Rumblings & Bumblings: 75 Smith Stalled, Boys & Girls on the LES, Hell's Kitchen Twofer
Wednesday, April 18, 2007, by Joshua
Rumblings & Bumblings is our weekly development game where we ask for your help in answering reader queries about development goings-on about town. If you've got an answer, leave a note in the comments. If you've got another question, or a sweet, sweet digital photograph, drop a line to tips@curbed.com. Answers Friday.
75 Smith, looking neither luxe nor pop in May '06.
1) Boerum Hill: Earlier this month, we wondered what the threatened re-opening of the Brooklyn House of D (now with ground floor retail!) means for buyers at 75 Smith (aka Luxe + Pop). Today, we wonder whether there ever will be a 75 Smith. A correspondent writes, "any news on the "luxe + pop" disaster that is the smith? seems completely stalled."
2) Lower East Side: "Just wondering if you have any details on the work that is happening on the Boys and Girls Club buillding on Houston and Pitt," asks a Curbed reader. "The building is covered in scaffolding with several works crews going in and out all day long. I dont think that the Club has been open for a while. Is the club getting a facelift or is the building going high end condo?" Some backstory here to get you started.
3) Hell's Kitchen #1: Regarding the properties at 409-413 W. 53rd St., a reader writes, "They are building what looks like condos across the street from me. Any idea of what they're putting up? Hopefully not another Hell's Kitchen mega-tower?"
4) Hell's Kitchen #2: Meanwhile, from a couple blocks south comes this query: "I saw some new scaffolding going up on 8th ave between 51st and 52nd with the gristedes on the corner. any idea whats going on?"
5) East Village: Finally, this just in: "more condos? scaffolding sighting: 13th street & 4th Ave, south west corner." UPDATE: Sorry, swept away in the scaffolding rush. We were just here. McSam!
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The corner of 13th and 4th is a Sam Chang hotel-in-the-making, built by Tritel Construction's non-union labor force.
Boys' & Girls' Club will be affordable housing.
in fairness, the smith has been stalled since well before the house of D plans were announced.
I've been curious as to the stalled progress to The Smith. That thing looks (I'm not an architect nor engnieer nor actor playing one) like a disaster and really shoddy. The windows have not been put in place, They have not applied any waterproofing to the outside, and where they did apply a thin membrane -- months or years ago -- it seems to have come off. Additionally, the few panels of foam insulation seem to have come off.
To quote Mr. T, "I pitty the fools" who purchased pre-construction condos at the Smith, only because of the shit construction job. I do not feel bad because the House of D is re-opening. That thing was always there. We jokingly refer to The Smith as the "intersection of Lux + Pop + Crime."
How much longer before this thing is finished?
I walk by the Smith and it's collection of inflatable rats everyday. Am I correct in remembering this was strictly a condo building, but when they couldn't generate any sales on the lower units, the project switched to hotel-condo?
Gristedes is on 54th and 8th.
from the 75smith.com site it looks like most of those units are sold, all but one or two. they each come with complimentary ripped plastic sheeting fluttering in the wind.
The ripped sheeting is being marketed as an "innovative window covering" by Nick Dine. It is definitely NOT complimentary. The inflatable rats, on the other hand, are completely gratis.
Guess it's too much of a challenge to count. 24 in contract, 8 on the market.
Seriously though, someone must know what's going on with the Smith -- anyone?
The Smith is future affordable housing. No doubt about it. There will be poor people living in that structure very soon.
Jo, I guess it's too much of a challenge to add, eh?
24 in contract, 18 previous (sold, in contract, whatever you want to call it), 8 on the market.
That means 42 sales--i.e., most of the units have been purchased.
Mark me down as curious about the Smith as well. It sucks having that half-built eyesore in the area.
Get on the ball, Shaya! At least finish that POS.
New delivey date is now beginning of August. If they don't finish it by February 08 you can get out of the deal...
I guess 8 is the new one or two.
4 penthouses and 1 two bedrooms unit left= 5
out of 50 = 90% sold
Beginning of August?
No way they can finish that thing in 3.5 months.
"16.
4 penthouses and 1 two bedrooms unit left= 5
out of 50 = 90% sold"
48 based on the official site, not 50.
Oh, and one unit is not marked "sold" or "available" but rather "not available" so it isn't clear what exactly the story is on that one.
Where did I write that only one or two units were left, Jo?
I wrote 42 were in contract (according to Streeteasy, which is where I assume you got your info from) as opposed to the 24 units you mistakenly (and snarkily) posted were sold at 4:36.
All you had to say was "my mistake"--hell, you could have ignored this thread altogether. Instead you chose to be a complete jackass and say something moronic like "I guess 8 is the new one or two".
You are an utter tool.
Hey, 12... it could be that Jo was referring to #7, who said:
"from the 75smith.com site it looks like most of those units are sold, all but one or two."
Hello, I'm #14 and #16
to #18 go back on 75smith.com and recount (its 50 units) Also the one marked "not available" means someone made an offer, it has been accepted and the developer is waiting for the 10% down.
Anyway one or two who cares, the important thing is that they had to sell more than 50% of the building to be legaly responsible for finishing it.
I agree with #17 August is going to be hard. November-December seems more reasonable to me.
that is whichful thingking!!!!! (I signed for a 2br unit few months ago...)
NYC plans to expand the existing Brooklyn jail building's population capacity to 1,500. The city is also contemplating an acquisition of the 75 Smith parcel with an eye toward creating sufficient cell space to lodge an additional 1,500 guests.
Upon completion, the properties will operate 24/7 and create hundreds of jobs for residents of Long Island. It is also anticipated that the 3,000 jail occupants and workers tending to them will generate a great deal of commerce for local merchants, particularly on visiting days when friends and relatives are expected to inundate the area roaming through the neighbohood's quaint, brownstone-lined streets sightseeing and shopping for things they might want to take home.
The city's ambitious effort to fully develop its Boerum Hill property will contribute some much-needed diversification to the gentrified, upscale district, which has witnessed a tremendous influx of hipsters and white-collar workers in recent years. Local residents prescient enough to purchase real estate in the area should welcome the newcomers with open arms, fully cognizant that the value of their homes will only continue to rise.
Hmm..not sure if 22. is a good witch or a bad witch???
I think there were complants in the past when the jail was open that parking was a mess. With old lots being turned into condos it will be worse.
As for 75 Smith the building. That's the true meaning of non-union, low paid untrained workers with no rights or protection, cheap materials no inspections....buyer beware
As I've predicted here for more than 1yr, Boyemelgreen is a joke, and is rapidly losing money and will be bankrupt soon.
bankrupt..... the guy is a multi-BILLIONAIRE....... idiot
"bankrupt..... the guy is a multi-BILLIONAIRE....... idiot"
Even Trump has put some of his businesses into bankruptcy. personal wealth doesn't enter into the equation if he formed a corporate entity to do his business.
That said, I have no idea what the financial condition of any of his companies is, so I wouldn't dare venture a guess as to whether or not any of them would be in a position to seek bankruptcy protection.
Jo:
The building was always conceived as a commercial/ residential condo; it's just that the use of the commercial portion changed over time and, trust me, Shaya cut out all smart deals for that space to take on the hotel project by himself. Greed knows no bounds, but stupidity will certainly catch up with you. A grossly ugly building from the onset with excessive cost overruns, I can't wait to see how it all plays out.
If Boymelgreen is a multi-billionaire (which I sincerely doubt he is...he's not even a billionaire, although he is a very rich man) he got that way by ripping people off. Substandard materials and construction sold at hyper-inflated profit margins to morons lining up for the opportunity to do so...
Incredible!
Boys and Girls Club on Avenue C and Houston has a large banner hanging on it pointing people to the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development website for more information. Also worth noting, the building has a permit for full demo. So Boys and Girls Club will not be affordable housing - Boys and Girls Club will be gone, affordable housing in its place.
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