290 Mulberry at Houston - by SHoP Architects

**lofter1** · January 15th, 2007, 02:29 PM

SHoP is showing renderings for this project on their website:

http://www.shoparc.com/places.php?pr=13&id=1&p=2

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**lofter1** · January 15th, 2007, 02:34 PM

This is currently the home of the ratty-looking and now closed Houston Village Farm Deli building and an adjacent lot to the east.

DOB Application for a New Building shows:

Architect: SHoP/Sharples Holden Pasquarelli

30 units in a 110' 11-story building

What is there now:

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**pianoman11686** · January 15th, 2007, 02:54 PM

That is a very unusual facade treatment. If it didn't look so perforated, I'd almost say it's Gehryesque.

Not sure I like it.

**stache** · January 15th, 2007, 03:21 PM

I'm for anything that reinforces the street wall back to Houston St.

**Xemu** · January 15th, 2007, 08:50 PM

It's nice to see something a little "out of the box" going up on such a visible site. Hopefully it'll look interesting next it's neighbor The Puck Building.

**antinimby** · January 15th, 2007, 10:20 PM

Can anyone tell what's on that groundfloor?

**lofter1** · January 15th, 2007, 10:34 PM

Mefears it ^^^ looks like THIS

**antinimby** · January 15th, 2007, 10:37 PM

That's just not right.

Why can't Houston Village Farms come back and occupy that space again?

**stache** · January 16th, 2007, 02:40 AM

Because they won't be able to afford it?

**antinimby** · January 16th, 2007, 03:00 AM

Possibly but that's really up to the building owner.

Does he want to do the right thing (Village Farms) or the wrong thing (bank branch)?

No need to answer, I already know...

**ablarc** · January 16th, 2007, 06:59 AM

Why do banks think they need so many branches?

**MidtownGuy** · January 16th, 2007, 10:07 AM

This is getting really ridiculous now. I bet everyone who lives on that block, whatever kind of place they live in, run into Village Farms when they need something quick. Now it will be gone and another Wachovia moves in. When will someone on this forum agree with me that the only solution to this cancer is REGULATION. Yes, I said it, you worshippers of the free market. Limit the damn bank branches. Enough is enough. Or should we sit around on our asses a little longer? San Francisco has the solution and New Yorkers should take heed.

**lofter1** · January 16th, 2007, 10:55 AM

Ooops --

I somewhat facetiously posted that link to the pics of the new Wachovia Branch at 40 Mercer with no real knowledge that a bank branch will go into this building.

By the looks of what SHoP shows in the rendering it could just as easily be ...

1) A Day Spa (like the area needs another of those to go along with the 40 or so that have opened in the SoHo area in the past year)

2) A Shoe Store (good thing American women are addicted to shoes)

3) A Doggy Dress-Up Store (about a half a dozen have opened in the area recently -- what's up with that?)

**MidtownGuy** · January 16th, 2007, 11:33 AM

At this point I would bet it will be a bank branch though. They're sterile and cleanly designed, with deep pockets to pay any rent asked, attract few loiterers, offend no tenants with noise or smelly food, often have limited hours of operation, and individual branches don't need to show a profit, just increase visibility for the mothership. A dream tenant.

BTW, I really like this building. Especially the textured facade.