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Building Tour: 1 John Street

Construction is complete at 1 John Street, the residential building located at the northern fringes of Brooklyn Bridge Park in DUMBO. The project is jointly developed by Alloy Development and Monadnock Development.

The 42-unit, 12 story condominium offers two, three and four bedroom apartments designed by Alloy Development, founded by architect Jared Della Valle. For the design of the exterior facade, large windows set into brick follow a gradient in size, such that the ratio of solid to glass increases towards the top of the building. Windows are motorized to allow for the entire unit to open when needed.

Penthouse A

One of the last remaining units is Penthouse A, a 4-bedroom and 4-bathroom triplex unit with a private terrace on the third level. Inside the 3,000-square-foot unit, large open spaces accommodate living, dining, and kitchen areas that have visual connection to each other and the exterior. From large windows, residents have views of Brooklyn Bridge Park, the East River, and the Brooklyn and Manhattan skyline.

Kitchens feature double rough sawn oak islands and Gaggenau appliances.

The master bath features an Italian freestanding soaking tub with a wood feature wall and Dornbracht/Fantini fixtures.

A courtyard off of the kitchen leads to a rooftop terrace with a gas grill and outdoor fireplace.

Beyond the waterfront views, the building's amenities include a gym, bike storage, and landscaped roof deck with cabanas. On the first floor, the building houses an annex of the Brooklyn Children's Museum, currently located in the Crown Heights neighborhood.

Architects: Alloy Development; Developers: Alloy Development and Monadnock Development; Program: Residential, Retail, Cultural; Location: DUMBO, Brooklyn, NY; Completion: 2016.

 
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Construction Update: 121 East 22nd Street

North facade from East 23rd Street.

Construction is underway at 121 East 22nd Street, the two-tower residential development in the Flatiron District from Toll Brothers City Living and Gemdale Properties and Investment. OMA's New York office, led by partner Shohei Shigematsu, is responsible for the design of the 18-story residential tower, the firm's first in the city.

North facade from East 23rd Street.

The larger tower will rise 18-stories at the corner of East 23rd Street and Lexington Avenue. Addressing the neighborhood's pre-war architectural context, the facade features a punched window design that transitions to a faceted northeast corner with glazing that frames views from multiple angles. The smaller tower is located mid-block on East 22nd Street and features a faceted facade similar to the larger tower's northeast corner.

Construction on the project is slated for some time in 2018.

East facade from Lexington Avenue.

East facade from Lexington Avenue.

Intersection of Lexington Avenue and East 22nd Street.

South facade from East 22nd Street.

Looking up at the south facade from East 22nd Street.

South facade from East 22nd Street.

South facade detail.

Architects: OMA NY (Design Architect), SLCE Architects (Architect of Record); Developers: Toll Brothers City Living with Gemdale Properties and Investment; Program: Residential; Location: Flatiron District, New York, NY; Completion: 2018.

 
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1040 Dean Street

Looking south on Franklin Avenue.

Construction is wrapping up at 1036 Dean Street, the 8-story residential rental building in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn. Developed by Yoel Goldman’s Brooklyn GC with design by ODA, the building will offer 106 rental units ranging from studios to 2-bedrooms.

Northeast corner from Franklin Avenue.

The building's massing features ODA's customary boxy theme with terraces starting on the seventh floor as the envelope erodes at the corner and along both street fronts. Large, industrial style windows with metal slab and column covers clad the primary facades, evoking an industrial style common to recent Brooklyn developments.

Northeast corner from Franklin Avenue.

Franklin Avenue facade close-up.

Facade close-up.

Close-up of the northeast corner.

Looking west on Dean Street at the northeast corner.

Close-up of the Dean Street facade.

Intersection of Franklin Avenue and Bergen Street.

Architect: ODA; Developer: Yoel Goldman of Brooklyn GC; Program: Residential, Retail; Location: Crown Heights, Brooklyn, NY; Completion: 2017.

 
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242 West 53rd Street

Northeast corner from Broadway.

Concrete superstructure is rising at Algin Management's 62-story, 426-unit mixed-use tower in Midtown's Theater District. Designed by CetraRuddy, the 674-foot tower features an organic massing tied to the distribution and size of units. Rental units will start on the fourth floor, with the lower floors split among 16,514 square feet of retail space and amenities for the residents. 

Looking up at the northeast corner of the tower from West 53rd Street.

Looking up at the north facade of the tower from West 53rd Street.

Northwest corner of the tower from West 53rd Street.

Northwest corner of the tower's concrete superstructure.

Northwest corner of the tower from 8th Avenue.

Architect: CetraRuddy; Developer: Algin Management; Program: Residential, Retail; Location: Midtown, New York, NY; Completion: 2018.

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A/D/O

Southwest corner from Banker Street.

A creative hub from automaker BMW/MINI has opened in Greenpoint. Known as A/D/O, the office space for creatives is housed in a former warehouse in the Brooklyn neighborhood. nArchitects, a Brooklyn-based firm, has led the conversion of the 25,000-square-foot space.

The architects have sought to preserve the spirit of the former warehouse with strategic alterations on the exterior. A diagonal slice through the southwest corner creates a grand entry defined by a new diagonal structural element and new glazing. New doors and windows have also been inserted into the remaining original graffiti-covered brick walls. 

New main entry carved out of the existing structure at the southwest corner.

Periscope skylight.

South facade from Norman Avenue.

Southeast corner from Norman Avenue.

Architect: nArchitects; Client: BMW/MINI; Program: Office, Commercial, Retail; Location: Greenpoint, Brooklyn, NY; Completion: Fall 2016.

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Court Square

Looking east on 44th Drive at the northwest corner of the block.

Construction continues in Court Square at one of Queens' most active blocks for development. Bounded by Jackson Avenue to the north and Purves Street and 44th Drive to the east and west, this block in Long Island City currently has three towers under construction simultaneously.

Looking east along Jackson Avenue.

Watermark Court Square

Twining Properties' 27-story, 150,000 square foot rental tower sits mid block, facing 44th Drive. Known as Watermark Court Square, the Handel Architects' designed tower will offer 168 units in a mix of studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments. At the ground floor, the building will offer 2,500 square feet of retail space. Construction scaffolding has started to come down, revealing the brick, metal panel, and glass facade. Completion is set for later this year.

Northwest corner of the block with Watermark Court Square (right) and The Edison (far right).

Close-up of the west facade of Watermark Court Square.

The Edison

Directly adjacent to the Twining Properties' tower, Silvercup Studios is developing a 26-story, 120 unit condo tower at 27-21 44th Drive. GF55 Partners is designing and work on the brick and glass facade is wrapping up. Along with the 105,562 square feet of residential space, the ground floor will feature 6,780-square feet of commercial space.

Looking up at the west facade of Watermark Court Square (left) and The Edison (right).

West facade of Watermark Court Square (left) and The Edison (center), and .

Looking north from the intersection of 44th Drive and Thomson Avenue with The Hayden (left), Watermark Court Square (center), The Edison (right), and 44-28 Purves Street (far right).

44-28 Purves Street

The third project on the block, a 35-story rental tower at 44-28 Purves Street, sits at the south end, nearest to Thomson Avenue. Developed by Brause Realty and the Gotham Organization, the tower features a massing of layered vertical slabs that will increase the number of corner units from the typical rectangular extruded site footprint of many towers. The tower's east-west orientation will offer residents views towards Queens to the east and Lower Manhattan to the west. A mix of studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments will be offered from the tower's 270 units. Retail space and amenities will be located in a two story podium that spans the block. Work on the facade is nearly complete, with full completion slated for later this year.

The Edison (center) and 44-28 Purves Street (right) from Thomson Avenue.

Looking south on Jackson Avenue towards 44-28 Purves Street.

The Hayden

Located across Jackson Avenue, to the north of the block, Rockrose's 50-story tower is wrapping up construction as well. Designed by SLCE, the 509-foot-tall tower features a facade of window wall and light metal slab covers that emphasize the floor slabs. The tower will offer 974 apartments for rent, comprised of studio, one-, and two-bedrooms. Leasing is set to begin later this year.

Looking up at The Hayden (left), with Watermark Court Square (right) and The Edison (far right) in the background.

Southwest corner of The Hayden from Jackson Avenue.

Looking up at the Hayden.

Architects: Handel Architects (Watermark Court Square), GF55 Partners (The Edison) FXFOWLE (44-28 Purves Street), SLCE (The Hayden); Developers: Twining Properties (Watermark Court Square), Silvercup Studios (The Edison), Brause Realty and the Gotham Organization (44-28 Purves Street), Rockrose (The Hayden); Program: Residential, Retail; Location: Court Square, Long Island City, NY; Completion: 2017.

 
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The Kent - 200 E 95

Northwest corner from Third Avenue.

Construction is progressing at The Kent, Extell's 30-story residential condo tower in the Yorkville neighborhood on the Upper East Side. Beyer Blinder Belle is behind the design of the tower, with interior design of the 104 condo units by Champalimaud. Units range in size from two-to-five bedrooms.

North facade from East 95th Street.

The exterior of the tower will be clad in contextual mixture of brick, limestone, and metal with large windows throughout. Corner windows will provide panoramic views of the neighborhood. A residential entry off of 95th Street will feature limestone detailing with a metal and glass marquee. 

Looking up at the west facade from Third Avenue.

Southwest corner from Third Avenue.

Close-up of the brick and glass west facade.

Close-up of the brick and glass facade at the northwest corner.

Condo units feature 10 to 15 foot ceilings for ample daylight, custom millwork, and a choice of hardwood flooring in Ebonized or Brushed Oak. The opportunity to customize the unit extends to the kitchen finishes, with a choice between three color palettes. 

Penthouse views feature panoramic views of the Manhattan skyline and the East River waterfront.

View to the south.

View to the southwest.

View to the west.

View to the northwest.

View to the east.

View to the southeast.

Residential amenities will include a double height lobby, drawing room, indoor pool and sauna, a fitness center, indoor/outdoor children's play area, garden salon, and a "sound lounge" designed by Lenny Kravitz.

Looking up at the northwest corner of the tower.

Architect: Beyer Blinder Belle; Interiors: Champalimaud; Landscape: West 8; Developer: Extell Development Company; Program: Residential; Location: Yorkville, New York, NY; Completion: 2017.

 
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111 Murray Street

Northwest corner.

Construction progress continues at 111 Murray Street, the 64-story residential tower from developers Fisher Brothers, Witkoff, and New Valley. Designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox, the 792-foot-tall tower features a curved form that flares outward as it rises. The tower has surpassed the half way mark for height, as concrete superstructure reaches the 36th floor.

The exterior of the tower will be sheathed in a glass curtain wall, with curved glass panels at the northwest and southeast corners. Installation of the curtain wall has now reached the 15th floor.

Close-up of the northwest corner of the tower facade.

Looking up at the west facade.

Southwest corner.

Southwest corner.

Looking up at the south facade.

Looking up at the southeast corner. 

Close-up of the southeast corner of the tower facade.

Looking up at the east facade.

Southeast corner.

Architects: KPF (Design Architect), Goldstein Hill & West (Architects of Record); Interiors: MR Architecture + Decor and Rockwell Group; Landscape Architect: Edmund Hollander Landscape Architects; Developers: Fisher Brothers, Witkoff, and New Valley; Program: Residential; Location: Tribeca, New York, NY; Completion: 2018.

 
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Journal Squared

South façade.

Construction is wrapping up at the phase one tower for KRE Group and National Real Estate Advisors' Journal Squared mixed-use development. Phase one includes a residential tower from Hollwich Kushner (HWKN) and Handel Architects which will offer 538 residential rental units ranging from studios to three-bedroom apartments. Journal Squared's complete master plan calls for 2.3 million square feet spread amongst three towers for its site adjacent to the Journal Square Transportation Center in Jersey City's historic Journal Square neighborhood.

West façade from Pavonia Avenue.

Rising 53 stories and 563 feet when completed, the phase one tower includes the first of the master plan's 1,838 residential rental units and a portion of the 36,000 square feet of retail space. The tower's massing steps back as it rises and is clad with a grid of white metal panels and punched windows. To break down the repetitive envelope, thin metal panels in various shades of blue flag the windows on alternating sides while several large vertical strips of glazing rip through the tower, further breaking down the larger form.  

Façade detail.

East façade from Summit Avenue.

North facade.

North façade detail.

Looking up at the north facade.

Residential entrance on Pavonia Avenue.

Passageway through tower one to Pavonia Avenue.

Residential lobby under construction.

A Sky Lounge on the 53rd floor will offer residents a communal dining table, projector screen, and seating areas surrounded by panoramic views of Manhattan and Jersey City.

Future home of the sky lounge on the 53rd floor.

Skyline view to the east from the Sky Lounge.

View to the south from the Sky Lounge.

View to the west from the Sky Lounge.

On the eighth floor, residents will have access to 10,235 square feet of amenities including a gym, yoga room, kids room, library, screening room, WiFi lounge, sundeck, and outdoor pool.

Sundeck.

Outdoor pool at the sundeck.

Skyline view from the sundeck.

View of the Statue of Liberty from the sundeck.

Looking up at the east facade of the tower from the sundeck.

Southeast corner of the tower.

Architects: Hollwich Kushner (HWKN) and Handel Architects; Developers: KRE (Kushner Real Estate Group) and National Real Estate Advisors, a division of NEBF; Structural Engineer: WSP; Mechanical Engineer: Barone Engineering Associates; Building Envelope Consultant: Israel Berger & Associates; Landscape Architect: Melillo + Bauer Associates, Inc.; Identity: Bruce Mau Design; Program: Residential, Retail, and Parking; Location: Jersey City, New Jersey; Completion: Early 2017 (Phase One).

 
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Construction Update: Institute for Contemporary Arts at VCU

Southeast corner from West Broad Street.

Steven Holl Architects' latest museum is taking shape in Richmond, Virginia on the campus of Virginia Commonwealth University. The future home of the Institute for Contemporary Art's Markel Center has topped out and looks to be on track for its Fall 2017 opening. 

Rendering. Courtesy of Steven Holl Architects.

The centerpiece of the design is the 33 foot high forum located at the intersection of West Broad Street and North Belvidere Street. Off of this main forum volume, visitors can access the 240-seat auditorium, sculpture garden, and the four contemporary art galleries that fork into multiple volumes along West Broad Street.

Diagrid steel torqueing structure of the forum.

Southeast corner from West Broad Street.

East facade from West Broad Street.

Northeast corner from West Broad Street.

Installation is underway on the exterior cladding, which includes glass and zinc panels. Zinc has been selected as the primary cladding material for its environmental friendliness as a 100% recyclable material and its flexibility in cladding the curved shapes of the museum.

Other sustainable features of the design include the use of 7,500-square-feet of green roofs on three of the four galleries and the use of geothermal wells for the central heating/cooling system. The wells are drilled down to approximately 460 feet and use the earth as a heat source in the winter and a heat sink in the summer for the building's climate control system.

Facade installation.

North facade close-up.

View from West Grace Street, with an existing gas station in the foreground and the west facade rising in the background.

Southwest corner from North Belvidere Street.

South facade from North Belvidere Street.

South facade close-up.

South facade close-up.

South facade from North Belvidere Street.

Architect: Steven Holl Architects with BCWH Architects; Structural Engineer: Robert Silman Associate; Mechanical Engineers: Arup, OLDS; Landscape: Michael Boucher Landscape Architect; Client: Virginia Commonwealth University; Program: Museum; Location: Richmond, VA; Completion: Fall 2017.

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