The largest cathedral in the world is in Manhattan, but is not a city landmark. That could soon change. On Tuesday, the Landmarks Preservation Commission voted to calendar a public hearing on the designation of the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine.
On Tuesday, the Landmarks Preservation Commission held public hearings on six proposed designations. One was for a complex in East New York, Brooklyn and the latter five were for properties in Midtown East.
East New Yorkers rallied early last year to save a historic bank building at 91 Pennsylvania Avenue in East New York, after plans surfaced for a seven-story medical building that would replace it. The wrecking ball ultimately came for the 19th century Renaissance Revival bank designed by Richard Upjohn, and now the new medical facility is rising fast.
Construction has been completed and occupancy is underway at the 12-story, 154-unit affordable-supporting housing project at 1191 Boston Road, in the Bronx’s Morrisania section. Photos of the new building can be seen in a Curbed NY report. Dubbed Boston Road, the building encompasses 94,000 square feet and rises 119 feet above street level. It’s variety of affordable and supportive apartments, which are rentals, should average 315 square feet apiece. They are being leased at below-market rates to formerly homeless people, seniors, Medicaid users, and those living with HIV/AIDS. Amenities include a fitness center, a roof terrace, a garden, a computer lab, and storage for eight bikes. Breaking Ground is the developer and Alexander Gorlin Architects is behind the architecture.
The 42-story, 287-key hotel under development at 310 West 40th Street, in the Garment District section of Midtown, now appears to be a few concrete pours away from topping out. The construction progress can be seen in photos posted to the YIMBY Forums by user JC_Heights. The latest building permits indicate the completed tower will measure 117,280 square feet and stand 420 feet in height (although the bulkhead will bring the tower’s pinnacle to 472 feet). The hotel rooms should average 310 square feet apiece and guest amenities will include a fitness center, meeting rooms, a lounge/bar/terrace on the ground floor, and a restaurant & bar across the 40th and 41st floors. Helm Management Inc. is the developer and Nobutaka Ashihara’s Financial District-based firm is the architect. Completion can probably be expected by the end of the year.
