A six-acre parcel on the Lower East Side of New York City, vacant since tenements were torn down in 1967, will be the site of the new Essex Crossing mixed-use development. The product of a compromise between Mayor Michael Bloomberg and various interested community groups, the complex will include ~1,000 apartments, giving priority placement to some of the families who lost their homes in the demolition decades ago. Also on tap for the site, which is also known as the Seward Park urban renewal area, are retailing, offices, a movie theater, parks, and a museum showcasing the work of Andy Warhol.
The plan for the area is a joint effort of SHoP Architects and Beyer Blinder Belle. Developers L&M Development, BFC Partners, Taconic Investment Partners, and Grand Street Settlement will pay the city $180 million. The plan calls for half affordable and half market-rate housing units, representing a pullback in the position of some community groups who have long demanded that all housing on the site should be devoted to low-income residents. Concerns about uncontrolled gentrification have been amplified by the construction of the nearby Blue Building, a 17-story high-end condo project built in 2007.
A tentative timeline calls for the first Essex Crossing buildings to be started within 18 months.
(http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/18/nyregion/city-plans-redevelopment-for-vacant-area-in-lower-manhattan.html?pagewanted=all&_r=3&)
Related Stories
| Jul 20, 2012
Office Report: Fitouts, renovations keep sector moving
BD+C's Giants 300 Top 25 AEC Firms in the Office sector.
| Jul 20, 2012
K-12 Schools Report: ‘A lot of pent-up need,’ with optimism for ’13
The Giants 300 Top 25 AEC Firms in the K-12 Schools Sector.
| Jul 20, 2012
Higher education market holding steady
But Giants 300 University AEC Firms aren’t expecting a flood of new work.
| Jul 20, 2012
3 important trends in hospital design that Healthcare Giants are watching closely
BD+C’s Giants 300 reveals top AEC firms in the healthcare sector.
| Jul 20, 2012
Global boom for hotels; for retail, not so much
The Giants 300 Top 10 Firms in the Hospitality and Retail sectors.
| Jul 20, 2012
Gensler, Stantec, Turner lead ‘green’ firms
The Top 10 AEC Firms in Green Buildings and LEED Accredited Staff.
| Jul 19, 2012
Renovation resurgence cuts across sectors
Giants 300 reconstruction sector firms ‘pumping fresh blood in tired spaces.’
| Jul 19, 2012
Rental market pushing service, ‘community’
The Top 25 Giants 300 AEC firms in the Multifamily Sector keep four-legged tenants in mind.
| Jul 19, 2012
AEC firms ready to dive into public projects
But the size of the pool keeps shrinking for the Top 25 AEC firms in the Government Sector.