290 Mulberry at Houston - by SHoP Architects

[lofter1]

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]

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]

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]

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

[Xemu]

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]

Can anyone tell what's on that groundfloor?

[lofter1]

Mefears it ^^^ looks like THIS

[antinimby]

That's just not right.

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

[stache]

Because they won't be able to afford it?

[antinimby]

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]

Why do banks think they need so many branches?

[MidtownGuy]

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]

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]

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.

[posterboy]

bank branch or not, it's a nice breath of fresh air on that corner. so much more interesting than the avalon buildings. i really like those windows.