A small, pre-Civil War residential building in Brooklyn will be returned to something resembling its former glory. On Tuesday, the Landmarks Preservation Commission approved the restoration of 121 Congress Street. That’s located between Hicks Street and Henry Street in the Cobble Hill Historic District.
The loss of the 421-a tax abatement has certainly hurt development in the Bronx, but a few determined builders are still venturing out to parts of the borough where new construction is rare. Chelsea-based developer Kim Tasher has filed plans for a five-story residential and medical building at 1144 Evergreen Avenue, in the southeast Bronx neighborhood of Soundview.
The owners of the New York Islanders – Scott Malkin and Jonathan Ledecky – have reportedly been in talks for the past few months with the owners of the New York Mets – Sterling Equities – to build a new hockey arena adjacent to Citi Field, in Willets Point, Queens. The New York Islanders aren’t fond of their current home at Barclays Center, in Brooklyn, after negotiations failed to address some issues with the venue, like poor ice quality and seats with obstructed views, Bloomberg reported. Oak View Group has been tasked with consulting duties. It’s unclear where the new hockey arena would go, but the likely location would be immeadiately to the west of Citi Field where a parking lot exists. The location would be easily accessible to the Mets-Willets Point Station on the 7 train and the Long Island Rail Road.
A rendering has been revealed of the 24-story, 122-key Hotel Indigo planned at 120 Water Street, in the Financial District, by the Commercial Observer. The new building will encompass 51,600 square feet and guest amenities will include a fitness center, a restaurant & bar on the ground floor, a rooftop bar & lounge on the top floor, and bike storage space in the cellar. The hotel rooms should average 360 square feet apiece. Long Island-based Atlas Hospitality is the developer and Gene Kaufman’s SoHo-based architectural firm is the architect of record. Since YIMBY’s report on the planned hotel in December of 2014, the project has shrunk from 31 stories and 150 rooms to 24 stories and 122 rooms. The project also has a different developer and architect. The 36-foot-wide, 2,877-square-foot assemblage is currently occupied by four- and five-story mixed-use buildings. Demolition permits were filed in November of 2015. Completion of the new hotel is scheduled for the spring of 2018.
A hospitality haven is rapidly rising at the northern fringe of Long Island City, in an area that overlaps into Dutch Kills to the east and Ravenswood to the west. Despite its convenient location just minutes away from Midtown via subway, the neighborhood north of Queens Plaza was largely ignored by the city and developers for most of the 20th century. During that time, local street character ranged from quiet residential enclaves to fenced-off commercial and industrial facilities to seedy, crime-ridden nooks that the casual visitor best stay away from. Since Long Island City has become one of the city’s hottest neighborhoods, a dozen hotels sprung up within its northern portion, with several more currently in progress. Upon completion, the 10-story one at 29-12 40th Avenue, which will be run by a yet-to-be-announced operator, would bring 75 rooms to the booming neighborhood.
