Activity is brisk across the boroughs, and a key accessibility ruling is handed down.

Hudson Yards News from New York YIMBY

Hudson Yards, the US$20-billion multitower development on the far west side by Oxford Properties Group and Related Cos., reached a major milestone in mid March with the formal unveiling of the seven-story Shops & Restaurants and Thomas Heatherwick’s interactive,

16-story public sculpture Vessel (ELEVATOR WORLD, November 2016). Anchored by a Neiman Marcus, the venue is the largest indoor mall in NYC and will feature more than 100 stores in almost 720,000 sq. ft. In March, approximately 85% of the space had been leased, and several of the restaurants had opened. Sitting next to 35 Hudson Yards, Vessel is handicapped-accessible, and entry is free, but tickets must be reserved on the Hudson Yards website, hudsonyardsnewyork.com/discover/vessel.

New details, including renderings showing interiors, have been released for 35 Hudson Yards, the tallest residential tower in Hudson Yards. Designed by David Childs and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill with interiors by Tony Ingrao, the structure will have 143 condominiums ranging from one to six bedrooms starting on the 53rd floor. In addition to panoramic views of Manhattan, the Hudson River and the Hudson Yards Public Square that includes the Vessel, residents will enjoy 22,000 sq. ft. of amenities. Sales for the multimillion-dollar residences launched in March.

Ruling: Elevators Must Be Part of MTA Station Renovations

A U.S. district judge ruled in March that elevators must be part of Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) subway station renovations to be in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, various news outlets, including Reuters, reported. The ruling was the result of a lawsuit disability-rights groups filed against the MTA over not including an elevator in the US$27- million renovation of the Middletown Road Station in the Bronx. The federal government later joined that lawsuit (EW, May 2018). A Bronx disability advocacy group said the ruling was a major victory for all New Yorkers who need elevators to access the subway, and a U.S. attorney said the ruling will apply to all fu^Ct^ouⁿr^tie^nued station renovations. Fewer than 25% of NYC subway stations have elevators, according to the nonprofit Disability Rights Advocates. MTA President Andy Byford has said accessibility is a top priority.

88-Story Viñoly-Designed Tower Taking Shape in FiDi

The rounded glass corners, reflective curtain wall on the eastern and western sides and outdoor mechanical section have become visible on the 88-story, 912-ft.-tall tower designed by Rafael Viñoly at 125 Greenwich Street (EW, October 2017) in the Financial District (FiDi), New York YIMBY reported. To contain 273 residences upon completion in 2020, 125 Greenwich is being developed by Bizzi & Partners and Vector Group. The source noted that, despite its height falling short of supertall status, the building still cuts a striking figure on the FiDi skyline and serves as a nice counterpoint to its taller neighbors in the World Trade Center complex.

Art Deco-Inspired Glory Revealed in NoMad

New renderings, a teaser website (rosehill.nyc) and a name have been revealed for Rockefeller Group’s 45-story, 639-ft.-tall condominium tower at 30 East 29th Street in NoMad (EW, April 2018), New York YIMBY reported. They reveal an Art Deco- inspired look with classic stepped setbacks for a property called Rose Hill, for the 130-acre estate that once occupied the site. Designed by CetraRuddy, the tower will house 123 residences and count among its neighbors new Virgin and Ritz-Carlton hotels and skyscrapers rising at 277 Fifth Avenue and 15 East 30th Street. Under construction now, it will be one of the tallest buildings in NoMad and is expected to be complete sometime next year.

Two Tall “Dancers” by OMA Are Next Part of Brooklyn Development

A pair of 400- and 300-ft.-tall towers containing 745 residential rental units, designed by OMA’s New York o–ce to resemble two dancers, has been revealed as the next phase of Greenpoint Landing in Brooklyn (EW, October 2018), dezeen was among news outlets to report. OMA partner Jason Long is leading the project, featuring the towers shaped like “a ziggurat and its inverse” overlooking Manhattan across the East River. The structures will be separated by a 60-ft.-wide gap and joined by a glazed box housing a pool. Additional amenities in what represents Greenpoint Landing Block D (and OMA’s first Brooklyn project) will include outdoor space atop the stepped areas of the taller tower. Greenpoint Landing is being developed by Brookfield Properties and Park Tower Group.

57-, 33-Story Glass Residential Buildings Planned in LIC

A pair of 57- and 33-story glass towers that would bring a total of 1,144 new residences to Long Island City (LIC) is being planned by developers Gotham and Riseboro Community Partnership, New York YIMBY reported. The taller tower would be the tallest building on the Queens waterfront and have 692 units, along with 9,000 sq. ft. of commercial space and 19,400 sq. ft. of communal facilities. The shorter tower would contain 452 units and approximately 6,000 sq. ft. of communal space. Designed by Handel Architects, the development sits at the intersection of 57th Avenue and 2nd Street in Hunters Point South. As of March, no completion date had been announced.

Move-in Commences at New LIC High Rise

Residents have begun moving into ALTA LIC, a 44-story tower that’s one of the tallest buildings in the Queens borough of NYC, New York YIMBY reported in March. ALTA LIC, located at 29-22 Northern Boulevard in the Long Island City (LIC) neighborhood, has 467 residential units within the tower designed by Stephen B. Jacobs Group and developed by Simon Baron Development and Quadrum Global.

When proposed in 2014, the tower was called the QE7 (EW, September 2015), in reference to a nearby transit junction, but the new name is an apparent desire to capitalize on LIC’s growing prestige as a high-rise residential district. Including exposed mechanical equipment on top, it rises 496 ft. and includes 11,372 sq. ft. of retail space.

LIC is becoming known for its soaring residential towers, which promise sweeping Manhattan panoramas. Nearby structures include the 1,871-unit Jackson Park complex, the 647-ft.-tall Tower 28 and the under-construction 29-23 Queens Plaza North, which promises to top out at 700 ft. Though not as tall, ALTA stands out thanks to its exposed location. The tower caps eastbound vistas from Queens Plaza, where it greets inbound commuters crossing the Queensboro Bridge. Amenities include lounges, co-working spaces, game rooms, a wellness center and pet services.