The construction of a new luxury residential tower that will surpass the current tallest residential building in the Western Hemisphere in height has prompted New York City to reconsider its policy on megatowers.
The current high-rise champ rises 1,400 feet above Manhattan. The concern is over whether the long shadows skyscrapers cast over Central Park are harmful enough to restrict their height.
Other cities have studied the impact the shadows cast by high-rises have on the public’s enjoyment of public parks. The Washington Post reported that San Francisco, Boston, Washington, D.C., and Toronto also have struggled to find a balance between building taller in an effort to fit more housing into crowded urban spaces with the need for sunlight below.
Though New York’s latest residential skyscrapers are targeted for the wealthy, such rules could impact tens of thousands of affordable housing units in the proposal stage.
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Apr 18, 2018
New Green Globe pilot program launched
Precursor to revised Green Globes Assessment Protocol for Commercial Buildings.
Codes and Standards | Apr 17, 2018
Contractor charged with fraud in winning $200 million in federal contracts
Accused of falsely claiming veteran- and minority-owned business status.
Codes and Standards | Apr 16, 2018
Wide variations in adoption of National Electric Code could jeopardize safety
An NFPA report found that code adoption is under heavier political scrutiny, leading to delays and decisions motivated by factors other than safety concerns.
Codes and Standards | Apr 12, 2018
Corruption in New York City construction industry is common
Scale of projects, number of players involved contributes to problem.
Codes and Standards | Apr 11, 2018
Urgent need for government to make communities, infrastructure more resilient
More than 350 people died from extreme weather events in 2017.
Codes and Standards | Apr 10, 2018
Boosting energy efficiency helps reduce health risks
Cleaner air results in fewer heart attacks, respiratory disease, and premature deaths.
Codes and Standards | Apr 9, 2018
U.K. business leaders call for zero-carbon buildings by 2030
Real estate, construction industry executives among those supporting the goal.
Codes and Standards | Apr 5, 2018
In Houston, proposed rules would require building above 500-year flood level
Change would impact 85,739 pieces of property.
Codes and Standards | Apr 4, 2018
New ASTM standard supports stucco use in construction
Provides way to measure tensile strength in vertical applications.
Codes and Standards | Apr 3, 2018
LEED v4.1 O+M for Existing Buildings available for beta testing
Update said to be most inclusive and transparent platform to date.