NEW YORK | 80 South Street | 1,436 FT | 113 FLOORS

[mrnyc]

nice especially as i'll have access to offices right next to this, so we can watch it rise!

[NYguy]

We probably shouldn't expect anything to happen soon as they are focused on the seaport right now, but if they get kicked off that project, things could happen here sooner.

[hunser]

Plans for a Seaport Megatower?

In a letter to shareholders on March 13, 2105, the Howard Hughes Corporation publicly disclosed the acquisition of property and air rights from 161-163 Front St., 167 Front St., 175 Front St., 164 John St., 205-207 Front St., 2 Fulton St., 89 and 94 South St. In the last quarter of 2014 they acquired properties at 80 and 83-85 South St.

The Howard Hughes Corporation has been busily assembling properties on the immediate outskirts of the South Street Seaport Historic District, that may allow them to build the largest residential mixed-use building in North America as-of-right,” said a Save Our Seaport spokesperson. […]

The HHC’s proposed “Seaport District Assemblage” may even be taller than 1 World Trade Center (without the antenna) utilizing 818,000 square feet on South Street between John and Fletcher Streets.”

Man, if we get another SHoP designed 1,300 footer here, that would be epic.

[Zapatan]

^Well if it will be (might be) higher than 1WTC it'll probably be > 1400'. And if by largest mixed use building they meant height then it could be higher than Nordstrom, which honestly seems like a stretch but that would be crazy. Before 9/11 the NYSE tower at over 500m was going to be built near here so the dream of a mega scraper on the other side of downtown could be reality.

Seems a little ambitious but NY does surprise me.

[hunser]

^ Yes, the location is pretty epic, even for a "normal-sized" supertall . Now, a 1,400 footer is like a dream coming true ...

[NYguy]

It would be exactly what I want, something to balance the eastern side of the lower Manhattan skyline with the WTC and others.

Let SHoPs hands be all over this.

[NYguy]

I've been thinking about the way some people have been reacting to the proposed Seaport tower, and how they would react to something much larger. Surprise, they don't like it.

More on that earlier post...



https://saveourseaport.wordpress.com/

Save Our Seaport Announces New Information Documenting Howard Hughes Corporation’s Intent To Build A ‘Mega Tower’ Adjacent To South Street Seaport


March 23, 2015

Save Our Seaport, a grassroots organization currently defending the South Street Seaport Historic District against the Howard Hughes Corporation’s (HHC) stalled 1.5 billion dollar development proposal today announced new information documenting the developer’s intent to build a “mega tower” adjacent to the South Street Seaport.

In a letter to shareholders on March 13, 2015, the Howard Hughes Corporation publicly disclosed the acquisition of property and air rights from 161-163 Front Street, 167 Front Street, 175 Front Street. 164 John Street, 205-207 Front Street, 2 Fulton Street, 89 and 94 South Street. In the last quarter of 2014 they acquired properties at 80 and 83-85 South Street (see attached).

“The Howard Hughes Corporation has been busily assembling properties on the immediate outskirts of the South Street Seaport Historic District, that may allow them to build the largest residential mixed-use building in North America “as-of-right,” said David Sheldon, a Save Our Seaport spokesperson.

Michael Kramer, a Save Our Seaport member who recently participated in the currently disbanded Seaport Working Group noted that “we did ask HHC to find an alternative site for the inappropriate 42-Story Seaport Tower development which would replace the historic New Market Building. They certainly took on this task with “Texas-Sized” enthusiasm,” assembling properties that were merely adjacent to the low-rise Nineteenth Century Seaport buildings.”

The HHC’s proposed “Seaport District Assemblage” may even be taller than 1 World Trade Center (without the antenna) utilizing 818,000 square feet on South Street between John and Fletcher Streets. The building located at 432 Park Avenue may only briefly hold the distinction of being New York City’s largest “mega-tower” coming in at 1396’ tall with 745,174 square feet on West 56th Street.

The existing C5-3 zoning encourages tall buildings in Lower Manhattan, but a most favored FAR of 15 to maximize the development opportunity could only be achieved by including a community facility such as a school into its design (and an additional 20% could be added with a “plaza bonus”).

Manhattan Community Board One has consistently asked local developers to include more school seats and a community recreation center in their plans in order to improve the quality of life of existing residents and new arrivals.

“If this redevelopment plan continues, children playing in the multi-million dollar Imagination Playground on Burling Slip will have to use their imagination to see any sunlight after Howard Hughes builds its mega tower”, remarked Bridget Schuy, a local parent and Save Our Seaport member.

[Submariner]

“If this redevelopment plan continues, children playing in the multi-million dollar Imagination Playground on Burling Slip will have to use their imagination to see any sunlight after Howard Hughes builds its mega tower”

THINK OF THE CHILDREN!!!!!!!!!

If it's sunlight and open skies they're after, perhaps they should think about moving out of downtown Manhattan...

[Zapatan]

I think they're actually referring to the ~500 foot 40 story building as "megatower", man are they going to have a heart attack if/when something 400+meters rises here

[Crawford]

So "the community" (meaning a few NIMBYs) doesn't want the small building, they don't want the nearby large building, they don't want anything, anywhere. Why am I not surprised?

Good thing that this supertall is as-of-right.

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by Submariner

“If this redevelopment plan continues, children playing in the multi-million dollar Imagination Playground on Burling Slip will have to use their imagination to see any sunlight after Howard Hughes builds its mega tower”

THINK OF THE CHILDREN!!!!!!!!!

If it's sunlight and open skies they're after, perhaps they should think about moving out of downtown Manhattan...

Yeah, I read that, and it was so ridiculous, I just wanted to skip over it.

Originally Posted by Zapatan

I think they're actually referring to the ~500 foot 40 story building as "megatower",

They're talking about the planned tower that could rise "as-of-right" with the multiple assemblages.

Originally Posted by Crawford

So "the community" (meaning a few NIMBYs) doesn't want the small building, they don't want the nearby large building, they don't want anything, anywhere. Why am I not surprised?

Good thing that this supertall is as-of-right.

Right, they don't want anything. They'll use a variety of excuses to fight each proposal, but truthfully, they don't want anything built.

And it's amazing that they are apparently oblivious to what is going on in the rest of Manhattan.

“The Howard Hughes Corporation has been busily assembling properties on the immediate outskirts of the South Street Seaport Historic District, that may allow them to build the largest residential mixed-use building in North America “as-of-right,” said David Sheldon, a Save Our Seaport spokesperson.

The HHC’s proposed “Seaport District Assemblage” may even be taller than 1 World Trade Center (without the antenna) utilizing 818,000 square feet on South Street between John and Fletcher Streets. The building located at 432 Park Avenue may only briefly hold the distinction of being New York City’s largest “mega-tower” coming in at 1396’ tall with 745,174 square feet on West 56th Street.

As we speak, the armies are assembling. I wonder what Gayle Brewer would have to say about this one.

[sparkling]

So, this is what Gale Brewer said regarding the proposed South Street Seaport tower

That’s why we oppose the tower in its proposed site, and it’s also why we’ve proposed an alternative site—the former Pier 14, located at the foot of Maiden Lane. This site is just below the Seaport area and is a more contextually appropriate location for a 494-foot tower, since it’s already surrounded by high-rise buildings. Along with making this suggestion, we’ve stated many times our hope that the Howard Hughes Corporation and the New York City Economic Development Corporation will genuinely and actively work with us to identify other alternative sites for any such tower.

Just to clarify, pier 14 is just across the street from 80 South st. So, it seems her plan was to convince the HHC guys to build just one tower here though I doubt she was expecting a 1000 ft+building. And let's not forget 151 Maiden Lane which, if built, would be right next to 80 South.

[Ploppalopp]

Has Gale ever been in favor of any development? She should really move to Duluth, MN where everyone is super happy when a single development comes along. She really is in the wrong place...like I would defiantly support her if she was just after protecting historic structures but she is just being ridiculous with all of these insane objections.

[chris08876]

She seems to follow the mindset of anti-development found in the Upper West Side. She was at one point a member of the city council who represented that area. Probably getting her support from people similar to that. Usually older folks who hate shadows from tall towers on Central Park, and life.

Scott Stringer was much better. Well, eventually she will leave office, but for now, we have to live with her as borough president.

This probably has to due with fierce community opposition and letters written to her office. Other developements go unscathe but she tends to pick on certain ones.

From the beginning though this site has been very controversial. Usually in NYC a skyscraper goes up, and its another day, but some sites just have issues from the start.

[antinimby]

^ I fear she might have higher political aspirations like Mayor. That would be a nightmare.

Leticia James is another NIMBY loudmouth you see a lot on local TV now, trying to be in the public eye as much as possible.

Ditto Melissa Mark-Viverito.

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by sparkling

So, this is what Gale Brewer said regarding the proposed South Street Seaport tower

Just to clarify, pier 14 is just across the street from 80 South st. So, it seems her plan was to convince the HHC guys to build just one tower here though I doubt she was expecting a 1000 ft+building. And let's not forget 151 Maiden Lane which, if built, would be right next to 80 South.

They won't be happy with it, for sure.

That’s why we oppose the tower in its proposed site, and it’s also why we’ve proposed an alternative site—the former Pier 14, located at the foot of Maiden Lane. This site is just below the Seaport area and is a more contextually appropriate location for a 494-foot tower, since it’s already surrounded by high-rise buildings.

But she's put her foot in it.

[Hypothalamus]

Gale needs to chill, or somebody higher up needs to call it a day for her.

"I can’t be part of the solution if I’m part of the problem." -- Haruki Murakami

[sparkling]

Howard Hughes strikes deal with Edison that allows it to develop large Seaport building
Combined properties hold 500k sf of development rights

March 31, 2015 04:20PM
By Rich Bockmann

The Howard Hughes Corp. has struck a deal with Edison Properties that allows the former to build a large mixed-use building straddling the border of the South Street Seaport Historic District, according to sources familiar with the transaction.

The Dallas, Texas-based Howard Hughes Corp. and Newark, N.J.-based Edison each own a handful of properties on the block along Front Street between John Street and Maiden Lane. About half of the block lies within the historic district.

City records show that Howard Hughes paid $64.6 million earlier this month to buy nearly 150,000 square feet of air rights from a parking lot Edison owns at the northern end of the block, part of the historic area, and add them to an adjacent development site that Howard Hughes has been assembling since late last year.

The Howard Hughes site, which fronts at 163 Front Street, lies just outside the historic area.

A zoning diagram prepared by SHoP Architects, the firm that the developer’s controversial 42-story mixed-use tower planned just a few blocks north, indicates a project site spanning both companies’ properties.

Representatives for Howard Hughes did not respond to requests for comment, while Edison declined to comment.

SHoP’s zoning diagram indicates the combined properties hold 518,760 square feet of development rights. Howard Hughes properties’ hold several buildings and at the corner of the block opposite Edison’s parking lots, the Lam Group is finishing up work on a 31-story hotel at 161 Front Street.

The site sits about four blocks south and just inland from where the developer is planning to build a controversial, 42-story residential tower on the East River overlooking the historic district.That plan has been met by stiff pushback from community groups arguing it is out of character with the neighborhood, including local Council member Margaret Chin and Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, who have opposed the plan in its current form.

Howard Hughes has been active in the area lately, including purchasing about $31 million worth of air rights back in February from a consortium of banks that owns the air rights above the South Street Seaport Museum and surrounding properties.

Edison is a major parking lot owner in New York through Edison Park Fast, and also owns companies such as Manhattan Mini Storage. It recently sold Ziel Feldman’s HFZ Capital Group a block-long development site at 518 West 18th Street for more than $800 million, or about $1,000 per square foot, as The Real Deal first reported.

[hunser]

I don't know but I have a good feeling about this project ... the same I had with 217W57. And we all know how Nordstrom surprised us.

This massive assemblage is heralding something big. I expect 1,300'+ here, at least. And SHoP being involved here could deliver an epic tower.

[chris08876]

Yeah could be. The key to spotting a potential supertall is the neighborhood, and the properties of a assemblage. Many of the supertalls we are seeing are due to assemblages. As land becomes evermore scarce, developers will just snap up these low rise buildings with incredible development rights. This site has long yearned for something good, and I think SHop will deliver.

From a skyline perspective, its in a good location. Nothing to really set the balance off the rest of the area. Its a good thing in its this location because we need more supertalls south of Houston. Midtown is getting all the action and it needs to share some of it.

Lets not also forget that assemblage near Times Square. Should yield a solid 1100 footer, maybe more with a spire.