EASING THE WAY FOR OFFICE CONVERSIONS
Crain’s has an analysis of the potential for office-to-residential conversions, noting that some prewar, smaller floorplate buildings are ripe for it. They note the action at 85 Broad and 25 Water (aka 4 New York Plaza). “The city’s Office Adaptive Reuse Task Force released recommendations for changes the city can make to ease as-of-right conversions: adopting more flexible regulations in office-­heavy districts, looking for opportunities to build housing in areas where it is banned and proposing a tax incentive to developers to encourage them to make the costly changes.”

MEETING HER RESCUER
The Trib has a moving story about one of the victims of the Halloween terrorist attack on the bike path, who was able to meet the 1st Precinct officer who came to her aid on that day in 2017. Marion Van Reeth was riding down the path with her husband and son, both of whom had fractured skulls, and nephew, who was unhurt, when they were struck. Her husband, The Trib said, is also seeking his rescuer so he can thank him in person.

LIVE/WORK DESIGNER STYLE
The Times has a story about designer Rafael Prieto and his home and office at 54 Franklin (that’s an old picture, from this post on the history of the building), with great photos of a dinner party at the loft. He “is not the sort to treat work and the rest of his life as two distinct realms. ‘It’s all, in a way, a pleasure,’ he says, adding, ‘they mix well.'” Prieto’s Savvy Studio, a branding and interior design agency he co-founded in 2011, designed Mast Books in the East Village and much of the Maidstone Hotel in East Hampton.

REIMAGINING A CLASSIC LOFT
Elle Decor has a slideshow and story of a Tribeca loft redesigned by Nicholas Obeid with some strategic spatial tweaks. “He relocated the dining area to the opposite end of the room, a move that freed up space for two separate sitting areas: a more formal one facing the fireplace and a comfortable family area with a television. ‘In a loft it’s imperative that you designate specific zones, so there are area rugs that clearly define the dining area and both sitting areas,’ explains Obeid.”