http://www.planNYC.org/ PlanNYC | New York City Planning Information Portal en-us ja3n@earthlink.net http://www.plannyc.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=Issues&file=index&catid=1&issueid=135#4563 Goldman Sachs new office building, to be named 200 West Street, is taking shape in Lower Manhattan without the normal fanfare associated with new development. Goldman has aimed to keep a lower profile with their new facility. The design and construction of the building, totaling 2.1 million square feet, has been a collaborative effort among architectural firms and takes into consideration the waterfront and surrounding areas. 2008-08-24 00:00:00 http://www.plannyc.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=Issues&file=index&catid=1&issueid=135#4289 Construction at City College’s Fitterman Hall, located in lower Manhattan near the World Trade Center site, may be delayed due to disagreements over City funding. School officials say that the City has committed only $20 million to construction, while the Bloomberg administration says the figure is $80 million. The Dormitory Authority is unable to issue a construction contract until the discrepancy in financing is resolved. The building, which was damaged by the attacks on September 11, must be decontaminated, dismantled and then rebuilt. Decontamination and demolition work is currently underway now and is being paid for by insurance money, but construction on the new building will not be able to begin without a Dormitory Authority contract. School officials are concerned about the delays, as enrollment at the community college continues to grow. 2008-06-01 00:00:00 http://www.plannyc.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=Issues&file=index&catid=1&issueid=135#4296 Developer Forest City Ratner and famed architect Frank Gehry released design plans for the Beekman development planned for Lower Manhattan. At 76 stories, the 1.1 million square foot structure will be the tallest residential building in New York City and will also include services such as a public school and an ambulatory care center for the New York Downtown Hospital. The plans also showcase two public plazas designed by Field Operations and Piet Oudolf. The Beekman is currently under construction and slated for completion in 2010. 2008-06-01 00:00:00 http://www.plannyc.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=Issues&file=index&catid=1&issueid=135#4278 The Lower Manhattan Construction Command Center (LMCCC), responsible for coordinating development and providing construction oversight of the World Trade Center site and surrounding projects, is facing a $9 million shortfall in its budget because it has not received necessary financing from the state, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and the Port Authority. The city has already contributed. Avi Schick, President of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, expects the MTA and the Port Authority to contribute soon. 2008-05-29 00:00:00 http://www.plannyc.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=Issues&file=index&catid=1&issueid=135#4266 Avi Schick, president of the Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC) announced to the New York Times that he will resign in September. As chairman of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, Schick has been a key player in the redevelopment of Lower Manhattan and in particular, the World Trade Center site. Some believe that Schick’s heavy involvement in this neighborhood has been detrimental to the progress of Ground Zero. Schick, a trained lawyer, may work in the private sector once he leaves the ESDC. 2008-05-27 00:00:00 http://www.plannyc.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=Issues&file=index&catid=1&issueid=135#4243 An editorial in the New York Post laments the slow pace at which progress is being made at the Deutsche Bank building in lower Manhattan. The article notes that since the tragic fire at the site last year, there appears to be no progress in the demolition of the “allegedly highly toxic” building. According to a representative at the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, clean-up of the site will be complete by the end of the year, at which point demolition can begin. The editorial ends with a plea to Mayor Bloomberg to push the project along. 2008-05-19 00:00:00 http://www.plannyc.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=Issues&file=index&catid=1&issueid=135#4235 Construction was stopped at the site of the new Goldman Sachs building in lower Manhattan on Saturday after an 18 inch piece of steel fell onto a nearby ballfield where children were playing. No one was injured. This is the second serious construction accident that has occurred on the site in the past six months. 2008-05-18 00:00:00 http://www.plannyc.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=Issues&file=index&catid=1&issueid=135#4169 The Department of Buildings has removed a “stop-work order” on the former Deutsche Bank building in Lower Manhattan because a new fire control system has been installed. Asbestos clearance will resume and will take place six-days a week. Once all the hazardous materials have been removed, demolition work will be resumed. 2008-04-30 00:00:00 http://www.plannyc.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=Issues&file=index&catid=1&issueid=135#4132 The number of high-end retail stores and condominium buildings is increasing rapidly in Lower Manhattan. These developments are opening amidst the current credit crisis that has caused many lay-offs and is expected to diminish year-end bonuses for financial executives. However, business is still prosperous for these stores as a result of the diversifying industry and increase in residents in Lower Manhattan. 2008-04-22 00:00:00 http://www.plannyc.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=Issues&file=index&catid=1&issueid=135#4038 Forrest City Ratner is developing a mixed-use tower on Beekman Street in Lower Manhattan that will house a school on the first five levels. The building, designed by Frank Gehry, was scheduled to be ready for the 2009 school year, however, construction costs and economic troubles have delayed the opening till at least 2010. Ratner recently received $680 million in financing for the building, relieving some fears that the building would never get built. The tower is expected to be residential apartments, medical space, educational space, retail and below ground parking. Some have said that the complicated design is another reason for the delay. 2008-04-04 00:00:00 http://www.plannyc.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=Issues&file=index&catid=1&issueid=135#4000 Forest City Enterprises announced that they have secured $680 million in financing for their planned Beekman tower in lower Manhattan. The financing will come in the form of bonds, $200 million of which will come from the New York Liberty Bond Program, issued by the New York City Housing Development Corporation and backed by a Mezzanine Loan provided by the National Electrical Benefit Fund. The Beekman tower will be designed by Frank Gehry and is planned to be 76 stories and will include ground floor retail, below ground parking, an ambulatory care center, an elementary school, and about 900 market-rate housing units. 2008-03-28 00:00:00 http://www.plannyc.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=Issues&file=index&catid=1&issueid=135#3929 At a press conference yesterday, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg expressed uncertainty about whether JPMorgan would retain their lease on the Deutsche Bank building at the World Trade Center site. JPMorgan would not say whether or not they would keep the property, which they acknowledged was a valuable property, but said that they would move employees to midtown to the former Bear Stearns building. 2008-03-20 00:00:00 http://www.plannyc.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=Issues&file=index&catid=1&issueid=135#3911 The federal Environmental Projection Agency recently approved Fiterman hall’s $16.3 million dollar decontamination plan. Fiterman Hall located at 30 West Broadway experienced building and fire damage due to the collapse of the 7 World Trade Tower on September 11th. The decontamination and deconstruction of Fiterman Hall is expected to be completed within a year. 2008-03-14 00:00:00 http://www.plannyc.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=Issues&file=index&catid=1&issueid=135#3883 Lower Manhattan’s only heliport, located on Pier 6, has been handed off from the Port Authority to the city’s Economic Development Corporation (EDC) to run. The EDC has plans for the Pier, including adding a fueling station and some sort of bar or restaurant. A private individual has also suggested creating a ramp into the water, for special tour bus/boat tours and for swimmers and kayakers. Community Board 1 is considering what is best for the Pier and Lower Manhattan. 2008-03-07 00:00:00 http://www.plannyc.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=Issues&file=index&catid=1&issueid=135#3851 The Lower Manhattan Development Corporation (LMDC) and the city have created a grant program for small businesses that have lost money from extensive construction projects in Lower Manhattan. The Small Firm Assistance Program could help nearly 200 businesses in the area and will run until its $5 million funding runs out. Eligible businesses are ones located below Canal Street, employ less than 50 workers, have the ability to demonstrate financial distress, and are located at street level. The intent of the program is to help street level retailers who have had their blocks shut down for construction purposes for certain lengths of time. 2008-02-29 00:00:00