All stories about "Construction Issues"

Braced For Change at 2 Renwick Street

Down where once-sleepy little Renwick Street meets the raging cross-town torrent of Canal there was once a confluence of stream and swamp known as Lispenard Meadows. A few dozen decades later, this is the hottest place in town to build new mega-plush mansions in the sky. Before the steel and concrete can rise, however, there's a lot of pre-construction work that needs to be done to shore up the mucky ground and make it stable enough to withstand the onslaught of cash and condos. Witness the bracing steel just north of Canal between Renwick and Hudson, where a mysterious something from the office of Kossar + Garry Architects will rise. Other nearby developments show similar supports. Some were pre-planned, but others are the result of construction calamities that have sometimes caused displacement and dollars to go down the drain. We'll be continuing our sagas of support, so, brace thyselves.
· Ridiculous Amenity Alert [Curbed]
· Ooops! They Did It Again. The Curse of SLCE? [Curbed]
· Renwick Street Gearing Up For More Construction Mess [Curbed]
· 74 Grand Update: Martial Law Declared in Soho [Curbed]

Ask Curbed: Burg Construction is Really, Really Loud

Living in a construction zone does lead to some questions here and there. This one comes from a spot in Williamsburg on which we've focused from time to time. According to the reader, the scene isn't pretty:

I live on Ainslie and Union in Brooklyn and the construction around my building is ever-present. Having called the city of NY on several occasions about after hours construction, in hopes of getting some relief from the constant drilling, hammering, digging, etc., I have become increasingly frustrated with the virtual impossibility of a resident having any sort of control over the quality of one's home life when this hyper-urban renewal is taking place. Making a complaint, being given a reference number and being told that the EPA and/or dept. of buildings will investigate the issue within 5-7 days is very disheartening. Do you have any advice or information about what can be done by residents who are tired of having their lives disrupted on a constant, seven days a week basis?

For the record, the worker in the photo was part of a crew pounding away at Ainslie and Union around 11AM on Sunday. Considered opinions, advice, commiserations, rants, etc., in the Comments section, please.
· Ask Curbed Archive [Curbed]

Aftermath of Williamsburg's Night of the Flying Wood

Manhattan may have had its night its Night of Broken Glass and new Trump attack, but some streets in Williamsburg looked like a stiff wind had blown through too. Herewith, some of the damage, for those with a taste for splintered wood and fallen fences, some of which were well on their way to self-destruction before the wind kicked up.
· CurbedWire Sunday Special: Superior Ink Shrapnel [Curbed]
· Trump Soho Not Finished Raining Debris on Our Heads [Curbed]

CurbedWire: van Berkel Gets Dusty, Dire Dwyer Appliances?

TRIBECA—We've previously featured the building planned on Franklin Place from Ben van Berkel, but this is a different topic. It's unclear what the dust coming out of those dumpsters is, but it's enough to make you want to hold your breath just watching it. The creator of the video writes, "On my way to work every day I walk past the Franklin Place alleyway where Ben van Berkel is purportedly building that 21-story beast. There's been a lot of demolition lately and this particular morning I had to hold my breath as I walked past these dust-emitting dumpsters...this probably isn't the best way for an architect to ingratiate himself with a
neighborhood." [CurbedWire Inbox]

HARLEM—Was it only last week we had an item about drama related to a lack of move-in dates at the Dwyer on 123rd Street and St. Nicholas Avenue? One almost wants to see photos of appliances and things being carried into the building at this point, but an email indicates possible activity: "It looked like PC Richards was delivering appliances to the Dwyer yesterday. I didn't look in the truck at the load, but it was parked out front on St. Nicks and the door to the building was propped open." [CurbedWire Inbox]

Edge's Kent Ave. Fence 'Has Gone Ghetto'

[Photo courtesy of INSIJS]

Given all the renderings we've been looking at today showing what life might be like if it was, well, a rendering, here's a taste of Kent Avenue from Burg blogger INSIJS. "Winter winds, regular douchings of road salt, and general Williamsburg grime have taken their toll," he writes. "The fence is caving in in several places, the scrims are tattered and dirty, signage is broken and dangling. The thing has become an eyesore." Then again, a redo would get rid of the social commentary that's accumulated here and there. Eh, by the time the sales office across the street opens in a few weeks, there will be a ton of renderings and models to draw everyone's attention.
· Edge Fence Has Gone Ghetto [INSIJS]
· Edge Sharpening for Sales Push, Pokes Above Fence [Curbed]

CurbedWire: Live in One Hanson's Clock, Shvo Dubai Rumor, Modern Strikes Again

FORT GREENE—Anyone that's ever wanted to live in the clock tower at One Hanson (aka the Williamsburgh Saving Bank building) has their chance: "One Hanson Place...is introducing its nine luxurious 'Clocktower Residences.' These exclusive tower floor units are situated just below One Hanson’s gilded dome and one of the world’s largest four-sided clocks. The three-and four-bedroom single level homes and two duplex penthouses, range in price from $2.750 million to $5.875 million. One of the duplexes boasts magnificent arched terraces formerly used as the building’s Observation Deck." And, it's $20 million less than Palazzo Chupi! [CurbedWire Inbox]

DUBAI—Finally, we turn our eyes to Dubai. A crazy rumor to reach about Michael Shvo says: "Shvo (already reported to be working on some upcoming projects in Dubai) may open a full-fledged office in Dubai that will be bigger than the NYC one." [CurbedWire Inbox]

MIDTOWN—A reader visits Extell's 212 E. 47 and says: "Just checked out some units in 212 East 47th. I was pretty surprised by how well they've re-done the inside of the units, they look just about as good as a new construction, but it's priced lower. Only downside here is the lack of a tax abatement, but comparable new constructions are more expensive. Also, they were a little vague in terms of when some of the unfinished units will be done and when the common amenities will be done, but all in all, pretty good pricing and very new looking." [CurbedWire Inbox]

WILLIAMSBURG—Didn't the Robert Scarano-designed Modern on N. 7 Street spend most of last year hobbled my a couple of different work orders and a (vehemently denied) story about drilling the L Train tunnel? Chalk up another Stop Work Order for the development, which just started work again a few week ago. This time the trouble is damaging an adjacent building and "causing water to enter" the building next door. [CurbedWire Inbox]

DOB Cracking Down on 'Outlaw Architects,' Etc.

The Department of buildings says there is going to be a crackdown "on outlaw architects" by making them apply for the right to self-certify their work and allowing a "weeding out" of those that have abused the system in the past. (Insert obligatory Robert Scarano wisecrack here.) The city says its own process allows "unscrupulous builders" to get away with oversized structures and dangerous plans. So, by the end of year, architects and engineers will need specific approval from the city to grade their own papers. Buildings Commission Patricia Lancaster told the Daily News that "We're trying to infuse integrity into the professional certification program and to demand higher standards." The department is also going to send out inspectors to "hunt for construction work" being done illegally before 7AM and after 6PM.
· Buidlings Department to crack down on outlaw architects [NYDN]
· Architects That Cheat on Grading Homework Get Spanked [Curbed]