There has been discussion of the redevelopment of a 24.52-acre lot in Waretown, New Jersey’s town center, for quite some time, and the Township of Ocean’s first Economic Redevelopment Plan was first proposed in June of 2000. Multiple amendments have been made to the project since that time, and because of this, the Waretown Town Center Project has been unable to move forward. Now, as of December 2020, new ordinances serve to get the project on its feet finally. 

What Does the Project Entail?

The details of the project have changed several times, but the details as of September 2020 (which are the current project’s plans), call for 16 buildings on the 24.52-acre lot in Waretown’s center, with 120 residential, attached homes. These would be owner-occupied, two- and three-bedroom townhouses, with a price range between $300,000 and $350,000. Also, there would be some affordable housing units to comply with local legal requirements. 

Within the residential complex, plans also include a swimming pool, walking path, and a single-story clubhouse for residents. As this project is zoned both commercial and residential, there are also plans for a retail building on the property, consisting of approximately 8,550 square feet. The project is to be designed by T&M Associates of Middletown, New Jersey.

How Do the New Ordinances Help the Project?

Part of the concerns regarding the redevelopment project included the roadways surrounding the shopping areas near the center of town. The new ordinances update current roadway structures and ensure that traffic will flow well after the project is built. It was also important to Waretown residents that the “small-town feel” of Waretown be kept while building this project. 

Ordinance 2020-18 and Ordinance 2020-17 were passed in Ocean Township, NJ in December 2020, which gives a green light for the Waretown Town Center Redevelopment Project, also known as the Oceanaire East project. However, the next meeting regarding the next phase of the project has not been announced as of January 2021. 

In early 2019, preliminary subdivision plans were first submitted to the Nassau County Department of Public Works Planning Commission. This comes two years after Efrem Gerszberg and Robert Weiss purchased the Woodmere Club for development. The original project was penned as Willow View Estates, with 248 homes in Woodmere, 24 in Woodsburgh, and 13 in Lawrence – 285 homes in total. However, since each municipality must give its approval, and there have been lingering concerns, the project may never get off the ground. 

What Was the Original Proposal?

The original proposal had the minimum lot size at 6,000 square feet and the maximum at 262, 117 square feet, with five additional sites as stormwater basins. Four additional roadways would have to be built to accommodate the development. The original plan was to completely close the golf course in 2021 and begin breaking ground, assuming that the original proposal would be approved or would need just a few small amendments.

What Caused Problems with the Original Proposal?

The Woodmere Club is 120 acres in total, and Gerszberg and Weiss, operating as Weiss Properties, bought the property in 2017 for about $9 million and agreed to take on $15 million in debt the club had owed. Nearby neighbors were immediately against the proposal, claiming that it would be an eyesore in the neighborhood and destroy wildlife. 

By July 2020, the town of Hempstead had passed a new resolution that ordered the Woodmere club to preserve 83 acres of open space, which included a clubhouse and a nine-hole golf course. This leaves very little room for development. 

Where Does the Project Stand Now?

The Woodmere Club owners, Weiss Properties, have filed a lawsuit against the Town of Hempstead for $250 million as of September 2020, which is the sixth lawsuit filed since the original plans were submitted in early 2019. 

In addition to naming the town of Hempstead as defendants, the towns of Woodsburgh and Lawrence are also named on the complaint. Efrem Geszberg, one of the club’s owners, said, “We are prepared to litigate our constitutional rights all the way to the Supreme Court,” when asked about the lawsuit. 

The language that the Town of Hempstead has used marks the 83 acres as a “coastal conservation district,” so developers cannot build on those acres until their case is heard in court. As of now, no date is set.

The Hercules Country Club has been closed for nearly ten years, and nothing has been approved to be built in its place on Lancaster Pike in New Castle County, Delaware. However, in September 2020, the New Castle County Council approved 258 homes to be built on the site. Although it was met with some opposition, at the time, the project was approved with a 12-1 vote. 

Now, the real estate development firm Pettinaro Co. is expected to begin building on site beginning in Spring 2021, after many years of battle, not only with New Castle County but with the Delaware Supreme Court. 

What Does the Project Entail?

The 200-acre golf course was once meant for Hercules Powder company and its associates, dating back to the 1930s. However, the golf course has not been in use since 2010 and offers empty space for development. Greg Pettinaro, the lead developer on this project, is planning for 258 homes total on the site, which will include two types of 158 single-family homes as well as 100 townhouse units. 

Why Did the Project Experience Roadblocks?

There are several reasons why the development company experienced some roadblocks in their proposals. The main issue that officials had with the project was traffic. Originally, Toll Brothers, homebuilders based in Pennsylvania, were going to build the project in conjunction with the Pettinaro Co. 

However, a traffic impact study was conducted, and New Castle County ruled that the project would cause too much traffic congestion. The Delaware Supreme Court upheld the decision, and the Toll Brothers walked away. Ultimately, the Pettinaro Co. decided to make the traffic upgrades themselves to move forward. 

Still, then a group of neighbors began to oppose the project, known as “Hold On to Hercules.” However, the group wasn’t able to raise enough funds to oppose the project, and ultimately, with the traffic upgrades, it was approved by a 12-1 margin. 

Other Lancaster Pike Improvements

The Pettinaro Co. is also actively working on other projects in the same vicinity as the Hercules Project, including the Barley Mill Plaza development project, including a new Wegmans grocery store. The plaza will also include other retail and office space, conveniently located to the new Hercules residents. 

The Pettinaro Co. expects that the first homes on the site will be completed within a year and that the entire project will complete in roughly five years. 

The Howard Hughes Corporation has proposed two new high-rise towers in Manhattan’s financial district at 250 Water Street. The Landmarks Preservation Commission is currently looking over the proposals, including an expansion of the South Street Seaport, located in the Financial District. The lead architect on the project will be Skidmore, Owings, & Merrill (SOM), with consultation from historic preservation experts Higgins Quasebarth & Partners and supportive design services from JHPA.

What Are the Specifics of the High-Rise Plans?

Currently, the lot at 250 Water Street is undeveloped and has been for many years. It is situated on the edge of the South Street Seaport Historic District and is the size of one city block. The towers and expansion proposals will encompass the entire block and plot, with two 38-story towers and a low-rise podium. If all plans are approved, the overall height of the building could be as tall as 757,400 buildable square feet. Because the towers’ height may be a bit jarring compared to the landscape within the existing South Street Seaport Historic District, the towers will sit on a five-story podium and will be set back from the street.

What Is the Purpose of the Project?

These new high-rise towers will be multi-purpose and will be residences, community spaces, office buildings, and associated spaces. Residential spaces are the main focus of the project and will occupy the 11th through 34th floors, with residential amenities located on the 8th floor. This project is also heralded as the first affordable housing project built in Manhattan Community Board 1, accomplished through the Mandatory Inclusionary Housing program. There will be 360 total residential units, with 25 percent of those deemed “affordable” to families earning less than the median income. 

The project is also expected to bring 2,500 permanent jobs to the city and 2,000 construction jobs to complete the building. Mary Ann Tighe, member of HHC’s Board of Directors, and Chief Executive Officer of the New York Tri-State Region for CBRE, said, “We believe visionary projects like this will help propel the city’s economic recovery.” Also, the South Street Seaport Museum itself will also be renovated, after years of setback and loss. 

What Are the Specifics of the Museum Expansion?

The South Street Seaport Museum is adjacent to the Water Street vacant lot and located at 12 Fulton Street. If the expansion is approved, the museum will extend through the now-vacant lots located at John and South Streets. According to the new proposals, the facade of the Museum would be changed to a punched copper, and it would be renovated to a six-story building with an outdoor roof deck that opens above John and South Streets. 

The developer has also offered a $50 million contribution to the South Street Seaport Museum if the project is approved. However, a meeting was held on January 5, 2021. A group of residents called the Seaport Coalition are fighting against this development and instead want an NYPD tow pound moved to 250 Water Street instead. 

Construction recently topped out at a new high-rise, 22-story building that hopes to improve the Washington Avenue landscape. Located at 2420 Amsterdam Avenue, this vibrant and colorful building first broke ground in 2018. The building has eight separate and distinct boxy shapes, each with a specific purpose (and distinctive color). The building is designed by MVRDV, with executive architect Stonehill & Taylor. MVRDV describes it as “a colorful welcome sign to upper Manhattan.”

2420 Amsterdam Avenue, Meant to Be Welcoming

The developers Youngwoo & Associates, as well as MVRDV, want the building to have an overall welcoming feeling. They want to break the mold that high-rise buildings overwhelm the street and the neighborhood. This is why this high-rise is separated into different parts, with only part of the building being part of the tower. Winy Maas from MVRDV says that this building shows that high rises don’t have to be “disconnected from their neighborhoods” and “they can be a good neighbor, a friendly neighbor, instead.”

What Are the Specifics of this Vibrant High-Rise?

It will be a mixed-use building, and upon completion, will offer 100,000 square feet of office space. Some features include:

• The ground floor will occupy a mix of retail space and office space
• Upper levels will be a combination hotel and restaurant, offering guests a large outdoor terrace as well as an outdoor pool deck
• The restaurant will occupy the 19th floor, and there will be an event space on the tenth floor in the form of an L-shape
• The outdoor terrace will also be on the tenth floor
• There will be 212 guest rooms in the hotel

In addition to the 100,000 square feet of office space, there will be 93,000 square feet of hospitality space and 8,000 square feet of retail space.

There are also plans for the hospitality space to accommodate visitors that are in the area visiting Yeshiva University as well as New York-Presbyterian Hospital. 

The project is expected to complete in 2021, with the hotel functional and occupancy by the end of the year. 

While many large conglomerates may be temporarily pausing projects due to the pandemic, Manhattan’s largest office realty group, SL Green, recently closed on a $1.25 billion dollar construction loan for One Madison Avenue, a square right in the heart of the Flatiron District. Chairman and CEO of SL Green shook off any worries about starting construction on this billion-dollar project, saying, “Our commitment and belief in New York City is unwavering…we remain focused on boosting the New York City economy by creating thousands of construction jobs and bringing a new, best-in-class office tower to the highly sought-after Flatiron/Midtown South submarket.”

SL Green is also partnering with the National Pension Service of Korea and Hines, and as of November 27, 2020, construction has already commenced on the $2.3 billion redevelopment project. SL Green and Hines are working with the architectural firm of Kohn Pederson Fox (KPF), with plans to convert the current 13-story building into a 27-story class A office building with more modern features. 

What Changes Will Be Made to the Current One Madison Avenue Building? 

Both SL Green and KPF agree that they want to preserve the building’s original integrity while providing upgrades not only to improve aesthetics, but to improve cleanliness and air quality, which is extremely important in a post-COVID world. The existing structure will be demolished, but only to the ninth floor; 18 floors will be built above it.

Above the redeveloped podium, 530,000 square feet will be added to the structure with 32 35,000-sq. Ft floor plates, which are designed to improve internal flexibility within the building. Additionally, new HVAC and circulation systems will be installed, to seek both LEED-Gold and WELL certification. These new systems should improve air quality within the redeveloped building.

What Is the History Between SL Green and KPF?

SL Green and the architectural firm Kohn Pederson Fox (KPF) have worked together before on other projects within the city and are excited to be working with one another again. KPF and SL Green worked together on One Vanderbilt, the tallest office tower in Midtown Manhattan, and has now become a staple in New York City’s skyline.

What Is One Madison Avenue?

One Madison Avenue is the east wing of a skyscraper that comprises a complete block in New York City’s Flatiron District. It is known as the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Tower (or simply the Met Life Tower), and has two distinct sections: the North Building and the South Building. The Met Life Tower is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is quite famous for its clock tower. 

Like many early skyscrapers, it has different wings (of which One Madison Avenue is one), and many additions have been built onto it throughout the years. Construction first began on the Met Life Tower in 1890 but updates were needed from time to time; it was completely renovated in 1957. 

The SL Green and KPF renovation project is supposed to be completed sometime between 2022 and 2024.