In recent years, this stretch of Two Bridges has seen increased interest beyond residential. In 2019, the SHoP Architects-designed East River Waterfront & EcoPark at Pier 35 opened to the public. While the city is currently raising large sections of East River Park to protect against rising seas, the city has opened the first, second, and third phases of this two-mile-long project further south to improve waterfront access. In summer 2021, Pier 36 welcomed over 800,000 visitors to Immersive Van Gogh, a digital experience allowing visitors to "step into" the art of Vincent van Gogh that proved so popular that it returned for the holiday season later that year. Additionally, self-filtering pool +POOL is in the works to float in the East River on the south side of Pier 35.
East River Waterfront & EcoPark at Pier 35, 2019 (CityRealty)
Would you like to tour any of these properties?
Just complete the info below.
Or call us at (212) 755-5544
Would you like to tour any of these properties?
Contributing Writer
Michelle Sinclair Colman
Michelle writes children's books and also writes articles about architecture, design and real estate. Those two passions came together in Michelle's first children's book, "Urban Babies Wear Black." Michelle has a Master's degree in Sociology from the University of Minnesota and a Master's degree in the Cities Program from the London School of Economics.
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