PROJECTS AND OPPORTUNITIES
Demolition to begin at 75
Nassau St., makes way for
ODA designed tower
Rendering of the 40-story tower at 75 Nassau
St. (ODA New York)
More than two years after Lexin
Capital filed building applications
for a tower designed by ODA New
York, the city has finally issued
demolition permits to the devel-
oper, signaling that construction is
about to begin at the 75 Nassau St.

site. The 40-story residential develop-
ment was first announced in 2014.

It was originally planned to stand
800 ft. tall but building applications
submitted in March 2015 revealed a
height reduction. Updated render-
ings showed a shorter structure,
rising to 498 ft.

To date, Lexin Capital has not
made any announcement regarding
a scheduled date of completion.

However, New York Yimby stated,
“... with demolition only just begin-
ning, a three year estimate until
opening day would not be unrea-
sonable.” With an approximate total of
229,000 ft., the building will feature
39,203 sq. ft. of commercial space
on its first four floors, and 197 resi-
dences on the remaining levels. It is
expected to have both condo-
minium and rental units, each sized
under 1,000 sq. ft.

Amenities, likewise, remain
unannounced but ODA has con-
firmed the building will have ter-
races and a roofdeck garden. On its
website, the firm stated, “... the vol-
ume edges are fragmented through
an undulation of terraces. This iden-
tifies the building among the sur-
rounding two-dimensional
envelopes and provides exterior
space unaccustomed to the Finan-
cial District’s skyscrapers.”
“A rooftop tree garden character-
izes the building’s pinnacle, capped
like a natural version of the Wool-
worth peak,” ODA stated.

The tower sits directly across
from another residential develop-
ment by Lightstone Group. Con-
crete has already been poured for
the 130 William St. Tower.

Landmarks Commission
approves Domino Sugar’s
conversion into office
development Rendering of the office space’s interior
(Practice for Architecture and Urbanism)
Landmarks Preservation Com-
mission (LPC) has approved a pro-
posal by developer Two Trees to
convert the Domino Sugar factory’s
landmarked refinery building into an
office space.

The proposal is already the sec-
ond design submitted by the devel-
oper. After scrapping the first
architect’s design despite being ap-
proved by the commission, Two
Trees tapped architect Vishaan
Chakrabarti of Practice for Architec-
ture and Urbanism.

“The new plan is better for
everyone,” said Two Trees manager
for external affairs David Lombino.

“It honors and highlights the land-
mark; provides a flexible, modern,
and totally unique office experi-
ence; and welcomes the public to
enjoy this great piece of New York’s
history.” Chakrabarti’s design calls for a
glass-encased office development
with a barrel-vaulted roof sur-
rounded by the refinery’s original
outer walls, and set back from the
brick exterior. According to the de-
veloper, this will allow the free flow
of sunlight and air between the
building’s old and modern compo-
nents. Amenities will be added, includ-
ing a courtyard and ground-floor
space for restaurants and shops.

The previous architect, whom
the developer has not revealed, de-
signed a similar structure. It also in-
volved a glass-enclosed office
space within the refinery’s existing
brick exterior but it leaned against
the brick walls.

LPC approved the first design in
2014, but Two Trees decided not to
push through with the development
for fear that it would result into a
dark space that would be unattrac-
tive to tenants.

The refinery is located in the old
Domino Sugar Factory site that Two
Trees plans to transform into a
mega-development project, includ-
ing five buildings and a park by the
East River.

Mecanoo unveils plans for
NY Public Library’s $317M
renovation Dutch architecture firm Mecanoo
has finally unveiled the $317 million
master plan it developed in collabo-
ration with local practice Beyer
Blinder Belle to renovate the New
York Public Library’s main building
at Fifth Ave. and 42nd St.

During the library’s board of
trustees meeting on Nov. 15, visu-
New York Construction Report — WINTER 2018 – 15