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History of Tribeca Buildings
New nine-story residential building coming to Reade and Church
Last month M. sent a note about the stretch of storefronts on the northwest corner of Reade and Church: “Something happening here? Everything but Nish Nush appears to be cleared out.”
I checked the Department of Buildings permits then and nothing. And on Friday, J. and R. spotted a Yimby story that a new building is coming to that address, which turns out is 88-90 Reade (aka 176 Church) — a 50 x 60-foot plot. The two-story building, built in 1953, is in the Tribeca South Historic District, but clearly was not a player in the designation (see below). A mortgage was last taken on the site in 2011 for $3.5 million.
Permits with the DOB say the building will be nine stories, 92 feet, with a total of 18,000 square feet. The excavation will not go deeper than 12 feet, according to the permits.
It goes without saying that this neighborhood better find a good spot for Nish Nush!
There is a piece of history here: From 1773 to 1802, the lot (which extended about 30 feet further east prior to the construction of the IND subway line in 1928-30) was set aside by Trinity Church as a burial grounds for its African-American parishioners.
From the historic designation report:
The building was designed by M.E. Ungarleider and constructed in 1952-53 for Reade Street Associates Inc. Faced in glazed orange brick, the second story has large bays of windows with multipane sash. The first-story storefronts are replacements. The present building replaced two five-story store and loft buildings constructed in 1860-61 for the firm of Harral, Risley & Kitchen, druggists.
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I’m wondering who they got the air rights from. Last they tried there weren’t enough neighboring buildings willing to sell.
I would not think they need to buy air rights for nine stories, but I will let James answer…
Really hope that Nish Nush finds another retail spot nearby (and/or anchors retail for the new development), but this is otherwise a fantastic bit of local real estate development news.
So great to see a prime, corner low-density site transformed into additional housing for the neighborhood!
There’s an alley between Duane and Reade that many apartments face and is their primary source of light. This will affect some current long time residences negatively cutting off all air and light to the alley.
Let’s face it, the additional housing will all be apartments starting at $2m and the building will probably sit empty after foreign investors buy them all.
There’s an alley between Reade and Duane? Where?
It is not an alleyway. It is a contiguous empty space above the one-story extension roofs of the buildings fronting onto Duane and Reade Streets.
https://i.imgur.com/zGR2vd3.jpeg
Would love to hear what James has to say about this?
No air rights would be needed (or would have been needed when they filed to build–but never followed through to get approval of–an as-of-right building in 2009).
This is a C6-2A district and a plot area of 3,030 SF. At a 6 FAR, 18,000 buildable SF is as-of-right.
The 2009 plans showed a 1-story portion at the north side of the plot running the entire east-west width and 10 ft north-south. I assume this will not only provide for legal residential windows at the north facade but also have the side benefit of allowing light to travel west into the rear yards of the buildings to the west.
James, I appreciate your insightful comments. On air rights maps it shows there is significant development potential (high FAR) for lots like PS234, BMCC, and even Washington Market Park. How would this work in practice? Would schools or parks ever build up using this space or would it simply be sold to nearby buildings?
James will have a better and broader answer, but I have personally confirmed that Washington Market Park is mapped as Parks Department land and therefore very hard to alienate.
The greatest concern here should be the sale of BMCC’s air rights and / or property to a developer who would love to build view-protected high rises facing the Hudson River. In-person enrollment is way down and online teaching is growing. This could be a huge source of funding for the institution.
2009 plot diagram here: https://a810-bisweb.nyc.gov/bisweb/BSCANJobDocumentContentServlet?passjobnumber=120084808&scancode=SC090319014&rObjectId=null&appType=null
I hope Nish Nush survives and finds a new space in the neighborhood. We need good hummus in Tribeca!
How can they construct a nine story building in a landmark district of 75’ buildings?
Because that is how it is zoned . . .
Unrelated question…Is it actually true that a landmark building must get approvals (color approval) before it can even repaint the doors or window frames? Just wondering. Thanks.
From the NYC LPC Permit Guidebook:
LPC requires permits for most types of work involving repair, restoration, replacement, and recreation of historic materials.
A permit is not required for:
• Routine maintenance such as minor repairs to wood trim, polishing metalwork, or refastening loose elements.
• Repainting a facade or an architectural feature the existing color, provided it was painted the color prior to historic district designation or was approved by the Commission.
• Replacing flat roofs.
• Minor probes or other investigative work.
Does the fact that they have filed with DoB mean that they have received approval from LPC?
No. They can file for zoning approval, for example, and the lack of LPC approval becomes a plan examiner’s objection to be resolved.
Further, their application lists no LPC Docket number. The LPC database apparently contains no related permit.
That’s great. These buildings are disgusting for this day and age.