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QUICK LINKS
Trump Soho Hotel Condominiums
Donald Trump, in partnership with the Bayrock Group and Tamir Sapir, are building a condo-hotel, which will have 411 rooms, at 246 Spring Street, between Varick Street and Sixth Avenue. The luxury hotel, at 454 feet high, will be the tallest structure in SoHo, and will be equipped with an outdoor pool, a screening room, restaurant and cocktail lounge, members’ library, and event space. Envisioned as Manhattan’s first “condo-hotel,” every unit in the Handel Architects-designed building will be sold individually to buyers who can live in them and also are free to offer up their Rockwell Group-designed units as hotel rooms.
Supporters maintain that the structure will be a hotel and that it will bring nearly 400 jobs and much needed event space to the community. Trump and his partners claimed that since the development is not a residential use, the project is “as of right” and therefore requires no rezoning or variances, nor does it have to go through ULURP. On May 8, 2007 the Department of Buildings approved the structure after the Bloomberg administration negotiated a deal limiting owners of the hotel's units to stays not exceeding 29 consecutive days and 120 total days per year.
Opponents of the project, however, claim that the Trump Tower would violate zoning laws by placing permanent residences in an area zoned for manufacturing. After failing to stop the Department of Buildings from granting Trump a building permit, opponents, led by the SoHo Alliance, initiated legal action with the goal of forcing the Building Department to rescind the permit. The legal appeal, which is supported by numerous community groups and local economic development corporations, is currently pending before the City’s Board of Standards and Appeals. A decision is expected on the appeal in May, 2008.
The construction of the project has also been marred by several accidents. In January 2008, a worker fell 42 stories to his death and in March 2008, a chain from a crane on the project shattered several glass windows on the project sending glass down to the street and sidewalk. Also in March 2008, the crane at Trump’s project failed inspection and the project was forced to stop-work.
Trump Soho Wins at Board of Standards and Appeals
Wednesday, May 07, 2008 | The Real Deal | Topic: General
The City’s Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA) rejected an appeal by neighborhood groups and preservationists arguing that the Trump Soho Condominiums violated zoning regulations. This ruling was supported by the Buildings Department. Opponents of the towers have the ability to take their appeal to a state trial court, which they have indicated that they will do.
Crane Violation Halts Construction at Trump Hotel
Thursday, March 27, 2008 | Newsday.com | Topic: General
Construction on the site of the Trump hotel has been put on hold due to safety violations. Recent crane inspections performed by the City’s Department of Buildings found a crane on site to be out of code.
Accident at Trump SoHo Tower Shatters Glass, Stops Work
Monday, March 10, 2008 | New York Daily News | Topic: General
A loose chain struck nearly a dozen windows in the Trump SoHo tower on Saturday night during high gusts of wind. Officials and neighbors say that the accident sent glass falling to the street, although no one was injured. The Buildings Department issued a stop-work order to the developer, Bovis Lend Lease, and cited the company for failing to secure the chain. Bovis was cited for safety violations earlier this year when a worker laying concrete fell to his death.
Appeal Hearing for Trump Soho Scheduled
Tuesday, January 29, 2008 | Curbed | Topic: Politics & Government
The city’s Board of Standards and Appeals has scheduled a public hearing on the approval process for the Trump Soho tower for February 27. The Greenwich Village Society for Historical Preservation is challenging the approval process and attempting to get the Soho’s approval taken away. A construction accident occurred at the site earlier in the year.
Worker Dies in Trump SoHo Tower Accident
Monday, January 14, 2008 | New York Times | Topic: General
Part of the Trump SoHo hotel and condominium tower collapsed, causing a worker to fall 42 stories to his death. Two other workers were injured. The Buildings Department halted work at the site pending an investigation of the collapse. The site’s general contractor, which has been cited for safety and environmental violations in the past, is also performing an internal investigation. A spokesman for a group challenging the building permit in court noted that the construction seemed to be moving quickly, perhaps to avoid legal challenges.
Trump SoHo Continues Despite Appeals
Tuesday, September 11, 2007 | New York Daily News | Topic: Land Use
Efforts by the SoHo Alliance to block the Trump SoHo project have been unsuccessful thus far. The Alliance had appealed in July to the city’s Department of Buildings to revoke Trump’s permit because there would be no way to properly enforce “the project’s so-called restrictive plan” which limits how long an occupant can reside in the building since residential use is not permitted. The Buildings Department has stood by their decision to issue the permit. SoHo Alliance will now appeal to the city Board of Standards and Appeals.
Trump's SoHo Condominium in High Demand
Thursday, August 16, 2007 | New York Post | Topic: Land Use
Early demand for developer Donald Trump's condominium hotel in Soho is impressively high, says the New York Post. Sources claim that 2,800 applications have already been received for 500 units, catching prices of nearly $2,700 per square foot. The units have an occupancy limit of 120 days per year. Trump's condominium hotel project has been controversial from its inception. Opponents have criticized what they believe is a manipulation of the neighborhood's designation as a manufacturing zone.
Trump's Controversial Soho Hotel Approved
Tuesday, May 08, 2007 | Crain's New York Business | Topic: Politics & Government
The Department of Buildings has issued an approval for the controversial Trump “condo-hotel” between Spring and Varick Streets. The area, zoned for manufacturing, allows transient hotels as of right but the Bloomberg administration negotiated a deal limiting owners of the hotel's units to stays not exceeding 29 consecutive days and 120 total days per year. The building, at 45-stories, will be the tallest structure between the financial district and midtown.
Protestors Rally Against Trump Condo-Hotel
Monday, March 05, 2007 | New York Daily News | Topic: Urban Design & Architecture
Protestors gathered yesterday to speak out against Trump’s Condo-Hotel in Soho, stating that it not only defies zoning laws but that the project is inappropriate in the low-rise neighborhood. The area is currently a manufacturing district, but zoning laws allow for creation of traditional hotels. Controversy focuses on fact that the Trump tower may be largely residential rather a functioning hotel.
The Fight, and Fighter, to Preserve Greenwich Village
Monday, February 19, 2007 | New York Daily News | Topic: Historic Preservation & Landmarks
Andrew Berman, executive director of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, has attempted to prevent development that he believes to be out of character with the history of the Greenwich Village neighborhood. Along with his group, Berman has fought developer Donald Trump's proposed condominium hotel at Varick and Spring streets, challenged "illegal" billboards, and called for the creation of a historic landmark district around Washington Square Park to honor immigrant and working-class history. Not entirely opposed to development, Berman says that he supports development that "makes the best use possible of historic buildings."
Debating the Trump Hotel-Condo: Tourism meets Manufacturing
Wednesday, February 14, 2007 | The Real Deal | Topic: Land Use
This article in the Real Deal outlines the parameters of the debate to allow a "hotel-condo" in a manufacturing zone, as developer Donald Trump is hoping that the city's zoning restrictions will approve the construction of his 45-story tower at 246 Spring Street. The premise of the property is to allow occupants to buy rooms and live in them part-time. Currently, zoning permits only traditional hotels in manufacturing zones. Proponents claim that the city's economy depends upon tourism, citing 44 million visitors in 2006. Accordingly, they say that the city's manufacturing areas have changed since 1961, the date of New York's last comprehensive zoning. Critics say that "condo-hotels" set a bad precedent in manufacturing neighborhoods, compromising low-rise scale. The city has yet to decide how transient hotels fit into zoning classifications.
Concern About Zoning Loopholes after Trump Condo-Hotel
Thursday, January 25, 2007 | New York Sun | Topic: Land Use
Several city officials are pushing to close the loopholes in Manhattan zoning laws which allowed Trump to obtain a building permit for his Soho Condo-Hotel without any public review. Opponents are concerned about the impact of allowing residential construction in what are meant to be manufacturing zones, and are questioning whether the condo-hotels residents would really truly be transient in nature. As hotels are considered acceptable projects in manufacturing zones, the project escaped public land use review process.
Trump Soho Site Still Delayed
Saturday, January 20, 2007 | New York Post | Topic: Land Use
Plans for Trump’s condominium hotel have been rejected for the third time for not being in compliance with zoning regulations. However, the Department of Builds has stated that they will issue a building permit if they receive plans that are acceptable within current zoning requirements.
Proposed Condo Hotel in Soho Under Criticism
Tuesday, December 12, 2006 | Metro New York | Topic: Land Use
Recent inquiries into Developer Donald Trump’s proposed condominium hotel by government and community officials have led to changes in the project’s marketing strategy. The developer removed a question on its website, which asked if buyers would use the property as: “primary residence,” “secondary residence,” or “investment property.” NYC & Co., the convention and tourism bureau, also removed a section of its website that described the condo hotel proposal as something where buyers, ““might live there year-round, from time to time or seasonally.”
Condo-Hotels Coming To Brooklyn?
Friday, November 24, 2006 | Courier-Life Publications | Topic: Land Use
Brooklyn activists are concerned about the effect of a recent Bloomberg administration ruling to enable condo-hotels to be constructed in manufacturing zones, a decision that has tremendous implications for sections of Brooklyn including Red Hook, Gowanus and Sunset Park. The City’s decision was a result of Donald Trump’s plan to build a condo-hotel in a manufacturing area of Soho.
Trump Soho Project Approval Likely
Friday, November 17, 2006 | New York Sun | Topic: Economic Development
The City seems likely to grant building permits to developer Donald Trump to construct a 45-story condominium hotel in SoHo. Neighborhood activists fear that the City’s ruling could open the floodgates to similar developments in manufacturing areas. In a condo hotel, buyers have the right to reside in their condo for a certain number of days a year. The rest of the time, the apartment is rented out like a hotel room. Opponents had hoped that the City would rule that the project is residential and not commercial which would have resulted in the permit being denied. Permits have yet to be issued by the Department of Buildings, but they are expected soon.
Trump Starts Digging and Decision From The City is Impending
Saturday, November 04, 2006 | Downtown Express | Topic: Politics & Government
Even though construction cannot begin, on Wednesday, workers started installing construction fencing around the former parking lot at Varick and Spring Sts. Department of Buildings has taken six months, yet still not decided on the Spring St. condo-hotel permit. Word is, however, a decision is now expected within the week.
Trump's Soho Plans May Affect Brooklyn
Friday, November 03, 2006 | Courier-Life Publications | Topic: Land Use
A local Brooklyn paper reports on how neighborhood activists are closely watching the progress of a proposed Donald Trump development in Soho. Trump is hoping that the City will allow him to develop a hotel-condominium in a district zoned for manufacturing. Brooklyn activists predict that if Trump is allowed to build, the decision could have major implications for the future of Brooklyn’s remaining manufacturing areas.
Condo-Hotels: A Guy Thing?
Friday, August 11, 2006 | New York Times | Topic: Housing
Donald Trump’s proposed Soho “condo-hotel” would be part of a new class of accommodations being created all over the country: apartments sold as condominiums but managed by hotels. Interestingly, companies who manage these properties report that the majority of purchases are made by bachelors. The New York Times reports on this new trend.
Trump Soho Tower Has Foes
Tuesday, August 08, 2006 | | Topic: Land Use
Donald Trump’s proposal for a 42-story “condo-hotel” in western SoHo is meeting with resistance from preservationists and residents who claim it violates the area's zoning code, which allows industrial and commercial outlets, not residences. The site is 246 Spring at the corner of Varick Street, just blocks from the Holland Tunnel on the outskirts of Soho. The City’s interpretation of the zoning code for area could have citywide implications.
Resistance To Trump
Friday, July 21, 2006 | Downtown Express | Topic: Land Use
Community activists are strategizing the next steps in their continuing battle against Donald Trump’s proposed Soho tower. City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and Assemblymember Deborah Glick oppose the building and activists hope that zoning regulations will ultimately defeat the project.
New Type Of Condos For NYC
Saturday, July 15, 2006 | The Real Deal | Topic: Housing
The Real Deal reports on condo-hotels and their entry into the New York City market with projects like Donald Trump’s proposed Soho tower. In most cases, hotel-condo units are fully furnished units that can be used by their owners for up to 180 days and nights per year in most cases. Owners seem to like that they can invest in real estate while having access to luxurious hotel amenities like a spa, gym, room and personal butler services.