A combination of zoning and landmarking makes it tough to develop office buildings in the Meatpacking District. Despite the hurdles, 860 Washington Street has taken shape at the corner of West 13th Street. YIMBY reader Tectonic recently stopped by the site, and today we have a look at the construction progress.
The 10-story structure has most of its glass curtain wall, and it looks like it could be ready for tenants soon. The sharp, modern facade contrasts dramatically with the 19th century warehouses next door, but the building is more appealing than its neighbor on the south side of 13th Street, the Standard hotel.
By the time it’s finished, 860 Washington will reach 170 feet into the air and hold 93,000 square feet of commercial space. The first floor will be 24 feet tall to accommodate a high-end retail tenant, and the second floor, which sits right next to the High Line, will also be reserved for retail.
The remaining stories will be office space, with floor plates ranging from 10,800 to 12,200 square feet. Fourth-floor tenants will get a 1,500-square-foot terrace, which will offer nice views of the Hudson River and the High Line.
A real estate design and construction firm leased 22,000 square feet in October, but the rest of the building is still waiting for tenants. Asking rents there range from $150 to $200 a square foot, according to the Commercial Observer.
James Carpenter Design Associates designed the project, and Property Group Partners and Romanoff Equities co-developed it.
Romanoff has been working on the office tower since 2008. The firm eked out roughly 17,000 square feet of extra interior space by winning five zoning variances from the city’s Board of Standards and Appeals in 2009. The handful of other office projects in the hood, including Solar Carve and 837 Washington Street, have had to jump through similar hoops before putting shovels in the ground.
Construction is scheduled to finish in the next few months, and the development is supposed to get its certificate of occupancy in April.
860 Washington Street, photo by Tectonic
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