New Yorkers often joke that change is the only constant in this city – and the Chelsea/Meatpacking neighborhoods are no exception. Here are the neighborhood’s latest or upcoming additions, or real estate-related happenings worth knowing about.
New Renderings For Proposed Restoration Hardware Building
Plans to renovate the historic building at 9-19 Ninth Avenue are now underway. Aurora Capital Associates have submitted a proposal to the Landmarks Preservation Commission which includes a façade designed by Backen Gillam Kroeger Architects. The building’s structural brackets and brick walls will be retained, and the proposed design will bring a clean, symmetrical look to the future site of a new Restoration Hardware store.
Safer Crosstown Bike Lanes Coming to 26th and 29th Streets
New York City’s Department of Transportation announced in January that 26th and 29th Streets will be reconfigured to include protected bike lanes spanning nearly river-to-river. While protected north-south bike lanes have been popping up throughout Manhattan, the city has been slower to add safe thoroughfares for east-west travelers. With the L train set to shut down for repairs in 2019, this project will help keep NYC’s growing number of bicycle commuters safe.
Eyal Shani Opens First U.S. Restaurant in Chelsea Market
Israeli celebrity chef Eyal Shani opened his first New York restaurant — in fact, his first U.S. restaurant — in Chelsea Market at the end of January. The counter-service pita spot, Miznon, has locations in Tel Aviv and Paris, and each outpost features a menu with ingredients unique to its locale. The New York location, for example, offers pitas stuffed with creme fraiche and lobster, which are not commonly found in Israel. Shani’s flagship dish, a whole roasted cauliflower, is on the menu at all Miznons – and definitely worth a try.
Studio Gang’s “Solar Carve” is On the Rise
The 10-story office building on Tenth Avenue between 13th and 14th Streets has been in the works for almost six years. The project will bring 139,000 square feet of office space to Chelsea, and is being designed by Studio Gang, who describe the design as inspired by “geometric relationships between the building and the sun’s path.” Now that construction has finally started, we’ll soon find out how Studio Gang will realize their vision.
Blockchain Tech Company Opens Office in Chelsea
Ripple, a San Francisco-based company which created a cryptocurrency called XRP, will open an office at 155 West 23rd Street, owned by Kaufman Organization and Goldman Sachs Asset Management. The company signed a 6,933-square-foot lease and is expected to move in this quarter. Investors in Ripple include Google Ventures, Seagate, and Accenture, and at its peak in early January, XRP currency in circulation were worth a total of almost $300 million.
Google to Replace Bourdain Market at Pier 57
After Anthony Bourdain’s plans to bring a Singapore-style night market to Pier 57 faced extensive delays due to visa issues for chefs, it was announced at the end of 2017 that the project would not be moving forward after all. Shortly after, Google announced that they would be increasing their footprint at Pier 57, adding 70,000 square feet of offices and 50,000 square feet of community space to the 250,000 square feet they had already planned to lease. The expansion will include public outdoor space, a ferry landing, and retail and restaurants. While many were looking forward to Bourdain’s market, it will be interesting to see what Google does with the space.
City Sues Chelsea Landlord for Short-Term Rentals via AirBnB
The landlord of 156 West 15th Street is being sued by the Mayor’s Office of Special Enforcement for operating an “illegal hotel” using AirBnB. The four-story walkup contains nine units, and OSE investigations found that six of those units were being rented via AirBnB. This will mark the 11th lawsuit that the city has brought against landlords or operators of illegal hotels in an attempt to cut down on the number of units being rented out for short-term stays.In the event you’re interested in leasing your space through AirBnb, be sure to check out the guidelines for doing so here.
