Developers are thinking big in Brooklyn and Queens: In the past two months, most of the city’s largest new projects were proposed for those two boroughs.
According to an analysis of Department of Buildings data, the biggest projects proposed in October and November will primarily be located in the outer boroughs. Still, the top project was a possible expansion of New York University’s Greenwich Village campus, which will include a 588,000-square-foot building for classes, dorm rooms, an athletic center and a performing arts center. RAL Development [TRDataCustom] and partner Oliver’s Realty Group filed plans for two residential developments at Pier 6 in Dumbo, making it the second largest project proposed in the past two months.
Here are the top 10 biggest new developments proposed in October and November, according to permits filed by the city’s Department of Buildings:
Rendering of 181 Mercer Street in Greenwich Village (via New York YIMBY)
181 Mercer Street, Manhattan
New York University is planning an expansion of its Greenwich Village campus, beginning with a 23-story multipurpose building on Mercer Street. The 588,000-square-foot building is slated to house the university’s athletics center and a performing arts facility, as well as classrooms, dorms and common areas, according to documents filed with the Department of Buildings in October. The building is the first of a series of buildings the university is planning for Bleecker and Mercer streets. The expansion has been delayed for several years by a battle with local residents. Last year, the New York State Court of Appeals ruled the expansion could proceed, after a protracted legal battle over whether four open spaced strips along Mercer Street and LaGuardia Place were designated parkland. NYU has agreed to build one building at a time, so the community is not overwhelmed.
Rendering of the two towers at Pier 6 in Brooklyn Bridge Park (credit: ODA)
15 and 50 Bridge Park Drive, Brooklyn
Despite vehement community opposition, RAL Development and partner Oliver’s Realty Group last month filed plans for two residential developments at 15 and 50 Bridge Park Drive in Dumbo. At 15 Bridge Park, a 16-story building featuring 140 residential units and two floors of retail across 145,419 square feet. The building at 50 Bridge Park will reach 28 stories and have 126 units across 274,550 square feet. Community groups have protested the development many times. In May, the future of the project became uncertain after the Empire State Development Corporation briefly withdrew support for the project after learning RAL contributed $10,000 to Campaign for One New York the year prior.
525-545 Broadway in Williamsburg (inset: Matt Blesso)
555 Broadway, Brooklyn
Last month, Blesso Properties filed plans for a new, 280,200-square-foot mixed-use building at 555 Broadway. The building is slated to rise 27 stories, and will feature 226 residential units across 151,695 square feet of residential space, 126,410 square feet of commercial space and a 2,109-square-foot community facility. It’s a change of plan for the developer, who paid $33 million for the site at 525-546 Broadway last year. In October 2015, Blesso, which until now had worked primarily in Manhattan, filed plans to convert the former Lincoln Savings bank into a 36-unit mixed-use building.
110 Charlton Street, Manhattan
Last month, real estate investment firm Cape Advisors filed plans to build a 27-story, 228,606-square-foot building at 110 Charlton Street, between Greenwich and Hudson Streets in Hudson Square. The building will feature 290 units. Nick Zigomanis of AAI Architects is the architect of record. Average units will come in at 1,352 square feet, and the developers have confirmed they will be be condos, YIMBY reported.
In 2014, Cape Advisors paid $26 million for the site, following a major rezoning of the area.
1-37 Beach 116 Street, Queens (Credit: Karl Fischer Architect)
1-37 Beach 116th Street, Queens
The Marcel Group plans to build a nine-story residential building in Rockaway, Queens. Spanning 160,312 square feet — including 142,660 square feet of residential space and 17,652 square feet of commercial space — the building will feature 149 units. The property will feature both market-rate and affordable housing. The Marcel Group paid $5 million for the former Beach Club property last year, according to the Rockaway Times.
150 Van Cortland Avenue East, Bronx
Last month, the Stagg Group filed plans for a 163-unit apartment building in the Bronx. The project, designed by Marin Architects, is expected to span 134,034 square feet, 5,000 of which will be dedicated to a community center. The development firm purchased the property in March 2015 for $7.1 million.
Rendering of 38-01 Queens Boulevard (credit: SBLM Architects) (inset: Aaron Malinsky)
38-01 Queens Boulevard, Queens
Developers Curbcut Urban Partners and Platinum Realty Associates plan to build an eight-story commercial building on the border of Long Island City and Sunnyside. The building will span 129,879 square feet. The developers are targeting medical, nonprofit and community service tenants, the Wall Street Journal reported. SBLM Architects is the architect of record. Early reports of the partnership between the two developers described a slightly bigger project — nine stories and 146,000 square feet — but permit applications indicate that the developers scaled back the building.
36-20 Steinway Street in Long Island City (credit: RKF via New York YIMBY)
36-20 Steinway Street, Queens
A 289-key hotel will rise at 36-20 Steinway Street, which is part of a five-parcel development site along Northern Boulevard. JMH Development filed plans for the 119,722-square-foot building in October after scooping up the leasehold to the five commercial buildings for $19.6 million. Though the plans don’t explicitly call for retail space, RKF is marketing 18,000 square feet at the project. Gene Kaufman is the architect of record.
347 and 361 Flushing Avenue in Brooklyn
347 Flushing Avenue, Brooklyn
In October, Brooklyn-based developer Joseph Brunner filed plans for a new eight-story commercial building in East Williamsburg. The project will span 113,673 square feet and will replace two warehouses on the site. The new building will include several floors of retail and office space, a parking garage and four floors at the top will be reserved for a community facility.
133-49 37th Avenue, Queens
Landlord Tony Chen plans to build an 87,113-square-foot mixed-use building in Flushing. Chen filed plans in October for 32 apartments across 35,787 square feet, 36,000 square feet of commercial space and a 14,646-square-foot community facility.