by: Linda G. Miller
GF55 Architects to Design Mass Timber Housing in Staten Island North Shore
GF55 Architects is designing a complex that will contain 500 new mixed-income housing units on two vacant land parcels along the New Stapleton Waterfront on the North Shore of Staten Island. The development, announced by Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) President and CEO Andrew Kimball will be the largest mass timber residential project in the city and one of the largest mass timber residential development projects with affordable housing in the entire country. As the first publicly-awarded project to use mass timber, it will also participate in the NYC Mass Timber Studio, a technical assistance program that is supporting the successful delivery of mass timber projects with technical and regulatory assistance. The development, located at the corner of Front and Canal Streets, will be built on part of the former Stapleton Homeport, which has sat mostly unused since the U.S. Navy left in 1994. This project represents the next phase in development of the New Stapleton Waterfront, which will transform the site into a 32-acre mixed-use, mixed-income waterfront neighborhood. In total, the New Stapleton Waterfront will deliver over 2,100 mixed-income residential units, ground floor retail, a 600-seat public school, and other community facilities, all set within 12 acres of interconnected public open space. In September, NYCEDC broke ground on Stapleton’s next six acres of open space and esplanades, including the demolition of the old U.S. naval homeport buildings. The project advances key initiatives in the Staten Island North Shore Action Plan: Building a Vibrant, Mixed-Use Waterfront Community which outlines a four-year roadmap for a clear and unified vision for the future of Staten Island’s North Shore. Additionally, by utilizing sustainable mass timber to build these new homes, the development also advances commitments to the Green Economy Action Plan, a first-of-its-kind plan that lays out a roadmap to growing the city’s green economy. Construction firm Artimus and the Phoenix Realty Group will lead the construction and development effort for the New Stapleton Waterfront. Construction is expected to begin in 2027.
The Met Opens Renovated Michael C. Rockefeller Wing by WHY Architecture
The Metropolitan Museum of Art reopened the Michael C. Rockefeller Wing on May 31, following the completion of a major renovation designed by WHY Architecture in collaboration with executive architect Beyer, Blinder, Belle Architects (BBB), and with The Met’s Design Department. The 40,000-square-foot wing, closed since 2021, includes the collections of the Arts of Africa, the Ancient Americas, and Oceania, and features over 1,800 works spanning five continents and hundreds of cultures. The reimagined galleries have been designed to transform the visitor experience and incorporate innovative technologies that will allow The Met to display objects in new ways. In galleries dedicated to each of the distinct collection areas, design elements reference and pay homage to the architectural vernaculars of each region. The reinstallation of all three collection areas also reflect new scholarship, undertaken in collaboration with international experts and researchers. Digital features and new wall text allow for deeper contextualization of objects. Highlights of the collections that are well known to long-time visitors to The Met are showcased in innovative ways with a completely new gallery design, which will also incorporate filtered daylight through a BBB custom-designed sloped glass wall on the south facade, adjacent to Central Park. Additionally, across each collection are objects on view for the first time, including major new acquisitions of historic and contemporary art in the Arts of Africa galleries; a gallery dedicated to light-sensitive ancient Andean textiles, which will be the first of its kind in the United States; and several new commissions for the Oceania galleries by Indigenous artists and a range of new digital features that will present contemporary perspectives. The new wing opened to the public in 1982 with the creation of a new department. It was designed by The Met’s master plan architects, Kevin Roche John Dinkeloo and Associates.
Pelli Clarke & Partners Completes New Concourse at Boston’s South Station
The new outdoor concourse at Boston’s South Station, New England’s busiest train station has opened to the public, marking the first phase of the station’s redevelopment project. By consolidating the previously separate rail and bus terminals, the project improves circulation and enhances the overall travel experience. The development expands the bus terminal capacity by over 50% and increases the concourse space by nearly 70%, improving connectivity between Amtrak, MBTA commuter rail, subway, and intercity bus services. Designed by Pelli Clarke & Partners, the concourse’s structure is the first major transformation of Boston’s 126-years old transit center in more than 30 years. Known as The Great Space, the concourse’s domed structure features 10 concrete arches supporting three soaring domes that rise 60 feet high. What was once a low-slung, shadowed canopy now offers travelers a weather-protected environment while serving as the structural base for the new 51-story tower above the station’s headhouse. The tower, also designed by the firm, is slated to be completed this summer and features approximately 680,000 square feet of premium office space, 166 luxury residences, dining, and a rooftop park. The project is developed by Hines in partnership with the City of Boston Planning Department (BPDA), the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), Amtrak, and MassDOT.
CetraRuddy Shares Updated Designs for New York Casino Skyscraper
New designs for The Avenir, a mixed-use project designed by CetraRuddy in collaboration with Steelman Partners, have been released. The project spans a full block between 40th and 41st Street on 11th Avenue in Hell’s Kitchen. If awarded an operating license, the building will rise 785 feet and feature a 1,000-room luxury hotel, restaurants, a food hall, and a first-class gaming facility, more than 12 restaurants and bars, conference and meeting spaces, a spa and fitness center, outdoor pool, a boutique entertainment venue, and a community gallery on 11th Avenue. A joint venture between Silverstein Properties, Rush Street Gaming, and Greenwood Gaming and Entertainment, The Avenir’s design consists of a nine-story base that relates in scale and materiality to the neighboring context. A 45-story tower rises above the podium to an open, biophilic green rooftop. All four façades of the podium welcome visitors and the community through art-filled installations that encourage pedestrian activation and inspirational experiences. The sculptural form of the building creates a welcoming gesture while also reducing the perceived mass of the building. The ground floor will include multiple entrance points on 41st Street and 11th Avenue for pedestrians, and its porte-cochère will allow for the flow of guests in and out of the building, reducing congestion and ensuring a steady flow of movement for pick-ups and drop-offs. Hotel guests, visitors, and neighborhood residents will be able to access the non-gaming amenities without entering the casino. The ground floor’s 11th Avenue side will house a community gallery that spans an entire city block, showcasing local artwork and supporting local artists and will be available for use by the community for artistic, cultural, and educational events. The glass-enclosed space will feature 45-foot-high ceilings, inviting pedestrians to enter at 11th Avenue and 40th Street. The Avenir’s second floor will include the first casino floor and the gaming facility’s signature feature, a four-level window bar with skyline views. Unlike traditional casino designs, The Avenir’s design features ample natural light. Level six will contain a food hall with a variety of venues from local neighborhood chefs and restaurateurs, and an approximately 150-seat boutique entertainment venue. The seventh floor is for conferences and meetings and features a grand ballroom. The eighth floor contains a spa and fitness center, while the ninth floor will include an outdoor pool with more food and beverage options. Silverstein Properties plans to provide more than 100 affordable housing units off site that are fully and permanently affordable. The project site is fully owned and controlled by Silverstein and is shovel-ready upon approval. The site is also free of complex logistical hurdles, such as land-use approvals or the need for residential or commercial displacement.
KSS Architects-designed Review Avenue Complex Tops Out in Queens
In Long Island City, the Review Avenue Complex, an urban industrial facility within the Borden Innovation District just off the Long Island Expressway near Newtown Creek, has topped out. Designed by KSS Architects, the steel superstructure six-story warehouse and distribution building occupies approximately 4.05 acres and provides 736,000-square-feet of flexible Class-A space. The of the building boasts 40-by-42.5-foot column spacing and 32-foot clear heights. Each level provides ground floor convenience and offers drive-up access to every floor accompanied by parking, truck courts, and loading docks. A 35-foot-wide ramp provides high-capacity floor loads and truck access across each floor. The building is also photovoltaic (PV) and electric vehicle (EV) ready. Developed by Innovo Property Group, the facility is expected to open in Fall 2025.
Steven Holl Architects’ Z Space Art Residency Breaks Ground in Pound Ridge, NY
Surrounded by serene forests and wetlands, Steven Holl Architects’ (SHA) ‘Z’ Space, designed for the not-for-profit Oberon Foundation for the Arts, in Pound Ridge, NY, has broken ground. Nestled among old growth tall trees, a pond, and natural streams, the 1,200-square-foot artists’ residency studio and pavilion will provide an intimate space for artists to make, think, write, and connect with nature. The building’s façade incorporates wooden strips to craft a woven pattern, which draws inspiration from the history of basket weaving by Indigenous peoples who lived in the region. The interior of the pavilion is Z-shaped in plan, so all of the spaces cannot be seen at once, adding a sense of mystery. Softly diffused light streams through frosted glass on the west façade and dappled light illuminates the interior via skylights. Outside, a blue aluminum soffit reflects colored light onto a covered open area. The pavilion, elevated above the ground and accessed by a gently sloped ramp, shapes its surrounding greenspace as a place for gatherings and events. The building’s main structure utilizes CLT and incorporates wood, concrete, and steel locally sourced within a 300-mile radius of the site. The building will be geothermally heated and cooled. A network consisting of a green roof, rainwater collection pond, and a rain garden contribute to natural stormwater management. Preservation of the surrounding landscape is designed to rewild the forested site, minimizing maintenance and water usage while fostering biodiversity. ‘Z’ Space aspires to the highest ecological standards, pursuing the Living Building Challenge certification.
In Case You Missed It…
After successful pilot programs that have enhanced project delivery, the Department of Design and Construction’s (DDC) Advanced Capital Planning (ACP) and Expanded Work Allowance (EWA) will now become permanent programs providing the DDC with the tools to build better, faster, and most cost effectively. Based on its success at DDC, EWA will also be expanded to additional capital agencies.
Gensler is converting 5 Times Square, a 38-story building known as the former headquarters for Ernst & Young, into a residential property. Located at 7th Avenue between 41st and 42nd Streets, the building was originally designed by KPF, built in 2002, and has been mostly vacant since 2022. Upon completion, the building will contain 1,250 market-rate and affordable homes. Of the building’s approximately 1 million square feet, 90,000 will be converted while 40,000 will remain for retail. Gensler is also converting the Pfizer World Headquarters near Grand Central; other firms are part of the wave of conversions taking place in the city.
Mayor Adams’ “Best Budget Ever” program will invest in making Fifth Avenue a world-class pedestrian centered boulevard, transforming Fifth Avenue between Bryant Park and Central Park by expanding sidewalks by 46%, shorten pedestrian crossings by a third, reduce the number of traffic lanes from five to three, and add plantings and lighting to make for a more walkable, greener, and safer avenue. The new design also greens the corridor with more than 230 new trees and 20,000 square feet of planters, new seating and activation space, better lighting, and more.
Shirokuro, a Japanese omakase restaurant in the East Village, is designed to look like a living sketchbook. Each hand drawn single line by the artist Mirim Yoo, gives diners the feeling that they are dining inside a cartoon. It is inspired by a similar concept the restaurateur found in South Korea.