PAU Reveals More Renderings for Domino Sugar Factory Redesign

For some time, the fate of the old Domino’s Sugar Factory was undetermined as idea after idea passed through the gate. Now, Two Trees Developers has brought on Practice for Architecture and Urbanism (PAU) to take charge on the project.

Rendering courtesy of Practice for Architecture and Urbanisn

The team has decided to honor the building’s original structure while still achieving their goal of turning it into an office building. However, the project has not been without its complications. The building’s window weren’t aligned properly and wouldn’t line up with the office floors and the building itself didn’t have traditional floors. That being the case, the team plans to basically hollow the entire building.

The new structure will have a building within a building that allows air and light to seemingly flow through the space. The design also includes a crystalline barrel-vaulted structure that will sit atop the current building, an open-air courtyard that will connect Kent Avenue and a soon-to-be-opened waterfront park, and shops and restaurant on the ground floor.

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AMAA is your source for structural inspections, mechanical inspections, civil inspections, and architectural inspections in New York and the entire metropolitan area. With over 50 years of experience, we are known for both our high standards and specialized services. We have supported the work of some of the largest and most prestigious developers, retailers and more. Call us today at 212.867.6720 or visit our website for more information.

How NYC Has Changed Since Hurricane Sandy and What Still Needs to Be Improved

Back in 2012, Hurricane Sandy rocked the better part of New York City, Long Island, and New Jersey. Thousands were left without homes and power due to the storm, and NYC alone was left with $19 billion worth of damaged. Now five years later, there have been many changes made to the city to protect against future storms, but many New Yorker’s feel as if there is a lot of work to still be done.

What Still Needs to Be Improved After Sandy:

The Slowness to Use Recovery Money

The New York Housing Authority was given $2.9 billion to repair over 30 public housing developments, but many residents feel that repairs are not being done fast enough. Five years later, some buildings still smell of mold and mildew and do not provide sufficient heat or hot water due to the continued use of temporary hot water boilers. On the bright side, a new $65 million roof repair project is underway on the Red Hook Houses in Brooklyn, which was one of the hardest areas hit.

The Location of New Infrastructure

One of the most affected areas of NYC after Sandy was the train system as a whole. Since then, the MTA has been implementing flood mitigation efforts in several downtown stations. However, building plans are still be developed in areas that could again end up underwater, costing the city billions of dollars in lost expenses.

New Building Codes

In an effort to prevent the same problems that occurred in buildings, new building codes are being put into effect that require buildings to have emergency lighting in hallways and stairwells as well as working faucets on lower floors so higher-floor-living residents can get water in the event of a power outage. A huge part of the code changes is the raising building above the 100-year floodplain.

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AMAA is your source for structural inspections, mechanical inspections, civil inspections, and architectural inspections in New York and the entire metropolitan area. With over 50 years of experience, we are known for both our high standards and specialized services. We have supported the work of some of the largest and most prestigious developers, retailers and more. Call us today at 212.867.6720 or visit our website for more information.

Tishman Speyer Is Building an Office Tower Over Macy’s in Brooklyn

Anyone who’s been to Brooklyn knows that the borough has a feeling unique to that of its other four counterparts. To add a little modernism to the area, Tishman Speyer has teamed up with HNA Group to work on a new project in downtown Brooklyn called, “The Wheeler.”

PC: Tishman Speyer

The Design

The project will add 10 floors of office space above the four floors of Macy’s retail space, as well as create a new building core to replace the odd one. The new core will tie together the three buildings that make up the space and feature open floor plans with a lot of glass to allow natural lighting. The building will also offer an acre of useable outdoor space, including 11 terraces and a roof with grass and seating for all tenants to use. The first four floors of office space will offer 90,000 square-foot floor plates and 16-foot ceilings, while the remaining six foot with offer 34-60,000 square-foot plates.

The Cost

The developer won’t disclose the exact cost of the project, but it is know that they took out a $194 million construction loan and paid Macy’s $170 million for the top six floors. They will also give Macy’s another $100 million to renovate the retail space.

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AMAA is your source for structural inspections, mechanical inspections, civil inspections, and architectural inspections in New York and the entire metropolitan area. With over 50 years of experience, we are known for both our high standards and specialized services. We have supported the work of some of the largest and most prestigious developers, retailers and more. Call us today at 212.867.6720 or visit our website for more information.

Plans To Transform Fonthill Castle in Riverdale Revealed

As a child, wasn’t it a dream of yours to live or, at least, hang out in a castle and pretend you were a princess or prince? Well some students over the past century or so have been able to do just that! Fonthill Castle has stood in the Bronx since the 1800s, but it’s now being redesigned by TRA Studios.

PC: TRA Studios

Back in 1852, the castle was built for Shakespearean actor,  Edwin Forrest, who then sold the lot it sat on to the Sisters of Charity of New York. The Sisters relocated their school, the Academy of Mount Saint Verno, to the Bronx when the construction of Central Park forced them to leave Manhattan.

The castle, which has been part of the College of Mount Saint Vernon’s campus since, will be reconstructed to allow the space to be used for exhibitions and events. The ultimate goal of the redesign is to assert the castle as a main hub for students and visitors to socialize and connect. The plan is to have the project completed within the next year.

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AMAA is your source for structural inspections, mechanical inspections, civil inspections, and architectural inspections in New York and the entire metropolitan area. With over 50 years of experience, we are known for both our high standards and specialized services. We have supported the work of some of the largest and most prestigious developers, retailers and more. Call us today at 212.867.6720 or visit our website for more information.

First Look at Circa Central Park’s Refined Amenity Spaces

If there’s one spot basically anyone would want to live in, it’s any apartment with a view of Central Park. There’s something about waking up in the morning and seeing a sea of green — or in the fall, oranges, golds, and reds — across the street from your window in Manhattan. Well, the last undeveloped corner that overlooks Central Park is now home to Circa Central Park, a semicircular condo that boasts many fabulous amenities.

PC" FXFOWLE Architects

The building is designed by FXFOWLE Architects and features 38 apartments spread over 11 floors, starting at $1.3 million. The condo started welcoming residents in June of this year, and actually held a lottery for it’s 10 affordable units, but that closed in July.

While the apartments themselves feature oak floors, Sub-Zero refrigerators, and high-end bathroom fixtures, the impressive condos are also not short on amenities, offering:

• A fitness center
• A 3,000 square-foot landscaped courtyard
• A child’s playroom
• A study room for children with MacBooks
• A shared rooftop terrace
• Kids’ scooters
• Remote controlled boats to use in Central Park
• Picnic baskets you can take on trips to the park

If you’re interested in living in Circa Central, there are still listings available for purchase. For more NYC building news, follow AMAA on Facebook and Twitter!

AMAA is your source for structural inspections, mechanical inspections, civil inspections, and architectural inspections in New York and the entire metropolitan area. With over 50 years of experience, we are known for both our high standards and specialized services. We have supported the work of some of the largest and most prestigious developers, retailers and more. Call us today at 212.867.6720 or visit our website for more information.