Atelier Condominium - 635 West 42nd Street - Condo - by Costas Kondylis

[Fabrizio]

"Yeah, it get's pretty tiresome to hear people bash the involvement of government in "grand plans", but every day those same people are enjoying the grand things built in the past."

Because the "government-can´t-do-anything-right" stuff is a republican FoxNews brain-dead sound bite perfect for those ignorant of history and their surroundings.

Ah yes....imagine FORWARD thinking city planners developing this end of 42nd with a future light-rail or trolley system in mind, connecting far west 42nd street with Times Square on to the Library...to Grand Central...on to the East river.... or a new extension of the cross-town subway. Yes, imagine a UpperWestSide Broadway-style street wall height... with the tall apartment towers set behind it. Imagine the side walk cafes, restaurants, a couple of intimate pocket parks and encouragement for spaces for Off-Broadway theatre and caberet.

Nah! Better to leave the world-famous 42nd street up to the people who build things like this lovely new mental-institutional-style rental between 10th and 11th (scroll down):

http://wirednewyork.com/forum/showth...?t=6835&page=2

Yeah...welcome to 42nd street.

[alibrot]

"Because the "government-can´t-do-anything-right" stuff is a republican FoxNews brain-dead sound bite perfect for those ignorant of history and their surroundings.

I wont label anything to a party. Republican doesnt mean bad, although in nyc its an easy way out when criticizing. It isn't that the government cant do anything right. its more that the government should provide the proper incentives and provide a rule of law. The theatre bonus is a great example - there should have been more incentives like this to create a great 42nd steet. Imagine zebra without the 2 theatres.

Zoning law is another great example of the government creating the basic stucture, and the market doing the rest. The problem with zoning now, and any large scale plan, is that current term limited city council members are too much concerned with catering towards special interests so they can either run for higher office or get lucrative private sector jobs - special interests being either the developers or the CBs, or both if they're slick.

of course there is a lot of crap on 42nd, and the city could have done a better job pointing the developers in the right direction. but the government was too busy micromanaging other parts of the city, with little to show for it.

[MrSpice]

Is there a wab site for this condo tower?

[lofter1]

Google doesn't seem to show one ...

[TheFuture]

http://ateliercondos.com/

[alibrot]

"Because the "government-can´t-do-anything-right" stuff is a republican FoxNews brain-dead sound bite perfect for those ignorant of history and their surroundings.

Imagine the side walk cafes, restaurants, a couple of intimate pocket parks and encouragement for spaces for Off-Broadway theatre and caberet.

Nah! Better to leave the world-famous 42nd street up to the people who build things like this lovely new mental-institutional-style rental between 10th and 11th (scroll down):

http://wirednewyork.com/forum/showth...?t=6835&page=2

Yeah...welcome to 42nd street.

Ive been considering the view that the new developers are ruining a great opportunity, and I took another walk around the area with an open view, but the dead zone from 9th to 12th on 42nd has long history, and the new development is a great improvement (with the exception of 519w42), with more to come. Even at 519 there will be retail/restaurant instead of a lumberyard.

Consider the north side of 42nd. There are 2 open air restaurants in the summer off 9th - the west bank and bistro vent. But the rest of that Manhattan Plaza (1970s) block is dead cause EVERY old building was constructed to ignore 42nd. They all face 43rd, and there is much more storefront on 43rd, which was always more neighborhood-like. One day, when retail is so valuable, they may rebuild the garage and blank wall of manhattan plaza, but that may be 10 years from now - it would have a huge displacing effect now.

Then there is the Strand off 10th (built 1988), which faces 43rd, and has blank wall on 10th and 42nd. One day this could be transformed into a great restaurant. But the rest of the new developments are putting retail on 42nd, and not leaving any blank walls. Even on 43rd there is retail.

The only thing historically worse than 42nd was 41st, so there are theatres and restaurants facing 42nd on the south side, although it's not very popular still. Virtually the entire south side of 42nd between 10th and 11th has yet to be transformed. Give it time, and it will happen.

[BrooklynRider]

I walked by this building last night. I like the north/south exposure's glass curtain wall and its interaction with the metal facing on the south/north sides. Good looking building - something a little diffent for a change.

[Peteynyc1]

Hellish walk to the subway in winter from here, no? I imagine the bus runs all the way down?

[Drexel]

Has anyone heard how the sales are going at this property ?

[kevykev6]

does anyone have any new pics of the project. I have not not seen any in a little while. thanks, kev

[Derek2k3]

There are some new ones here.

[kevykev6]

5-23-06 - does anyone have any new pics of the project. I have not not seen any in a little while. thanks, kev

[LeCom]

Saw it today. It clearly stands out as the largest building on 42nd west of the Orion a few blocks to the east.

[Derek2k3]

jskrybe's photostream
4-29-2006

[BigMac]