Two years ago, the Landmarks Preservation Commission floated the idea of clearing its backlog of items from before 2010 by simply de-calendaring all of them. That was not well-received, to put it lightly. So, they devised a series of steps to actually address those 95 items. That process nearly came to an end today, with the designation of 10 new city landmarks.
Over the past few years, Long Island City has developed a proud skyline, and the Steven Holl-designed Hunters Point Library will become its latest iconic public building. The space will serve as a much-needed civic hub in this still-developing waterfront residential district. Recently, we had an opportunity to tour the site, which will soon become one of the city’s most striking public spaces.
In April 2014 we interviewed developer Sam Charney of Charney Construction and Development. Among other things, he spoke about Long Island City’s 11-51 47th Avenue, now known as the Jackson. Since then, we have followed the building’s progress, starting when the site was cleared at the end of 2015 up until its recent topping-out. Today we revisit the project with Charney and the building’s architect, Chris Fogarty of Fogarty Finger.
After four years of delayed construction, financial missteps, and lawsuits, Forest City Ratner and Greenland U.S.A. are finally welcoming tenants into 461 Dean Street, currently the tallest skyscraper in the world constructed with modular units. The 32-story tower on the edge of Prospect Heights and Park Slope offers sweeping views of brownstone Brooklyn, but its lengthy construction saga highlights the myriad issues facing developers who want to build with modular construction.
When city planners unveiled the new zoning for East Harlem at a community board meeting last month, neighbors wanted to know how many new apartments would grow, and how many people could potentially be displaced. Now the city has revealed estimates of how the rezoning would reshape the upper Manhattan neighborhood in a new set of zoning documents.
