As of today, New York City remains on track to move on to Phase 4 of the state’s four-phase reopening plan on Monday, July 20. Outdoor entertainments like zoos and botanical gardens will be able to reopen at limited capacity, professional sports can take place without fans, and social gatherings of up to 50 people can take place. However, additional indoor venues like malls will not be able to reopen, and Governor Cuomo remains concerned about indoor dining. Cultural institutions are also not able to reopen, but many of the city’s museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, had already planned later reopening dates.
High Line reopens with new precautions in place
Like many of New York’s beloved cultural institutions, the High Line closed earlier this spring as part of the effort to keep the coronavirus pandemic at bay. But on July 16, it reopened to the public with limited capacity, new health and safety rules, and free timed-entry passes. Further details and passes can be found here.
A video on Untapped Cities showed the new guidelines in action. Visitors show passes on their phones to enter at Gansevoort Street, and High Line visitors and employees alike are masked. Signs at the base offer advice on how to stay safe, and green circles on the High Line path indicate the safe social distance. However, the masks cannot hide visitors’ joy at seeing the views, plantings, art, and eye-catching architecture along the elevated park.
A video on Untapped Cities showed the new guidelines in action. Visitors show passes on their phones to enter at Gansevoort Street, and High Line visitors and employees alike are masked. Signs at the base offer advice on how to stay safe, and green circles on the High Line path indicate the safe social distance. However, the masks cannot hide visitors’ joy at seeing the views, plantings, art, and eye-catching architecture along the elevated park.
Rezoning and land review process to resume in August
The Special Flushing Waterfront District is one of many ambitious plans up for review (Image Courtesy Hill West Architects)
When New York City shut down in mid-March in response to the coronavirus pandemic, rezoning work stopped as well. However, the City Planning Commission will resume operations with virtual meetings starting on August 3. These will concern projects already under review, and the Department of City Planning will begin certifying new proposals in mid-September. The news comes as a relief to the real estate industry, which has been eager to restart the process and allow long-planned projects to move forward.
There has been no comment on how the new projects will be prioritized, but that has not stopped media outlets from weighing in. The City listed the transformation of the Grand Hyatt site near Grand Central, a 12 million-square-foot development where Amazon’s second headquarters was supposed to be, and a rezoning around the Gowanus Canal that could bring more than 8,000 new apartments, one third of them affordable, by 2035. The Queens Post cited a Flushing waterfront development set to include a 13-story tower, mixed-use complex, 1,700 apartments, office space, and hotel.
There has been no comment on how the new projects will be prioritized, but that has not stopped media outlets from weighing in. The City listed the transformation of the Grand Hyatt site near Grand Central, a 12 million-square-foot development where Amazon’s second headquarters was supposed to be, and a rezoning around the Gowanus Canal that could bring more than 8,000 new apartments, one third of them affordable, by 2035. The Queens Post cited a Flushing waterfront development set to include a 13-story tower, mixed-use complex, 1,700 apartments, office space, and hotel.
Landmarks to hear proposal for modifications to 706 Madison Avenue in preparation for new Hermes flagship
Spacesmith for Landmarks Preservation Commission
On Tuesday, July 21, the Landmarks Preservation Commission (“Landmarks”) will hear a proposal for modifications to 706 Madison Avenue at the corner of East 63rd Street. The site in the Upper East Side Historic District houses a new five-story retail building connected to a restored 1920’s bank. The new building’s modest height and character sympathetic to the neo-Federal bank were key factors in Landmarks approving it in 2014. Years later, it must now approve replacement doors, windows, and railings, not to mention the installation of a statue, awnings, signage, and HVAC equipment.
A Landmarks presentation shows a new cavalier statue on the roof, a new skylight system, and a new railing on a terrace. The entrance to the store will have new cameras and security features, a new door with security glazing, and an Hermes stone plaque in place of “The Bank of New York.” In all instances, the new materials appear to be inspired by what’s already there.
The site's retail expansion was always intended for a flagship opportunity, which is where Hermes comes in. The luxury brand currently has a flagship at 691 Madison Avenue and a separate men’s store at 690 Madison Avenue, but has outgrown its locations and seeks to bring both collections under one roof while staying on Madison Avenue. To that end, it signed a lease agreement for the new space in February 2019. The news came hot on the heels of that of Hermes’ newest outpost in Gansevoort Row, and the new flagship is expected to open in 2022.
Interiors revealed at Maverick Chelsea
Shortly after the beveled, gridded facade was completed, designer DXA Studio unveiled the first look inside Maverick Chelsea, a new development featuring 113 rentals and 88 condos. The interiors are underscored by an environmentally friendly infrastructure featuring low-energy, individually controlled LED lighting, energy- and water-efficient appliances, and integrated building systems.
Several units will have private outdoor space, and all residents will have access to a 60’ swimming pool, fitness center, sauna and steam room, and children’s playroom. The building also offers a bike room, 100 parking spaces, and easy access to local and express public transportation. An offering plan does not list a sellout price, but the median price of a Chelsea condo is $3.15 million. Chelsea rents range from $2,951/month for studios to $5,941/month for three-beds (all figures per CityRealty data).
Several units will have private outdoor space, and all residents will have access to a 60’ swimming pool, fitness center, sauna and steam room, and children’s playroom. The building also offers a bike room, 100 parking spaces, and easy access to local and express public transportation. An offering plan does not list a sellout price, but the median price of a Chelsea condo is $3.15 million. Chelsea rents range from $2,951/month for studios to $5,941/month for three-beds (all figures per CityRealty data).
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NYC's congestion pricing to be delayed by one year
Starting at the beginning of 2021, New York City was poised to be the first city in the United States to impose congestion pricing. The plan was to toll vehicles entering Manhattan south of 60th Street so as to alleviate traffic and raise money to upgrade the city’s transportation system. But due to a holdup at the federal level, the congestion pricing plan will be delayed by about a year.
The plan was approved in 2019, but could not proceed without the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) completing an environmental review process. However, MTA Chief Development Office Janno Lieber said that the Trump administration has neither initiated the process nor detailed its requirements. He also added that all attempts to contact federal officials to begin the process have been ignored.
The plan was approved in 2019, but could not proceed without the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) completing an environmental review process. However, MTA Chief Development Office Janno Lieber said that the Trump administration has neither initiated the process nor detailed its requirements. He also added that all attempts to contact federal officials to begin the process have been ignored.
Finalists revealed in contest to reimagine the Brooklyn Bridge
Back to the Future via Bjarke Ingels Group + ARUP NYC
According to a 2017 report from the New York City Department of Transportation, pedestrian traffic on the Brooklyn Bridge nearly quadrupled, while the number of cyclists doubled between 2008 and 2015. The bridge remains popular among locals and tourists alike, but the narrow walkways and spillage of pedestrians into the bike lane can make it an inconvenient, if not dangerous experience.
A design contest held by the New York City Council and urban design non-profit Van Alen Institute seeks to change that by inviting New Yorkers to submit ideas for improving the Brooklyn Bridge experience. Entrants 21 and under were invited to suggest ideas “in your wildest dreams,” and professionals aged 22 and up were required to keep their ideas “based in some sort of reality.” It is unlikely that the city will adopt any of the designs right off the bat, but the Department of Transportation will review the ideas as part of an assessment of the bridge.
A design contest held by the New York City Council and urban design non-profit Van Alen Institute seeks to change that by inviting New Yorkers to submit ideas for improving the Brooklyn Bridge experience. Entrants 21 and under were invited to suggest ideas “in your wildest dreams,” and professionals aged 22 and up were required to keep their ideas “based in some sort of reality.” It is unlikely that the city will adopt any of the designs right off the bat, but the Department of Transportation will review the ideas as part of an assessment of the bridge.
The contest began in February 2020, and The Wall Street Journal recently reported on the six finalists. “Do Look Down,” an entrant in the young adult category, proposes a glass walkway that would be built over a car-free lower level and capture energy from footsteps to power light displays and projections. “The Artery” calls for an extended walkway with one lane for fast walkers and another for tourists, families, and the elderly. “Back to the Future,” the entry by Bjarke Ingels Group and Arup Group Ltd., proposes eliminating cars, replacing the car ramps with greenways, and returning the bridge to its original design with walking lanes, elevated trains, and commercial space.
Do Look Down via Shannon Hui, Kwans Kim, and Yujin Kim
Number of Manhattan listings leaps
View from 1 Fifth Avenue, #26A
As New York City reopens and traditional real estate showings resume, the number of listings on the market is starting to rebound. According to a new report from UrbanDigs, Manhattan saw the year’s biggest increase in new listings last week with 558 properties coming on the market. As heartening as this looks, the number of signed contracts remains low, and experts advise that this should be attributed to the lifting of government restrictions from earlier this year. As Jonathan Miller put it, “The spring market, which is the big sales season, never happened.”
1430 Fulton Street winds down construction, prepares for leasing launch in Bed-Stuy
Rendering of 1430 Fulton Street via The Moinian Group
Construction is winding down at 1430 Fulton Street, a ground-up new 14-story development between Kingston and Brooklyn Avenues in Bedford-Stuyvesant. Renderings by Karl Fischer Architects show a mixed-use building with a red brick facade, metal framed windows, and several private balconies.
All 116 units will enjoy open layouts and abundant natural light. Residential amenities will include a gracious lobby leading to an open-air courtyard. Further details and apartment prices have not yet been announced, but CityRealty listings show that median Bedford-Stuyvesant rents range from $1,875/month for studios to $2,888/month for three-beds.
All 116 units will enjoy open layouts and abundant natural light. Residential amenities will include a gracious lobby leading to an open-air courtyard. Further details and apartment prices have not yet been announced, but CityRealty listings show that median Bedford-Stuyvesant rents range from $1,875/month for studios to $2,888/month for three-beds.
Construction dispute at luxury High Line condominium
Rendering of The XI via HFZ Capital Group
Earlier this month, construction manager Omnibuild Construction filed a lien with the county clerk’s office of New York County accusing HFZ Capital of owing approximately $102.1 million for construction management services and materials on The XI, a luxury condominium project overlooking the High Line. The construction firm announced a decision to part ways with the developer following “months of working to resolve significant funding issues.” However, the developer says that the construction firm was fired because it had not fulfilled its obligations.
The Bjarke Ingels-designed development spans a full city block between West 17th and 18th Streets on Eleventh Avenue. One tower will house the first Six Senses Hotel in the United States, and the other will be entirely residential. Availabilities range from a one-bedroom for $2.8 million to a four-bedroom for $14.5 million.
The Bjarke Ingels-designed development spans a full city block between West 17th and 18th Streets on Eleventh Avenue. One tower will house the first Six Senses Hotel in the United States, and the other will be entirely residential. Availabilities range from a one-bedroom for $2.8 million to a four-bedroom for $14.5 million.
Progress at The XI as of July 2020
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