Speaking of 51 Astor Place ... I missed this report on NY1 from last Friday. Jill Urban spoke to developer Edward J. Minskoff about the plans for the new office building.
To the quotes!
"All four sides are different,” says Minskoff. "Each side has its own character. Each side has its own aesthetic quality and is different. It's very, very cool looking."
And!
"This building technologically will be the most advanced building built in New York City since the Bank of America Headquarters on 42nd street," says Minskoff. "It has all of the bells and whistles that big companies need: communication, electrical load requirements, transportation, floor-to-ceiling heights. It has all of that built into the building — does not have to be added after the fact."
Previously on EV Grieve:
East Village — the new Midtown?
51 Astor Place demolition begins July 1; 17 months to build new black-glass tower
If this was Denver, I think we'd all be really, really excited.
ReplyDeleteThat corner hasn't been right since they took down the Bible House.
ReplyDeletehey edward, this building is really, really ugly and we F*CKING HATE IT. Ok? Did you get that? FUCK YOU for destroying our neighborhood with more horrific glass and steel, I hope you go broke.
ReplyDelete"Cool" is the new UGLY!!!!
ReplyDelete@Chris
ReplyDeleteHa!
this is extremely sad and ugly - pretentious and trendy. having 4 different sides is something a shoe or even a chicken wing can boast about - maybe a building that doesnt just represent "ignorant braggart"when one looks at would be a breakthrough. never walking in that direction again, thats for sure. sad sad day the day this became a reality.
ReplyDeleteThe angle of the rendering makes it impossible to figure out how tall this will be - which is, I'm sure, deliberate. Since these are greedy asshole developers, I'm sure we can assume it will be taller than surrounding buildings and will therefore probably destroy my view of the Williamsburg Bridge.
ReplyDeleteSo a double fuck you for turning Astor Place into a construction site for the next two years and for putting office space into what is primarily a residential and college neighbourhood.
Having said which, the current shitty 70s building which is there is note exactly a prize winner, so maybe we'll all be pleasantly surprised. Can I be the first to predict that the street level retail will be either a bank or a Duane Reade? (or maybe both)
Seems to me they couldn't decide on a design so they put in all 4. Design by committee.
ReplyDeletedon't forget this is city-owned land and the city could have had a say in the design etc. don't remember rose taking a stand on this antiarchitecture.
ReplyDeletethis is a true monument to bloomberg.
the stores and offices will pay exorbitant rents to cooper union and they will continue to grab land as they learned from nyu.
Obscenely ugly, and a complete misfit for the neighborhood. Wrong in every way.
ReplyDeleteThe only building I can think of in the EV built within the last 10 years that gracefully and elegantly embraces the neighborhood is at 222 E 6th Street. It's the Ukrainian Museum. I consider it a showpiece of architectural aesthetics and skill of successfully integrating a modern building into its surroundings. Of course, the builders know and cherish the neighborhood. The city, led by its megalomaniacal mayor has caved in to just about every demand made by developers and the Real Estate lobby.
ReplyDelete