Are Glass & Steel Skyscrapers Being Banned in New York City?

Headlines have been swirling around various media outlets stating that, per Mayor Bill de Blasio, glass and steel skyscrapers will be banned in New York City moving forward. The Mayor made comments on Monday morning’s edition of Morning Joe on MSNBC where he was quoted saying, “We are going to ban the classic glass and steel skyscrapers, which are incredibly inefficient.”

This message took on various other similar forms and was picked up by multiple media outlets including a cover on the New York Post here in the city. De Blasio spoke on various media outlets using a similar tone of strong language that implied a ban. He stated that these traditional skyscrapers are contributing to global warming. This prompted many to begin to think about a New York where there would be no new glass and steel skyscrapers.

Are Glass and Steel Skyscrapers Being Banned?

The short answer: No!

The comments from de Blasio were made with very few details or facts supporting them. The Director of the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability also chimed in to clarify that there is no prohibition on buildings made of glass in New York City.

It is important to note, however, that we are likely moving in a direction that would require construction to meet certain environmental efficiency standards. City Council just passed a package of bills which was inclusive of a mandate for building retrofits to reduce carbon footprint by 40 percent by the year 2030.

We are already seeing new construction as well as construction from recent years adapting to a more sustainable model by having projects certified as various LEED levels.

LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and was devised by the United States Green Building Council. This rating system is the most widely used green building rating system in the world, and the LEED certification is a globally recognized sustainability achievement.

The rating system evaluates the environmental performance of a building, and through this process, encourages market transformation. The evaluation looks at things such as materials, water efficiency, and performance such as indoor quality for occupant comfort. 

Fun Fact: 10 Hudson Yards was the first commercial office space in New York to receive the coveted Platinum LEED certification.

5 New Developments Coming to Market in Manhattan this Spring

Spring is typically a bustling time for the housing market, and this season has been no exception. Activity has picked up from Q1 lulls across multiple tiers of the market, but we have been observing good momentum in the luxury sector specifically.

The New Development market in New York City continues to have a pipeline of impressive projects. From a Buyer’s perspective, inventory has never been better. New Development projects are offering the best amenities, design from starchitects and renowned interior designers, as well as concessions to Buyers. Now is a great time to explore new development as a Buyer. Developers are competing amongst each other for the same set of Buyers in many instances so there are deals to be had.

Just as the market picks of the Spring, so too is New Development. Here are some of the most notable projects coming to market in Manhattan during Spring 2019.

The Centrale

Midtown is experiencing a wave of development, and The Central is part of it. The tower will rise 803 feet and is designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli. Interiors will be done by Champalimaud Design who has also done the interiors at The Kent. The 124 residences will be a mix of 1 through 5 bedrooms with pricing starting around $1.825 million.

Amenities at The Centrale include a lounge with fireplace, 75-foot lap pool, fitness center, and attended garage.

The Hayworth

Located at the corner of Lexington Avenue and 87th Street, The Hayworth will bring 61 apartments to the Upper East Side. The building, rising 21 stories, will be a mix of 2 through 5 bedroom homes with multiple penthouses.

AD100 architect Lee Mindel will be doing interior at the Hayworth. Residents will enjoy a suite of amenities including a music and dance studio, fitness center, and rooftop terrace with fireside seating.

Pricing anticipated from $3.5 million

100 Franklin Street

DDG Partners (you may recognize them from 180 East 88th Street) is bringing a boutique collection of Condos to TriBeCa nearby the Roxy Hotel. This spring, the 10 full floor homes, inclusive of 2 penthouses, are expected to come to market with pricing from $3.3 million.

The development is actually comprised of 2 buildings that are joined together. Amenities include bicycle room and storage.

The Park Loggia

If you love the Upper West Side, but do not want to live too far up, The Park Loggia is the ideal location. The SOM-designed tower, located on Broadway at 61st Street, just above Columbus Circle, will offer a convenient location and is set to bring 172 residences to the neighborhood.

Apartments will span the gamut in size, ranging from Studios to 4-bedrooms. Pricing is expected to start around $1 million and go up to over $10 million. The amenity package will be sizeable, at 20,000 square feet. Amenities will include a game room, theater, café, music performance rooms, a fitness center, and children’s playroom.

35 Hudson Yards

The tallest residential building within the Hudson Yards development debuted its lavish apartments on March 15th. 35 Hudson Yards is home to 143 apartments which start at $5 million. The apartments start on the upper floors of the tower with the world’s fist Equinox Hotel occupying the bottom floors.

35 Hudson Yards is designed by David Childs and Skidmore Owings & Merrill with interiors by Tony Ingrao. No detail has been spared on residence interiors such as the custom kitchens designed by Tony Ingrao in collaboration with Smallbone of Devizes.

The amenity suite is equally as lavish. Residents will enjoy 22,000 square feet devoted to wellness and entertainment. Amenities include yoga, playrooms, Grand Terrace and Dining Room, event space, and access to the Equinox which will have both indoor and outdoor pools.

All Photos via respective developments

Renzo Piano's 565 Broome Street Unveils Model Residences

565 Broome, the Renzo Piano designed glass tower in SoHo has given a first look inside. The building, which has been under construction since 2016, has reached the next chapter, with residents moving in, and 2 model units being unveiled giving us a first look inside the finished product. The building has two towers, a north tower and a south tower. A model unit, each designed by a different interior designer, from each tower were unveiled to guests earlier this week.

 Residence North 24A

N24A is a 3 bed, 3.5 bath home spanning 2,512 square feet. This model residence was decorated by interior designer Damon Liss. Liss took inspiration in designing his unit from the interiors of 565 from itself, adopting a refined minimalism approach.

 The home has western and northern exposure which offered wonderful sunset views over the Hudson during the evening hour that we viewed it.

Residence South 26B

 S26B is a 2 bed, 2.5 bath home spread across 2,191 square feet. In the south tower, this home offers southern and eastern views, with the eastern views being open city views across SoHo, the East Village, and even up to Midtown.

March & White, a British design firm, decorated this model unit. They included pieces from local artists throughout as well as plaster on the walls.

565 Broome Street is Renzo Piano's first residential project in New York City. He brings his iconic design and approach to this luxurious residential project located in SoHo. The 30-story building stands out in the SoHo landscape, set alongside its smaller scale neighbors.  Renzo Piano prides himself on his careful attention to materials, and 565 Broome is no exception with an austere material palette that accentuates the quality of those selected. The overall design and approach to the project is an expression of key materials. Design is characterized by low-iron, extra wide glass and “tube” shaped living spaces in select residences which are a character of Renzo Piano.

Building interiors are designed by renowned firm RDAI who take a similar approach to their work as Piano, highlighting craftsmanship and materials. At 565 Broome, they have found beauty in natural materials such as stone, white oak, glass, and concrete. RDAI is known for its work in global Hermes and Saint Laurent stores.

 Amenities include a private gated driveway, outdoor landscaped terrace, 55 foot swimming pool, fitness center, lounge, and library.

NYC Real Estate Tax Changes: What You Need to Know

We recently provided updates on the proposed Pied-a-terre tax that had the possibility of being passed in New York City. With the recent passing of the State budget, there has been changes to Real Estate Taxes in New York. Below is everything you need to know about the real estate tax changes as a result of the New York State budget.

Overview: The Pied-a-terre tax was not implemented. Instead, there is a newly revised and implemented Progressive Mansion Tax and Progressive Transfer Tax. This will impact those in the $2-$5M purchase range the most.

The Progressive Mansion Tax:

The new law applies to all closings that take place on or after July 1, 2019 except for those contracts that were entered into prior to April 1, 2019. This is specific to NYC contracts.

The new tax now has 8 tiers that have a higher Mansion Tax rate as purchase price escalates.

The Progressive Transfer Tax:

In addition to the Mansion Tax overhaul, effective April 1, 2019, the Transfer Tax also received an overhaul.

For Residential purchases over $3 million, the NYS Transfer Tax increases from its current rate of 0.4% to a rate of 0.65%.

Additionally, for Commercial transactions greater than $2 million, the NYS Transfer Tax will increase from its current rate of 0.4% to 0.65%.

What Does it Mean for Me?

While no tax increases on property would be ideal, the above could be make less of a blow than the Pied-a-terre tax. The pied-a-terre tax would have positioned New York City as being not investor friendly and was also an annual charge -i.e. the property owner would have incurred this tax every year for owning the pied-a-terre.

As a Buyer, it is important to understand that, while yes, costs of gone up on certain transactions, these taxes are a one-time, upfront cost. The owner does not incur the Mansion Tax and Transfer tax on an annual basis as would have been the case with the pied-a-terre tax.

As was the case with the proposed pied-a-terre tax, the State has earmarked the additional revenue (expected to be $365 million) from the Progressive Mansion and Transfer Taxes to go to the failing MTA system in New York City.

As always, for questions about how taxes impact you, consult your qualified tax advisor who understands your personal financial sitaution