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May 26, 2022

Demo done for 48-story hotel and apartment tower

By BRIAN MILLER
Real Estate Editor

Photo by Brian Miller [enlarge]
Now: the bare slab.

Rendering by Perkins Will [enlarge]
Future: the tower base, looking southwest, with the Escala behind.

With little fanfare, Andersen Construction recently finished demolishing what some remember as the Icon Grill corner, at 1933 Fifth Ave. The long-brewing plan, where Fifth meets Virginia Street, is for a 48-story hotel and apartment tower by Douglaston Development of New York. Perkins Will is the architect.

The plan received its master use permit early last year. A shoring permit came later that same year. Demolition of three old buildings began in December.

There’s no indication yet that Anderson intends to begin digging what it calls Phase II, the excavation and shoring. The demo was Phase I.

Douglaston, rival developer Stanford Hotels and the neighboring Escala condominium have been fighting for years about tower separation between the existing condo on Fourth Avenue and the two new proposals on the east side of the same block.

(Stanford’s 57-story hotel/apartment tower is planned for the corner of Stewart Street.) Over the past few years, appeals by the Escala owners association have been exhausted by the city Hearing Examiner. The matter is now in state appellate court; oral arguments were heard on March 9, and no decision has yet been issued.

Even if, seeking tower separation greater than 20 feet (for some east-facing units), the Escala owners lose at the appellate level, they could still appeal to state Supreme Court.

The 1933 Fifth team also includes GeoEngineers, geotechnical; Karen Kiest Landscape Architects; WSP Group, MEP; Magnusson Klemencic Associates, civil and structural; Stantec, acoustical and lighting; and Graelic, parking.

Douglaston paid $16 million for the corner back in 2015. Though it may later choose to modify its MUP based on future market conditions, current numbers are 431 apartments, 155 hotel rooms, retail and restaurant space, plus seven levels of underground parking with 253 stalls.


 


Brian Miller can be reached by email at brian.miller@djc.com or by phone at (206) 219-6517.




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