Reply With Quotethis will be a major improvment, maybe clear out other buildings that tenants may want to move into this building and open up more development
^ Disrupts the street's ramshackle character.
this will be a major improvment, maybe clear out other buildings that tenants may want to move into this building and open up more development
It´s an ugly, insensitive design. Why that huge scale busting mouth? Notice how many nice contextual, but perfectly modern, buildings are going up in places like Soho and Tribeca.... this kind of block deserves the same.
The development itself is such a bad idea. It just reminds me of the World Trade Center: a flashy but insubstantial attempt to revive a supposedly struggling industry that will just become another boondoggle taking years to actually become profitable, if it ever does. To make no mention of the fact that the design looks like a Midtown apartment building.
No, no, and no.
The WTC was hardly "insubstantial" considering it brought a tremendous amount of office space and jobs to Downtown and the city. So much so that even to this day, we are still feeling the repercussions of its lost. I wouldn't call the Wall Street jobs the WTC housed "struggling" either.Originally Posted by TLOZ Link5
Are you, also for certain the diamond industry is "struggling" and a "boondoggle taking years to become profitable?"
Anyhow, this proposal--although not that excitingly beautiful--is a positive for the city because it creates more, much-needed commercial space in the city and hopefully brings together some of the diamond industry, freeing up valuable Midtown sites for additional development. Let's not make a mistake like we have with the Toy Industry, where they were recently left homeless because the building they were in, came under the condo conversion knife. It's just a matter of time before these "contextual" sites the current diamond companies are at and that you people seem to cherish so much will become too valuable and soon they will have to move (maybe even out the city). Why not avoid this fate and have them in one central place?
Last edited by antinimby; March 14th, 2006 at 05:09 PM.
No, that comment was in regard to the proposed tower as being analogous to the World Trade Center. The WTC was meant to be a world headquarters of sorts for shipping firms, and it took years to fill up — with offices for financial companies. It wasn't until the early 1980s that the buildings actually turned a profit. Meanwhile, almost all of the port activity moved to New Jersey.The WTC was hardly "insubstantial" considering it brought a tremendous amount of office space and jobs to Downtown and the city. So much so that even to this day, we are still feeling the repercussions of its lost. I wouldn't call the Wall Street jobs the WTC housed "struggling" either.
Are you, also for certain the diamond industry is "struggling" and a "boondoggle taking years to become profitable?"
And like it or not, the Diamond District is not what it used to be; the article says as much. It's a distribution center primarily now, though diamonds used to be cut and processed there commonly. What's more, the developer promises to attract international diamond trading companies, yet he's currently mostly soliciting firms in the Diamond District itself.
While the exact purpose for the WTC is probably numerous and remains debatable even today, it is highly doubtful that 10 million sf of office space was intended for shipping firms. This is a quote taken from a website that talks about the history of the WTC:
In March of 1961, the agency issued a proposal for a $335-million project of 11 million square feet that would include a 72-story world trade mart, with a hotel, a world trade institute and exhibition facility, a 30-story world commerce exchange to house government offices and agencies, a 20-story trade center gateway building housing international banking, law and other business services, and a securities exchange building - in the shape of a tapered barrel - that would house the stock and commodity markets.
As you can see, there's no mention that the space was intended for shipping firms. While the plan and even the site eventually changed, the type of business targeted remained the same.
And from that, you believe that this diamond center will turn out the same way, too? What crystal ball do you possess that gave you this bit of information?It wasn't until the early 1980s that the buildings actually turned a profit.
Now your argument is getting fuzzy. First you mentioned the WTC was intended for headquarters (which one should assume to be offices) for shipping firms and now you say that port activity moved to NJ. Need I remind you that the two (one being office/adiminstrative, the other being the actual handling of cargo) are not the same? You didn't think the WTC towers were meant to hold shipping containers, did you? Holes: there are a lot of them in your argument.Meanwhile, almost all of the port activity moved to New Jersey
Who says the industry is what is used to be? For that matter, what industry is? Furthermore, the same can be said of the US fashion industry, where the headquarters and decision-making is still in this country while the actual fabrication of the product is done overseas. But you wouldn't say that the fashion industry in this country is in decline and therefore we should just forget it and let it rot? So why would you feel differently towards the diamond industry? It should also be noted that it is largely still NYC dominant and certainly important to the city economically.And like it or not, the Diamond District is not what it used to be; the article says as much. It's a distribution center primarily now, though diamonds used to be cut and processed there commonly.
And again, you know for certain that it won't attract international businesses or that the developer isn't trying to get them here? And if he couldn't get international companies to come with this building, wouldn't it be even more difficult without it? The purpose of this project is to create a facility large enough to hold not only those domestic companies who'll want to come but international companies as well.What's more, the developer promises to attract international diamond trading companies, yet he's currently mostly soliciting firms in the Diamond District itself.
Is there a thread for these?
^ Thread for ugly, non-contextual buildings?
I've considered starting one, but keep thinking I need to get me a camera first ...
this is a good idea, it will consolidate the industry and allow other development on that block.
As for worryijg about that the russian mob operates there, every industry in the city has mob business involved, its part of the life here
I fully support this tower. NY is the undisputed leader in this industry. According to the article, 50% of diamond sales worldwide occur in the U.S., and 90% of diamonds sold in the U.S. pass through NYC. This tower will facillitate the industry. It seems from the article that Barnett has lined up a lot of interested tenants. The only people complaining are the landlords, who, as Barnett correctly noted, "maintained" derelict, dilapidated properties. Look at these dumps. They are disgrace. Moreover, they fester on some of the most valuable real estate in the world.
If other crap buildings on this block are suddenly empty, perhaps they will be redeveloped and put to worthwhile uses like hotels or offices which Midtown desperately needs.
A thread for the modern contextual buildings refered to by fabrizio
It appears that demolition may start soon on Gershon's diamond center. Sidewalk bridges are being constructed in front of the empty buildings on 46th Street, and there are signs in the now empty buildings on 47th Street stating that Co. XYZ, etc. has moved to....
id like this to get going as well, this may free up the corner on Sixth and Fifth aves to office development usage
I don't like this tower at all. It is just butting its nose on there. Those buildings are not ramshackle, they are not collapsing into the sidewalk. Just fix the up the facades and there is no reason to knock these down. There should be a lower tower with a more classical look for the neighborhood using those buildings as its base.
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