Thursday, April 18, 2024

PARTIAL brick reveal at 1 St. Mark's Place

Yesterday marked a partial reveal day on the NW corner of Third Avenue and St. Mark's Place... where workers peeled off away some of the all-weather wrap on the 9-story office building...
Noted EVG reader Jacob Ford, who shared these pics: "It was a surprise (to me at least) the brick is slate instead of red."
True! The rendering shows a different color for the building with 50,000-plus square feet of office space and some 8,000 square feet for retail.
The rendering lists a July 2024 completion date.

24 comments:

NOTORIOUS said...

I have less a problem with the dark facade than I do with the size of this thing. I never thought I'd pine for the days when I could see that blue glass tower at Astor Place from my window, but I do. Along with most of the sky in that area. With the forthcoming redevelopment of the huge parking garage on 9th Street, we'll see very little sky over here. This whole area is on its way to becoming very suffocating.

noble neolani said...

Architects, please please get over the dark grey syndrome you all are in. Like anyone but you all want to see more Darth Vadar buildings on their block. The bait and switch is unforgivable and this is not the uglies building below 14th street.

Anonymous said...

I just walked past this yesterday. I am going against popular opinions. I actually like this. Don't know why, but it is sleek and unique. I am sure others will come after me with disdain.

Anonymous said...

I agree this is one of the “nicer” looking new constructions downtown and anyone expecting to see a lot of sky in New York City is living a fiction of the past. Downtown was beautiful and full of sky 100 years ago but time marches on especially in NYC. This is a metropolis, not a farm. Beautiful architecture can keep the city vital and scenic, step up architects!

Anonymous said...

Yes to 10:14 am.

NYC is indeed not a farm, but a thriving metropolis that is constantly evolving and changing, whether some like it or not. I studied design and NYC architecture at The New School. As students, we were required to study the topography of lower Manhattan from the 18th century to present, and how great cities are transformed and redefined through technology, modernity, and advancement. I was stunned how barren this part of the city was and what it has become now withIn two centuries. Sure, there are parts here and there that are unattractive and unappealing with its ubiquitous urban landscape. But the aesthetic of this building is different from so many in this area. This property represents change within the community. Let's at least try to embrace it.

Anonymous said...

No. If you studied design and architecture @11:14 you may also know about good urban planning, site lines and aesthetics that go beyond suburban industrial park. Sad that this building is considered better than most. Blue sky, great site lines, consideration for neighbors and the existing neighborhood and even a modicum of innovative architecture is what a great city deserves, not predatory real estate developer blandness.

Anonymous said...

Guess your point if view comes from the need to build to create revenues for your architecture work. Wish there wells zoning in this area limiting height of buildings. The character of St. Mark's and Astor place gets whistled away by each development.

Carol from East 5th Street said...

Sorry I can't embrace the out-of-scale architecture that is slowly killing the historical street scape that made our neighborhood so "in" and coveted. Just call us the New Murray Hill.

Annie said...

I have never seen a building go up so fast in NYC. Typically, it is unusually drawn out.

Anonymous said...

unforgiveable? harsh.

XTC said...

@8:45- Architects don't design buildings for themselves. It's a rare commission that allows that. The original proposal had the red brick. Obviously the client wanted something different and went with gray brick which is a nice change from the boring, ubiquitous red stuff. People are beyond clueless if they still think architects "design" buildings that they wish to see realized. Doubt very much if the gray brick or large windows was done on the cheap. The two dormitories just to north are about as dreadful examples of urban architecture as it gets. We're not talking 18th century Paris, not talking Bernini, not talking Christopher Wren, but this is more than half decent as these things go.

noble neolani said...

WoW, one real estate troll after the other telling lifelong residents about out city. They seem to have forgotten "the city that never sleeps" B$

Anonymous said...

I think folks know this, but the "brick" on modern buildings is made up of panels that look like brick. There's no mortar, no actual bricks and no bricklayers were used in the construction of this building!

Anonymous said...

I typically enter St.mark’s from the west and when the building comes into site it’s actually jarring
Granted I’m still pissed The Continental and St.Mark’s pizza had to make way for this so I’m also biased

Anonymous said...

Beautiful and considerate design. All of the elemenrs have been beatifully addressed. More of this.

Seedyfilmz said...

Amen!!

Anonymous said...

Why would we or should we ever “embrace” design that is dull, formulaic, wholly without any distinctive character let alone one suited to its surroundings? Surely the new school encouraged a more enthusiastic sense of the meaning of good design.

Anonymous said...

This is a perfect example of rezoning taking the character and spirit of the hood. Its awful. The shape in that landscape is so out of place. 🤮

Anonymous said...

I also was expecting a terra-cotta red appearance based on rendering I saw over a year ago. Why they opted for this charcoal or slate color brick is perplexing.

Anonymous said...

All of you can opine and lament till the cows come home. It doesn't change a thing. This building will be completed by this summer. Find a way to deal with it.

Anonymous said...

Just one more architectural monstrosity ruining the character and flavor of the EV.

XTC said...

@7:03- You must be new here. Cut and paste cranky baby comments are the norm for this site. I guess bitching makes them feel a bit less impotent. Also change and fear of new shit is as old as the hills.

To me what's really surprising here is that they let the architect do his/her/their thing. The problem with a lot of city planning is how can you unFuck a neighborhood? You can't unless you raze multiple city blocks. A lot architectural gems in the EV but a lot of awfully shitty ones as well. The School dorms are the worst of the lot followed by the St Marks Hotel directly opposite this new building. The new structure here fits in very well for a number of aesthetic reasons. The west approach, from the Alamo, is the best view as the curved corner windows complement the arches of the old Cooper Union building. The oversized windows create a sense of lightness and the multi-colored brickwork is an excellent choice as is the added bullnose framing of the windows. That kind of extra detailing is pretty rare. This could have been a steel and glass box. It's not that. Of all the things it could have been this is about the best option available all things considered.

Dan said...

Monster trash

Anonymous said...

So absolutely horrific, coming up a close second to the rebuild at the corner of 2nd and 7th St.