Among the numerous hulking eyesores in New York City, Two Penn Plaza manages to make a particularly negative impact, and its placement above Penn Station helps cement the latter’s status as an architectural failure. But now we have a first look at plans to transform the structure completely, created by Bjarke Ingels Group/BIG for developer Vornado.
It was in November of 2014 when YIMBY last brought you a construction update on the 12-story, 49-unit residential project at 261 West 25th Street, in Chelsea, when the structure was nine stories above street level and still rising. Since then, construction has since wrapped up entirely on the 128,259-square-foot building, dubbed the Seymour, as seen in photos by Tectonic. The condominium units will average a very spacious 2,618 square feet apiece, and amenities include recreational rooms and lounges, a gym, an outdoor area, storage space, and a 25-space bicycle storage room – all in the cellar – a library on the ground floor, and an outdoor rooftop terrace. McGinley Design and Rottet Studio are responsible for the interiors, and Goldstein, Hill & West Architects is the design architect. Naftali Group is the developer and occupancy is expected imminently.
YIMBY last brought you a construction update on the 12-story, 27-unit mixed-use building at 245 West 14th Street, in southern Chelsea, in October of 2014, when the structure was just about to top out. Now, Tectonic has new photos of the building, dubbed Village Green West, which show that work is practically complete and scaffolding has been removed. The 47,129-square-foot structure features 3,802 square feet of ground-floor retail space, and its condominium units should average a spacious 1,586 square feet apiece. The units will come in one-, two-, three-, and four-bedroom configurations, and there will be four full-floor penthouses. Amenities include a gym and wellness center, a spa, a lounge, private storage space, bicycle storage space, and a rooftop terrace. Alfa Development is behind the project and Kutnicki Bernstein Architects is the design architect. Occupancy is expected imminently.
The Republic of Turkey is moving forward with a new consulate-general building, dubbed the Turkevi Center, at 821 United Nations Plaza, located on the corner of East 46th Street in Midtown East. Curbed NY has renderings of the Perkins Eastman-designed 32-story, 200,000-square-foot mixed-use complex, which will contain office space and residential units. The residential units are being built to accommodate staff and visitors, and the facility will have passport and visa offices. Amenities will include conference rooms, a prayer room, a gym, an auditorium, and an underground parking garage. The new building would replace Turkey’s existing 12-story facility as well as the vacant lot at 344 East 46th Street. Neither new building applications nor demolition permits have yet been filed.
Not everything happening on or near Billionaires’ Row is supertall. Some of it is supersmall, relatively speaking. Two months ago, the Landmarks Preservation Commission approved the restoration and renovation of an individual landmark in the midst of the coming towers. That gives us the perfect opportunity to tell you a little bit about Engine Company No. 23.
