A new era is about to dawn for a SoHo building. On Tuesday, amid testimony from an Academy Award winner, the Landmarks Preservation Commission approved changes that will assist the office conversion of the parking garage at 165 Mercer Street. That’s on the west side of the street between Prince and West Houston streets.
Back in October of 2014, developers of the planned six-story, multi-use commercial building at 19 East Houston Street, in SoHo, met with city and community officials and agreed to limit the project’s retail space to under 10,000 square feet, as well as widen the sidewalk. That was after the City Planning Commission already approved the proposal with more retail in August of 2014. Last week, Madison Capital and Vornado Realty Trust closed on the purchase of the triangular, 6,174-square-foot development site for $25.8 million from the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), the Wall Street Journal reports. The latest building permits indicate a 98-foot-tall, 41,267-square-foot building is planned. The commercial space will be broken up between 11,500 square feet of retail space on the cellar through second levels, and 22,751 square feet of boutique office space on the third through sixth floors.
Michael Kirchmann’s GDS Development is working to convert two SoHo buildings – five-story 25 Mercer Street and three-story 27 Mercer Street – into one condo project, dubbed 25 Mercer. Before residents move in, some of the spaces got a bit of an artistic touch.
In September of 2013, the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) approved the design for a six-story, 44,243-square-foot commercial-retail project at 529 Broadway, located on the corner of Spring Street in SoHo. The site, along with much of the neighborhood, is located within the SoHo-Cast Iron Historic District, which means projects are subject to LPC approval. Construction at the building, technically an expansion of an existing two-story structure, is now wrapping up, as seen in photos by Tectonic. The new structure has already received a majority of its curtain wall and work is likely now focused on the interior. When it opens later this year, the entire building will be leased as retail space. BKSK Architects designed the building, and Aurora Capital Associates, Wharton Properties, Thor Equities, and the Adjmi family are the developers.
It was back in December that YIMBY told you of Premiere Equities’ plans for a new commercial building at 134 Wooster Street, located between Houston and Price streets in the SoHo-Cast Iron Historic District. Those plans went before the Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday and were approved with very little fuss.
