Alan Margolin & Associates Special Inspection

Friday, July 14, 2017

First 100% Affordable Housing Building Comes to Pacific Park

When we hear about affordable housing in New York City, we often hear about buildings with a select number of units available for lower renting prices, while the rest of the building’s units remain available at regular price. Well, that’s no longer the only case! Brooklyn’s Pacific Park development is now home to the first 100% affordable housing apartment building.

What building is it?

535 Carlton Ave is the first 100% affordable housing building in New York City. All 18 floors of the building share the same modern, visually-appealing aesthetic that the other buildings in the development will have. The building also offers amenities such as a communal terrace, gym, and bike room.

What will the rooms cost?

The buildings has a mix of studios and one, two, and three-bedroom apartments, which will range in price from $578 for a studio to $3,716 for a three-bedroom. The income requirements for these affordable units are between $20,100 for one person and $173,415 for a six-person family. Half of the 298 units will be reserved for the highest income applicants — those who make $74,606 for an individual and those who make $173,415 as a family of six.

Will the rest of Pacific Park have affordable housing?

The entire development is slated to have 2,250 units of affordable housing. Currently there are 479 affordable units, with another 303 to be made available this summer.

For more updates on NYC Affordable Housing, follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

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Friday, July 7, 2017

New Architecture Trends Keep Bird Safety in Mind

A few years back , the Javits Center underwent a $463 million renovation to make the building more energy efficient. Within that task, the architects and engineers were also able to tackle the big issue that came along with the structure’s reflective glass appearance: it has become the deadliest spot for birds in Manhattan.

The Birds Don’t Perceive Reflective Glass as We Do

When flying birds encounter reflective glass, they see the mirrored images in the glass rather than the structure itself. They assume there is a clear flying path in front of them and then crash into the glass while attempting to fly through it.

Fact: Between 365 and 988 million birds die in the U.S. each year because they crash into buildings.

A Change in Materials Makes All the Difference

Rather than using reflective glass, architects and designers can switch to using fritted glass. The design of fritted glass isn’t visible to humans until they’re very close to it, but it is visible to birds from farther differences, so they can notice it and avoid that flightpath. Buildings can also use low-glare lighting to avoid attracting birds during migration season.

Several Buildings are Already Taking Action

The Javits Center: The renovations included fritted glass.

Fact: Almost no birds have died in that area now.

The University of Minnesota’s Bell Museum of History and Planetarium: They added fritted glass as well as bird-friendly landscaping to encourage birds to stick around, not just fly by.

For more updates on Manhattan architecture follow us follow AMAA on Facebook and Twitter!

Thursday, July 6, 2017

One Hudson Yards Renderings Revealed

Last fall, Related Companies launched the sale of its condos for 15 Hudson Yards. Now, less than a year later, they’ll be debuting their second residential building. Hudson Yards is considered to be one of the dynamic and exciting neighborhoods in Manhattan, so if you’re willing to pay for one of these luxury condos, you can call One Hudson Yards "home."

The Apartment Setting & Style

One Hudson Yard, designed by David Brody Bond, with interiors done by Andre Kikoski Architects, will be made of red stone and feature a glass facade that sits atop a podium adjacent to “The Shed” and Hudson Yards’ centerpiece “Vessel.”

The Apartments Themselves

The building will have 178 apartments throughout 33 stories. The condos will be range from one to three-bedrooms and include a single four-bedroom penthouse residence. The residencies, rumored to start at $5,095 for a one bedroom, will feature 10-foot ceilings, Miele appliances, and views of downtown Manhattan.

Building Amenities

If you land yourself in One Hudson Yards, you may never want to leave. Some of the amenities for this building include:

An 82-foot-long pool
An Equinox-curated fitness center
A bowling alley
A half-sized basketball court
A game lounge
An entertainment room
A rooftop terrace
A children’s playroom

For more updates on Manhattan construction projects, follow us follow AMAA on Facebook and Twitter!

Tuesday, June 27, 2017

Brooklyn's Paramount Theater to Be Restored This Fall

If you’ve ever seen a basketball game at LIU Brooklyn, you might’ve noticed that the facility’s ceiling isn’t one you’d normal find in a sports arena. That’s because that building used to function as a performance space. For all you architectural buffs out there, you’ll be happy to know that this space — the historic Paramount Theater — is going to be restored.

What is the Paramount Theater?

The Paramount Theater was a performance venue that opened in 1928 and closed in 1962, after hosting huge music names, such as Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald. Since closing, LIU Brooklyn has used the theater as a basketball facility.

Who is restoring the Paramount Theater?

LIU Brooklyn is partnering with Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment — the group who controls the Barclay Center — to restore the Paramount.

What are the plans for the Paramount Theater restoration?

The space will close for two years this fall while renovations are being done. The plans include putting in 1,500 new seats (the original theater held 3,000) and restoring many of the original details of the theater, including it’s stunning rococo ceiling and Wurlitzer organ.

What will the restored Paramount Theater be used for?

The campus hopes to host music, comedy, and boxing events in the restored theater and use the space as a venue for the new School of the Arts. LIU Brooklyn will also offer jobs and internships with the theater to students, especially those who major in management arts, performing arts, media arts, marketing, and operations.

For more updates on NYC construction projects, follow AMAA on Facebook and Twitter!

Tuesday, June 20, 2017

Film Studio Breaks Ground in the Bronx

If you head over to Soundview in the Bronx, you’ll probably notice construction happening in a lot off the Bruckner Expressway. That’s because, earlier this month, York Studios broke ground on a $100 million film studio. This project comes five years after they opened another studio in Maspeth, Queens.

What are the studio details?

The first phase of the film studio will build a 170,000 square-foot, $45 million facility that will have five sound stages — three 15,000 square-foot stages and two 18,000 square-foot stages. This is set to be complete and ready for use in October 2018. The following phase of construction will build large stages.

Why the Bronx?

York specifically wanted the studio to be located in the Bronx because of the borough’s proximity to Midtown, Queens, and Westchester. They believe that the area also offers great locations for offsite shoots due to its diverse architectural structures and culture.

What about jobs?

The studio is planning on bringing in over $100 million in tax revenue and provide 400 industry-related jobs as well as hundreds of construction jobs.

How does this benefits the Bronx?

Besides creating jobs, this film studio makes use of previously dormant space and offers hundreds of jobs in the area. Borough president Rubén Díaz Jr. believes that this project will continue the positive changes being made in Bronx communities.

For more updates on NYC construction projects, follow AMAA on Facebook and Twitter!

Thursday, June 15, 2017

MoMA Completed First Phase of Renovations and Reveals Design Plans for Extensions

On June 1st, 2017, the Museum of Modern Art revealed its newly completed renovations of the east end of its campus while also revealing the full Diller Scofidio + Renfro and Gensler collaborative design plans for a new expansion project to take place over the next few years.

What’s new in the MoMA?

The renovations, which began in February 2016, used 15,000 square feet of space to create two large galleries on the third floor which offer more flexibility when it comes to designing exhibits. The designs also extended the MoMA’s historic Bauhaus staircase to the ground level, giving more access to the a new museum store and espresso bar that will allow visitors to view The Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Sculpture Gardens.

What will be the first exhibition to use the MoMa third floor?

An upcoming Frank Lloyd Wright at 150: Unpacking the Archive exhibition opened on the third floor on June 12th and is schedule to closed October 1st. It features over 450 of Wright’s architectural drawings, models, films, and more and even includes pieces never before seen publicly.

What will the new expansion include?

The new design plans show that the upcoming MoMA expansion will add over 100,000 sq. ft. of space to the museum, half of which will be gallery space, and 22,000 sq.ft. of public space. The designs allows the museum to change the circulation path in order to achieve its goals of increasing gallery space, provide visitors with a more welcoming experience, and better connect to the urban fabric of midtown Manhattan.

For more updates on Manhattan architectural news, follow AMAA on Facebook and Twitter!

Monday, June 12, 2017

City Planning Commission Approves Midtown East Rezoning

There are millions of people who work in office buildings in Manhattan, in all different industry in different parts of the city. While the main hubs for office buildings have really been in the Financial District and Hudson Yard, the City Planning Commission has approved plans to rezone 78 blocks of Midtown East to allow for the creation of 6.5 million square feet of office space over the next 20 years. As of now, the rezoned area would run north to south between East 39th and East 57th and east to west between Third Avenue and and Fifth Avenue.

Why a rezoning?

The city wants Manhattan to stay competitive as a business hub. Many of the current office buildings are over 75 years old, and officials are worried they won’t appeal to tenants, since the features tenants require are only able to be provided in new buildings. The revenue will also allow for the upkeep of landmarked buildings.

How does the NYC rezoning affect landmarked buildings?

The rezoning would allow landmarked buildings to sell their unused air rights if developers make and pay for transit improvements. The proposal would allow developers to use the air rights within a specified section of Midtown, not just in the area next to the landmarked building. However, the city would 20-40% of the sale proceeds.

Is everyone involved on-board for the rezoning?

Not exactly. The city and developers are a bit at odds over the idea for a few reasons. First off, landmarked buildings, such as St. Patrick’s Cathedral, don’t love the fact that the city would take such a big chunk of its profits. Developers think that the proposed minimum price on the air rights will hinder buyers from purchasing the space, and the Cathedral also shares that sentiment, thinking a lack of funding will occur because of the minimums.

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