Architecture And Design

March 15, 2024

Taconic unveils plans to build 28-story office tower in Hudson Square

Taconic Partners and Nuveen Real Estate on Wednesday unveiled new renderings of One Grand, a new 28-story office tower in Hudson Square designed by renowned architecture firm SHoP Architects. Located on the corner of Grand and Varick Streets where the neighborhoods of Soho, Hudson Square, and Tribeca intersect, the building will serve as a state-of-the-art headquarters, offering 430,763 square feet of rentable space, 20,040 square feet of outdoor space, and a public school on the ground floor, according to The Real Deal.
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March 15, 2024

Related releases renderings of proposed Hudson Yards casino complex

This is what a massive casino complex in Hudson Yards could look like. Related Companies and Wynn Resorts on Wednesday unveiled renderings for Wynn New York City, their $12 billion development proposal that would transform an undeveloped western portion of Hudson Yards into a casino and resort, three skyscrapers, a 5.6-acre park, office space, and a public school. Related is one of the most recent developers to throw their hat in the ring to secure one of New York's three downstate casino licenses that will be awarded in the coming months.
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March 13, 2024

A mini forest is coming to Roosevelt Island

A mini forest that can prevent flooding during storms and build biodiversity is coming to Roosevelt Island. Conceived by global platform SUGi, the Manhattan Healing Forest will consist of 1,000 native trees, shrubs, and plants and measure just 2,700 square feet in Roosevelt Island’s Southpoint Park. The so-called "pocket forest" will be “strategically positioned to stabilize the land,” capture water, provide a habitat for wildlife, and serve as a “living barrier” against flooding and erosion.
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March 8, 2024

Harlem’s historic Victoria Theater reopens following decade-long restoration

Harlem’s historic Victoria Theater has reopened following a decade-long restoration project, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Thursday. The renovation added two flexible performance spaces, offices, and gallery spaces to the Victoria, which opened in 1917 as a vaudeville theater. The 27,000-square-foot facility will be operated by the iconic Apollo Theater, marking the first expansion of the cultural institution in its 90-year history. The Apollo Stages at The Victoria is part of a broader redevelopment project that includes a 28-story hotel, restaurant, and a residential building with nearly 200 apartments.
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March 5, 2024

120-year-old Carnegie library in the Bronx is now a city landmark

A Bronx public library that has served as a vital community space for more than a century is New York City's newest landmark. The Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) on Tuesday voted to designate the New York Public Library's Tremont Branch as an individual landmark. Constructed in 1905, the library at 1866 Washington Avenue was financed by philanthropist Andrew Carnegie and designed by acclaimed firm Carrère and Hastings, the architects behind the library's iconic main branch at 42nd Street and 5th Avenue. The library is regarded for its significance as a critical space for the neighborhood, in addition to its architectural importance, according to the LPC.
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March 4, 2024

Lincoln Center taps design team to make Amsterdam Ave side of campus accessible ‘performance park’

A plan to transform the west side of the Lincoln Center campus into a publicly accessible space for performance and play is moving forward. The Lincoln Center for Performing Arts (LCPA) on Monday announced a design team made up of Hood Design Studio, Weiss/Manfredi, and Moody Nolan will reimagine the Amsterdam Avenue-facing side, starting with turning Damrosch Park into a state-of-the-art outdoor "performance park."
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February 27, 2024

Leasing launches for apartments at Brooklyn’s landmarked Empire State Dairy complex

Here's a chance to live in a modern apartment building within a historic and unique Brooklyn property. Leasing launched this week for 320 apartments at The Highland at 2480 Atlantic Avenue, the site of the landmarked Empire State Dairy Company complex in East New York. Developed by The Moinian Group and Bushburg and designed by Dattner Architects, the mixed-use development incorporates the early 1900s buildings with a brand new 14-story residential tower offering a mix of studios, one-bedrooms, two-bedrooms, and three-bedroom rentals.
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February 27, 2024

Stunning nine-story atrium at The Beekman Hotel is up for landmark status 

Once part of New York City architectural lore, the nine-story Victorian atrium at The Beekman Hotel may soon be formally recognized. The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday voted to calendar the central atrium of 5 Beekman Street for consideration as an interior landmark. Built as part of the 19th-century commercial building Temple Court, the space consists of eight tiers of galleries topped by a cast-iron pyramid-shaped skylight. For decades, the atrium was walled in and off-limits to the public, until work began in 2014 to restore and transform the historic building into a hotel. Now a decade after the project began, the stunning atrium, restored to its former glory and the centerpiece of the luxury Beekman Hotel, is up for landmark status.
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February 23, 2024

$12B Hudson Yards casino proposal details three skyscrapers, 1,500 apartments, a hotel, and offices

What could a casino look like in Hudson Yards? Related Companies this week filed plans with the city detailing a massive $12 billion development on the undeveloped western portion of Hudson Yards. As first spotted by Crain's, the proposal calls for the construction of three skyscrapers, including an 80-story residential building with 1,500 apartments, an office tower with roughly 2.2 million square feet of office space, and a gaming facility and hotel resort with 1,750 rooms run by Wynn Resorts. Related is one of the latest developers to unveil plans as part of a bid for one of the three downstate casino licenses to be awarded in the coming months.
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February 23, 2024

Brooklyn’s historic Paramount Theatre to reopen in March

Fort Greene’s 100-year-old Brooklyn Paramount Theatre will reopen once again as a music venue next month following a major restoration. The historic theater's grand opening season officially kicks off on March 27, with tickets now on sale for more than 45 shows featuring performers like Busta Rhymes, PinkPantheress, Norah Jones, and Mariah The Scientist, as Live Nation announced. The renovation preserved the opulent Baroque features throughout the space, including the latticework ceiling and original hand-crafted plaster statues. Modern upgrades include a new stage, a state-of-the-art backstage facility, seven bars, and an exclusive VIP lounge.
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February 16, 2024

Vornado floats temporary outdoor event space at site of demolished Hotel Pennsylvania

Vornado Realty Trust may bring an outdoor event space to the site of the former Hotel Pennsylvania as it delays constructing a 56-story office tower there. As first reported by Crain's, the developer has floated the idea of "Penn Platform," an 80,000-square-foot space for U.S. Open tennis matches, New York Fashion Week shows, concerts, soccer matches, and other events, in addition to giant billboards, as seen in conceptual renderings published in a marketing brochure. Located on 7th Avenue between 32nd and 33rd Streets, the site sits across from Penn Station and was once home to a 100-year-old hotel, which was demolished last year.
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February 14, 2024

Bjarke Ingels unveils design for Freedom Plaza casino development next to the U.N.

As the state's process for choosing a site for a New York City gaming facility continues to slowly move forward, new renderings released this week offer a closer look at one proposed casino in Manhattan. Renowned architecture firm Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) on Monday unveiled new images of Freedom Plaza, a mixed-use development with apartments, a hotel, a museum, a 4.77-acre public park, and an underground casino just south of the United Nations.
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February 13, 2024

The Brooklyn Edison Building may be NYC’s next landmark

The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday voted to calendar the Brooklyn Edison Building in Downtown Brooklyn. Located at 345 Adams Street, the office building was designed by renowned architectural firm McKenzie, Voorhees & Gemlin and constructed between 1922 and 1926 for the Brooklyn Edison Company. The structure stands out for its important role in the borough's development and its striking Renaissance Revival architectural features, according to the commission.
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February 9, 2024

‘Park of Dreams’ brings vibrant public art to Brooklyn’s Grand Army Plaza during renovation

A new site-specific public art installation is livening up Brooklyn's Grand Army Plaza during the renovation of its famous Soldiers' and Sailors' Arch. ART FOR CHANGE and the Prospect Park Alliance this week revealed "Park of Dreams," a public art exhibition displayed on the construction fencing surrounding the iconic Arch. The large-scale artworks, created by contemporary artists like Jules de Balincourt, Marcus Brutus, Kelly Beeman, Danielle Orchard, Amy Lincoln, and others, will be on view through the spring.
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February 7, 2024

Leasing launches at 100% electric Coney Island rental with ocean and amusement park views

Leasing has launched at New York City's first multi-family geothermal project. Developed by LCOR and designed by STUDIO V Architecture, 1515 Surf Avenue is a 100 percent electric two-tower development steps from the beach in Coney Island. The property contains 463 apartments, 324 of which are priced at the market rate and the rest designated as affordable. The unique development offers a mix of one- and two-bedroom apartments, and a selection of penthouses, as well as an impressive suite of amenities with up-close views of the Atlantic Ocean and the famous Riegelmann Boardwalk.
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January 31, 2024

Major mixed-use development Manhattan West is officially complete

After several decades in the making, the mixed-use campus Manhattan West is officially complete. Brookfield Properties and Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM) on Tuesday announced the opening of Two Manhattan West, a 58-story skyscraper with two million square feet of office space. Located on the corner of Ninth Avenue and West 31st Street, Two Manhattan West is the final piece of the seven-million-square-foot Manhattan West, marking the completion of the new neighborhood.
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January 25, 2024

Four new skateparks opening in Brooklyn and the Bronx

New York City is working with legendary skateboarder Tony Hawk to develop four new skateparks in Brooklyn and the Bronx. Mayor Eric Adams during his State of the City address on Wednesday announced a partnership with The Skatepark Project, a nonprofit founded by Hawk, to bring four skateparks in communities lacking access to public recreation spaces. The project is being fast-tracked for completion in just three years. The plan involves renovating two existing skateparks, at Brower Park and Bronx Park, and constructing two new ones, at Mount Prospect Park and Soundview Park.
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January 25, 2024

Chinatown’s Kimlau Square to receive $56M revamp

Chinatown's chaotic Kimlau Square is set to receive a $55.8 million redesign, as first reported by amNewYork. During his State of the City address on Wednesday, Mayor Eric Adams announced Kimlau Square will be renovated in three phases: an expansion of the square into a pedestrian plaza with shortened street crossings, the beautification of Park Row between the plaza and the Brooklyn Bridge, and the creation of an archway that welcomes people into the neighborhood. The project aims to straighten out the confusing six-way intersection that surrounds the plaza and increase the size of the space from 12,000 to 20,000 square feet.
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January 24, 2024

Marine science-themed playground with giant climbable fish opens in Hudson River Park

A new marine science-inspired playground opened in Hudson River Park this week. Designed by OLIN, the Pier 26 Science Playground features large-scale structures in the shape of two endangered sturgeon species native to the Hudson River, the Atlantic sturgeon and the shortnose sturgeon, climbing nets, and other nature-inspired equipment. Located on North Moore Street, the 4,000-square-foot play area also aims to educate New Yorkers about the ecological importance of the Hudson River.
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January 22, 2024

Promising ‘more house than high rise,’ Downtown Brooklyn condo Nine Chapel launches sales

Sales officially launched at Downtown Brooklyn's Nine Chapel Street, a new boutique condo tower taking an innovative approach to outdoor space. Developed by Tankhouse and designed by SO-IL, the 14-story building contains 27 luxury residences and creative outdoor space, including open-air terraces that act like front porches and weather-protected loggias. Pricing for the one- to four-bedroom residences starts at $1,040,000.
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January 22, 2024

NYC’s latest film studio is opening in Long Island City this year

New York City's latest film studio will open in Long Island City this year. Taking up the upper three floors of a five-story development at 23-30 Borden Avenue, Borden Studios includes four sound stages, office and support space, and more than 8,800 square feet of outdoor space, including a rooftop terrace. Developed by Innovo Property Group and operated by The MBS Group, the studio is expected to open this spring.
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January 18, 2024

Colorful tulle sculptures in Madison Square Park brighten the winter cityscape

New vibrant sculptures made of tulle are adding brightness to the city's bleak winter landscape. On display in Madison Square Park through March, artist Ana María Hernando's exhibition, titled "To Let the Sky Know/Dejar que el cielo sepa," includes a series of large-scale atmospheric clouds and one cascading waterfall, all made of flowing, colorful tulle. The exhibition marks the 20th anniversary of the Madison Square Park Conservancy's public art program.
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January 16, 2024

Stunning video art projected onto the Manhattan Bridge, BQE in Dumbo

Immersive video art can now be seen gracing Dumbo's famous infrastructure as part of Brooklyn's largest projection project ever. Presented by the Dumbo Improvement District, the Dumbo Projection Project casts world-class video art on both the Pearl and Adams Streets sides of the Manhattan Bridge and along the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway in Susan Smith McKinney Steward Park. The projections will run through April 20 and be on view Thursdays through Saturdays from dusk to 10 p.m.
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January 12, 2024

Brooklyn Bridge towers illuminated with new LED lights

The Brooklyn Bridge is starting the New Year with a major "glow up." The city's Department of Transportation (DOT) unveiled on Thursday a new lighting system on the iconic landmark that includes 56 new energy-efficient LED lights illuminating its famous towers. The new lights are part of a four-year, $300 million restoration project to remove dirt and restore the mortar between every stone on the bridge, returning the towers to their original light gray color.
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January 11, 2024

Central Park’s Bow Bridge reopens with new wood decking

The iconic Bow Bridge in Central Park reopened this week after a two-month-long renovation project. Led by the Central Park Conservancy, the project replaced the decking with new, more durable wood and bolstered several beams under the deck to stabilize them and prevent future corrosion. The Conservancy researched historic photographs of the bridge, originally constructed in 1862, to identify the number of planks and the decking size of the bridge floor.
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