TRIBECA—You gotta have swine to show you where the truffles are, and you gotta have an American flag to tell you when a building is topped off. The Jack Parker site, the great mystery of North Tribeca, is done rising. Writes a tipster: "This baby really grew fast! First photo here is looking west, with the topped-off flag flying free. Note that they connected the two separate structures with a series of bridges." Still no renderings of the future rental building, however. [CurbedWire Inbox]
FLATIRON—Starchitect Rem Koolhaas's eagerly awaited addition to One Madison Park, the huge glass condo tower rising on 22nd/23rd Street, has still not been revealed, but one tipster has more info: "I actually live on this block and was talking with someone who's working on this over the weekend. The building is basically going to step back every two floors from 22nd street towards 23rd. This means the roof of each second unit will be a terrace for the unit above. Prices are supposed to start @ 9 million for this beauty. Floorplans allegedly came out last week." [CurbedWire Inbox]
FLATIRON—A tipster emails about "odd stuff at the top of One Madison Park Condo" writing: "What is up with this odd looking bracing at the top? I have watched the erection of this behemoth for months and there has been an odd departure from the weekly poured floor routine. Topping out maybe? New safety deal? Weird. I think a Wendy's was sacrificed for this glass tower and we deserve to know." Excellent view of things, in any case. [CurbedWire Inbox]
MIDTOWN WEST—A tipster emails to update and ask about the site of the old Sony Music Studios on W. 54th Street, noting "serious construction looks to be on the agenda...major scaffolding is up @ 460 west 54th st." An application has been submitted for an eight story building with 96 units designed by FXFowle. In the meantime, demolition permits were issued for the old building on March 3. [CurbedWire Inbox]
Ah, we've seen the renderings of the views from inside One Madison Park through the glass exterior, so here is a view of our friend from the street. A special Curbed correspondent sends photos of the tower, which now is clad in glass on the lower floors. Be a while before the glass reaches the $33M triplex and the penthouse.
FLATIRON—Updating the earlier coverage of the exciting debut of the new public toilets in Madison Park, the tipster who submitted the photo above decided to help inaugurate one. No luck, however. He reports: "My office is near the park so I thought I'd try out the new facilities after reading about it this morning. Turns out it's still out of order with no word on when it will open. I asked one of the guys working on the john and he asked that I stop taking pictures and move along. Since I'm not sure of CEMUSA's employee vetting, I decided against further confronting him. Maybe he was just pissed at the bad press in the Post today? (See: Lower Manhattan paper kiosks.)" [CurbedWire Inbox]
FLATIRON—Speaking of Madison Park and environs, a tipster writes with more info about the building that will be joining One Madison Park: "I live and work on the same block as the pending spectacularness that is one madison park. and it is clear where the 22 floor sibling is going to go...directly to the east on 23rd street...3 of the 4 storefronts directly to the east of 1MP have been closed for about a year - and as of last week the Wendy's joined them - the whole building where Wendy's was is now closed-up. Infact, there has been scaffolding infront of these storefronts long before 1MP even had its foundation dug - but this seems like the most likely place for the upcoming One Point Five Madison Park." [CurbedWire Inbox]
WILLIAMSBURG—The Developers Group might want to be a bit more careful about their e-mail practices. A reader writes: "I’ve recently been receiving a lot of emails from the Developers Group. Today, I got the following message, from a Sr. VP. It appears that it should have gone to brokers, of which august group I am not a member. So they’re willing to split the broker fee, and pony up a $5,000 gift card. Hmmmmm, just in time for Christmas!" Wow, the Ikon is 50% sold? Interesting. [CurbedWire Inbox]
CHELSEAISH—The sites don't quite match up, but could this piece of intel be related to the Andre Balazs/Shigeru Ban project? "Numbers 320-324 West 14th Street are being bought up; tenants forced out--assumption was it was more luxury glass skyboxes on the way. Now a friend on CB2 says it's to be a boutique hotel. Any truth?" Who's got some scoop? [CurbedWire Inbox]
FLATIRON—In response to the new 22-story building suddenly being stapled to One Madison Park courtesy of Rem Koolhaas' OMA firm, a tipster writes: "The 2nd building was always on the drawing board." We would hope so! [CurbedWire Inbox]
Two mysteries surrounding One Madison Park—the new 60-story Flatiron condo building that surely will be a contender for Curbed's Development of the Year (winner gets a firm-yet-gentle pat on the behind)—have been answered in dramatic fashion. And by dramatic fashion, we mean a press release reposted on The Real Estate. The building's screening room, attached with a Hollywood powerhouse promise, will be a partnership with Creative Artists Agency. CAA gets a new private venue to screen flicks for press, and a built-in audience living directly above. Not bad! And on the topic of the Pritzker Prize-winning architect hired to design the 22nd Street entrance, the cat is out of the bag: Rem Koolhaas' OMA firm will draw up the plans. But this is where it gets confusing. OMA is said to be designing not just the entrance, but a new 22-story building with 21 apartments. Wh-wh-what? So the 60-story tower on 23rd Street will be joined with a separate 22-story building just behind it? Has this been known all along, or is this new news? One buyer at One Madison Park has already written in to say, and we're paraphrasing here, what the fuck?
· Pritzker-Winner Koolhaas Picked to Design One Madison Park Tower [TRE]
· One Madison Park Goes from Pricey to Really Pricey [Curbed]
· Look But Don't Touch at One Madison Park [Curbed]
The bones of One Madison Park are barely rising from the ground (and the butlers have yet to be hired), but are the units being flipped already? Writes a tipster:
Now that everything is sold (other than the last penthouse), the resales are starting. This time, it's a small 2 BR on one of the lowest floors (unit 11A). First time around (way back last summer) it went for $2.3M. This time, it's on the market for $3.2M.
This is true, but note that the listing broker is Wendy Maitland, who is marketing One Madison Park. So, maybe the unit didn't close and it's back on the market at a significant price increase—which wouldn't be surprising given the speed at which this building sold—or maybe it's indeed a quick little flip. Either way, buying it will probably get you closer to nabbing a Friday night table for four at the Charlie Trotter restaurant going in the lobby.
· Listing: 23 East 22nd Street 11-A [BHS]
· Look But Don't Touch at One Madison Park [Curbed]
From the Department of Scary Newspaper Stories: "We have to consider the possibility that the housing price downturn will eventually be as big as that of the last truly big decline, from 1925 to 1933, when prices fell by a total of 30 percent." Whoa now! This must have been what the Toll Brothers were talking about. But that Times economic analysis deals with the national market, where foreign cashola isn't pouring into every condo building with a corny name. And about those foreign buyers. The Post has a fun story today about the lengths at which our local brokers are going to market their properties overseas, everything from Wendy Maitland renting a suite at Claridge's in London for five days to sell One Madison Park to UK hedgefunders (so that's how it sold so quickly!), to Lisa Maysonet hitting Russian trade shows to unload the 30-unit Pearl Condominiums in Bensonhurst. Hey, it beats Siberia, right? Right?!
· Mondo Condos [NYP]
· A Time for Bold Thinking on Housing [NYT]
1)New York Times architecture critic Nicolai Ouroussoff finally got around to checking out the Hudson Yards plans, and woo boy, he is not happy. Ouroussoff drops the hammer on the whole process, writing that the proposals are "not just a disappointment for their lack of imagination, they are also a grim referendum on the state of large-scale planning in New York City." Wham! The Related bid is "disturbing," the Vornado/Durst bid is "slightly less disturbing." The "only one worth serious consideration" is Extell's proposal (right), which didn't fare so well in the people's vote. Interesting. ['In Plans for Railyards, a Mix of Towers and Parks'/Nicolai Ouroussoff]
2) The latest regarding One Madison Park and its increasingly notorious $45 million penthouse. A "European Pritzker Prize-winning architect" will be brought in to design just the 22nd Street entrance (because 23rd Street is yucky) and the penthouse will come with a private butler, paid for by the condominium, who will live in a one-bedroom unit on a lower floor. There is a debate going on about whether or not that is possible, however. You know Tim Robbins ain't gonna be pleased about paying for somebody else's manservant. [Big Deal/Josh Barbanel]
3) Joyce Cohen finally figured out who would buy in the Simone in Windsor Terrace, a building that immediately puts you one foot in the grave upon purchase: people whose only other option is the Bronx. Makes sense. [The Hunt/Joyce Cohen]
The full website for hot-shit new development One Madison Park (née Saya) has gone live, just in time to show off all the perks and amenities interested buyers won't be able to get a piece of. Reportedly, the 60-story tower shooting up on 23rd Street near the southeast corner of Madison Square Park is already 95% sold, and according to the website the only availabilities are two 3BR apartments (tease alert: a 4BR is listed as "contract out"). No mention of the still-available $45 million penthouse. So, while the opportunities may be extremely limited, at least we can look at the pretty renderings!
1) Some European big shot at the clothing company Esprit wanted to buy the old Plaza Hotel Astor Suite (right) so badly that he went into contract in December 2005, the first person to put pen to paper for the Plaza's condos. He finally closed last week on the $27 million apartment, and he even managed to get them to leave some of the original's gaudiness. [Big Deal/Josh Barbanel]
2) The $31 million triplex purchase at One Madison Park may not actually be a "downtown" record, because the buyer—British designer and developer Paul Davies—may break the space up into separate apartments. When the $45 million penthouse sells, however, there will be no argument. Also, the building is 95% sold. [Big Deal/Josh Barbanel]
3) The Gowanus Canal will always smell like shit, but eventually it will smell slightly less like shit than it does now, and far less like shit than it used to. So get those luxury condos up, boys! [The City/Alex Mindlin]
4) Some dude tried to file fake deeds with the city to steal the Soho Grand. How awesome is that? Too bad you can go to jail for it. [AP]
Now and forever, the trotting out of the One Madison Park/One Madison Avenue explainer graphic should be an indicator of fun times ahead. Indeed, the Post's Katherine Dykstra looks at Madison Square Park development today, and there's a bit on the whole blocked views/confusing names thing. Elad Properties is sticking to the "earliest concept phase" shpiel for the Libeskind tower, but everyone agrees that it will be on the Park Avenue side of the clocktower, and therefore will not block One Madison Park's future views. As for the names, an Elad exec claims never to have heard of One Madison Park(!), and a One Madison Park developer said, "The name fits because we look right up Madison Avenue. And everyone always refers to [One Madison] as the clock-tower building." Meow!
· Buyers Go Mad [NYP]
· LibeskindWatch: Tower Spoken Of in 'Elliptical References' [Curbed]
· Elad Has Deal for One Madison's Air Rights? [Curbed]
The potential Elad Properties/Daniel Libeskind 900-foot residential tower on Madison Square Park has become the most pressing matter of our time. The endless speculation has helped, and the One-Madison-Park-buyers-getting-screwed wildcard has certainly contributed to all the fuss. Now, the Post's Lois Weiss wades in with some solid intel. She reports that Elad has an agreement in place to use SL Green's air rights to build a 74-story tower on top of the 14-story annex building, just as was expected (take that, yesterday's CurbedWire!). Lev Leviev bought the landmark clocktower from SL Green in May, and Weiss points out that Elad's plan probably has him cursing into his kippah, given that Elad is a chief rival. Responding to all the hubbub, Elad issued a statement saying: "Any discussion of a potential development at 1 Madison Avenue is highly premature. It is in its earliest concept phase and no decisions have been made about any aspect of the potential development." Let's continue all that premature discussion in the comments, shall we?
· 1 Mad. Ave. a Tall Order [NYP]
· Hey, One Madison Buyers: About Those Views... [Curbed]
It seemed like nothing could derail the One Madison Parkjuggernaut, but that was before the Daniel Libeskind bomb threatened to go off in the neighborhood. Now, as prices at the modern glassy tower-to-be at 23 East 22nd Street climb above $2,000/sqft, there may be a little problem with those "unprecedented views" that are the focus of One Madison's marketing. After all, it's safe to assume that the developers didn't spend millions to buy up a small nation's worth of air rights just as a goof. The listings highlight the building's future view of the landmark clocktower (right), but if the Libeskind rumor comes true, and the largest residential building in Manhattan happens to get built where everyone seems to think it's going to get built, the old Saya can say sayonara to that view. Maybe.
EAST VILLAGE—Earlier this week, we noted that the not entirely beloved 26-story NYU dorm on East 12th Street was getting all bricked up. A reader dropped a pic in our inbox that shows it's been a busy week--glass is going in too. He titled the photo, "Glass going up on the NYU dorm on E 12th St at the façadomized St. Ann's Church." It's always a nice to be able to toss in the word façadomy from time to time. [CurbedWire Inbox]
MIDTOWN—One senses product placement in this, but since it pertains to the New York Times building, why not. An email reports: "Today on the corner of 41st and 8th The New York Times Building went condo, but only for a scene for a New movie starring Terrence Howard and Channing Tatum called "Fighting" directed by Dito Montiel...The production wrapped the New York Times Building with scaffolding, and hung a 30 foot banner that read "A Higher Level of Luxury The Benaim Condominiums." [CurbedWire Inbox]
GRAMERCY—Following up on our post earlier this week about One Madison Park, a tipster notes that the smallest unit in the building appears to be either $1.68 million or $2.15 million. He writes: "Not sure why the duplicate listing . . . but unit 21A (the smallest unit in the building, at 930 sf) was listed and shown to be in contract at $1.68M a while ago. The same unit is back on the Brown Harris site . . . but this time it's $2.15M. That's up almost $500K, and over $2300/sf." [CurbedWire Inbox]
CLINTON HILL—We conclude by noting an email that says that the Fulton on Clinton development is 60 per cent sold. Of course, there are only 11 units in the building, but whatever, it sounds like a nice number. [CurbedWire Inbox]
News of the eventual shuttering of Bobby Flay's Bolo reminded us to check up on the new condo tower that is the reason for the Bolo building's sale: One Madison Park. A Triple Mint update on the building also may have pushed us to get our asses in gear. The building-to-be used to be known as the Saya before a marketing switch to Brown Harris Stevens resulted in a classy rebranding. The renderings of the 60-story glass tower have been floating around the Wired New York thread on the building for a while (and apparently originated on a glass company's website), and while the construction is still in its infancy, the state of this development may—dare we say—shock you.
1) There's no need to continue the speculation on when the 740 Park Avenue duplex owned by Vera Wang's late parents will hit the market. It's not hitting the market, because the celebrity dressmaker is moving in herself. That's a slightly morbid way to wind up in one of the city's most famous co-ops. Her current six-bedroom spread in nearby 778 Park Avenue will soon be listed for around $35 million(!). [Braden Keil/Gimme Shelter]
2) The One Madison Park juggernaut continues. Now nearly two-thirds sold, the 72-unit building might now welcome Hollywood power couple Liev Schreiber and Naomi Watts into the fold. The pair may buy neighboring units and combine them, and in fact, Schreiber has reportedly already bid on one apartment. The average hotness rating of One Mad's future residents just shot up a few points. [WSJ]
3) Ranger great Brian Leetch is packing up the skates and heading out of the Bromley on the Upper West Side. The combined-unit apartment went for $3.718 million to a neighbor, in a deal featuring a bidding war and a broker who has pulled some shenanigans in the past. The building also houses current Ranger goalie Henrik Lundqvist. [Max Abelson/Manhattan Transfers]
4) Word on the street is that Alex Rodriguez has been checking out a $25 million estate in Greenwich, Conn. He currently lives in the Trump Park Avenue. Begin wild speculation about his future ... now. [NYP]
5) Remember on The O.C. how Marissa Cooper's dad Jimmy Cooper came back to town after his scandal and started sleeping with his ex-wife again after she already got married to Caleb Nichol? Why can't Tate Donovan's life be that exciting? Instead, he's just enjoying some family time in a summer rental on Fire Island. [S. Jhoanna Robledo/Movers]
When it comes to the much-anticipated One Madison Park (née the Saya), we're being jerked around more than a 16-year-old boy with a PornoTube addiction. After a promised June 1 unveiling, One Madison's website is still password protected, but the lack of marketing apparently hasn't slowed the sales drive. After just one month on the market, StreetEasy shows 38 listings in contract, an astounding fact verified by a glance at broker Wendy Maitland's listings page. We knew that the Brown Harris Stevens team of Maitland and Wilbur Gonzalez was a good one, but damn. The $2,100/sf average is impressive, but there's still a bit of work to be done: word is there's a $30+ million penthouse floating around. So when do we get to see this thing?
· One Madison Park at 23 East 22nd Street [StreetEasy]
· Sayonara Saya, Hello One Madison Park? [Curbed]
Remember the Saya? The Madison Square Park development so big and menacing that panic-stricken neighbors were sent fleeing as fast as they could pack their patio furniture? Maybe the building got off on the wrong foot, because it seems to have undergone a name change. A Curbed tipster sent along a few listings that have popped up on the pages of Brown Harris Stevens superbrokers Wendy Maitland and Wilbur Gonzalez. They are for what looks like the Saya—23 East 22nd Street—but the property is referred to as "One Madison Park," a fairly scandalous rebranding considering there already is a famous One Madison Avenue right on the park. Information is scant right now, but above you see the floorplan for Unit 52A, so it looks like the Saya/not Saya got its 60 stories in the end. The $9.5 million four-bedroom listing states "coming June 1, 2007," so we recommend checking back on the password-protected One Madison Park website in a few days. Developing!
· Listing: 23 East 22nd Street 52A condominium [BHS]
· The Saya Cometh, but Just How Big? [Curbed]
Comments
WILLIAMSBURG—The Developers Group might want to be a bit more careful about their e-mail practices. A reader writes: "I’ve recently been receiving a lot of emails from the Developers Group. Today, I got the following message, from a Sr. VP. It appears that it should have gone to brokers, of which august group I am not a member. So they’re willing to split the broker fee, and pony up a $5,000 gift card. Hmmmmm, just in time for Christmas!" Wow, the 
Two mysteries surrounding One Madison Park—the new 60-story Flatiron condo building that surely will be a contender for Curbed's Development of the Year (winner gets a firm-yet-gentle pat on the behind)—have been answered in dramatic fashion. And by dramatic fashion, we mean a press release reposted on 
The bones of One Madison Park are barely rising from the ground (and the 
1) New York Times architecture critic Nicolai Ouroussoff finally got around to checking out the Hudson Yards plans, and woo boy, he is not happy. Ouroussoff drops the hammer on the whole process, writing that the proposals are "not just a disappointment for their lack of imagination, they are also a grim referendum on the state of large-scale planning in New York City." Wham! The Related bid is "disturbing," the Vornado/Durst bid is "slightly less disturbing." The "only one worth serious consideration" is 
1) Some European big shot at the clothing company Esprit wanted to buy the old Plaza Hotel Astor Suite (right) so badly that he went into contract in December 2005, the first person to put pen to paper for the Plaza's condos. He finally closed last week on the $27 million apartment, and he even managed to get them to leave some of the original's gaudiness. [
Now and forever, the trotting out of the One Madison Park/One Madison Avenue explainer graphic should be an indicator of fun times ahead. Indeed, the 
It seemed like nothing could derail the One Madison Park 
GRAMERCY—Following up on our post earlier this week about 
When it comes to the much-anticipated One Madison Park (née the 
