Seen & Heard: The Closing of Bit’z Kids

••• Bit’z Kids is making it official.

••• Tribeca’s Cornerstone is taking a short break.

••• And poor Thalassa has been closed with gas issues for a while now. Here’s hoping that gets worked out ASAP.

••• “Seven Seconds” was shooting in the Canal/Washington area yesterday. A TV show by that title on IMDB: “Tensions run high between African American citizens and Caucasian cops in Jersey City when a teenage African American boy is critically injured by a cop.”

••• “Curious to know what’s going on at the New York State Insurance Fund building located at 199 Church,” emailed S. “There have been dump trucks on the back entrance dumping stuff out of there since January 30 (every day) and a lot of the floors are empty. Are they closing down? Renovating? Creating apartments? Tearing down for new apartments?” I tried finding out what they’re up to, but the NYSIF contact didn’t respond. There’s nothing on the New York City Department of Buildings website, but that’s because—as I just learned—”property owned by New York State may, but is not required to, file construction permit applications with the NYC Department of Buildings,” according to the DOB. I’d guess it’s simply a thorough renovation—if there were any plans to change the purpose of the building, we’d have definitely heard about it. UPDATE: James found confirmation on the architect’s website.

 

4 Comments

  1. http://www.csagroup.com/project.php?msid=3&pid=154

    New York State Insurance Fund Headquarters Renovation & Workplace Improvements

    Client: New York State Insurance Fund (NYSIF)
    Location: New York, New York
    Cost: $55 Million

    […]

    CSA was contracted as the architect and engineers for the New York State Insurance Fund (NYSIF) renovation of their 350,000 SF, 18 story headquarters office building at 199 Church Street, in New York City.

    The renovation is driven by the implementation of New York Local Law 26/04; which requires the installation of sprinklers in high rise office buildings and code related modifications to fire safety systems be under a five year phased construction plan is with an expected completion by July of 2019.

    This requirement presented a unique opportunity for the renewal of the existing building originally designed in the 1950’s. Improvements to the facility incorporate NYS Governor’s Executive Order 88 (Sustainable Design), emerging technologies, programmatic needs, life safety matters, and the overall quality of the office environment as part of the new design.

    The building will undergo a complete transformation that will not only bring the facility into compliance with current codes and life safety standards, but also achieve programmatic reconfiguration of the existing building’s internal spaces.

    The project scope includes modifications to the ceiling for the introduction of sprinkler piping, hangers and supports; converting the existing fire standpipe into a combined standpipe/sprinkler riser; new lighting and remediation to the electrical systems; modifications to the air conditioning and ventilation systems; and selective demolition and new construction to achieve desired programmatic occupancy changes. New finishes and furniture will be incorporated into the design of each floor. CSA Group developed a Phasing Strategy utilizing limited available in-building swing space in order to meet the required construction schedule.

  2. Thalassa has not been open to the public for over 10 days now. I tried to go last Friday and they were open for a private party, not the public. So obvs the kitchen is working.

  3. They had trays of food being brought out for the party. So the kitchen was working.