New York Law School Starts Expansion

The law school is adding 216,000 sq. ft. to its Manhattan campus in a $190 million project. Also, a condominium tower tops out on Manhattan's West Side.

New York Law School Starts Major Expansion

New York Law School broke ground this summer on a $190 million expansion project at its Lower Manhattan campus.

The first phase of the project , scheduled for completion by fall 2008, will add a nine-story, 216,000-sq.-ft. building on an existing parking lot at the school's Tribeca campus. Four of the floors will be below grade.

A second phase, under the same budget and slated for completion in spring 2010, will entail renovations to the school's existing three buildings, including two 19th-Century cast-iron structures.

The new facilities, slated to contain classrooms, student spaces, and a new law library, were designed by the SmithGroup, an architecture, engineering, interiors, and planning firm based in Detroit. Each of the five above-ground floors will include a lounge and circulation area covered by a 200-ft.-long glass wall facing West Broadway and the Franklin Street subway entrance for New York City Transit.

Thornton Tomasetti of New York is the project's structural engineer and Pavarini McGovern of New York is the construction manager.

The June sale of the Mendik Law Library at 240 Church St., which in part paid for the expansion, made the school one of the 10 best-endowed American law schools. Additional financing for the expansion came through the sale of $135 million in insured bonds.

Affordable Housing for N.J. Seniors

Construction is under way on a 110-unit affordable housing building for seniors in Trenton.

Designed by DMR Architects of Hasbrouck Heights, N.J., the $14.7 million, five-story building will feature a common room, laundry facilities, onsite recycling, and courtyard. It will have sustainable design features such as low-flow water fixtures, high-efficiency windows, and low-VOC finish products.

Hunter Roberts Construction Group of New York is general contractor on the project, which is slated to open in the spring. Vollmer Associates of New York is the civil engineer and Remington & Vernick Engineers of Haddonfield, N.J., is M-E-P and structural engineer.

Business Condos in Greenpoint

Dubbed the first business condominium building in the Greenpoint neighborhood of Brooklyn, the 58,000-sq.-ft. Greenpoint Lofts project is set to finish construction next month.

Developed by New York's Equinet Properties, the $12 million conversion will remake a former warehouse at 231 Norman Ave. into 68 units ranging from 600 to 1,150 sq. ft. and selling from $295,000 to $570,000, including two penthouses. It also will have 9,900 sq. ft. of ground floor retail space.

The building will include features commonly found in residential buildings, such a fitness center, meditation center, roof deck, and landscaped courtyard. >>

David Yerushalmi of 231 Norman Avenue Property Development LLC is the general contractor on the project, which started in May 2005. MBK Architects of Oklahoma City, Okla., designed the conversion and Leonid Krupnik of New York is the engineer.

New Condo Tower on West Side

A new 33-story condominium building topped out over the summer just west of the Lincoln Center performing arts complex on Manhattan's West Side.

The 10 West End Avenue tower, designed by New York's SLCE Architects, will contain 173 residences. They will feature 9.5- to 11-ft.-high, floor-to-ceiling windows and balconies on units above the 14th floor that range from 94 to 2,000 sq. ft.

Other features include a glass-enclosed, 50-ft.-long pool, holistic fitness center, concierge service, valet parking, and chilled storage. The building will also have a children's center developed by the Children's Museum of Manhattan.

The one- to four-bedroom units will feature appliances from Sub Zero, Thermador, and Bosch, and will have limestone, marble, and walnut finishes. The 750- to 2,600-sq.-ft.-sized units are priced between $750,000 and $4.5 million.

Apollo Real Estate Advisors of New York and Cambridge Development and Construction of New York are development partners on the project, scheduled for completion next spring. Gotham Construction of New York is serving as general contractor.

New Clubhouse for N.J. Golf Club

A new $16 million, 56,000-sq.-ft. clubhouse is set to finish next spring at the Alpine Country Club in Demarest, N.J., 25 mi. northwest of New York City.

Construction began last year to replace an existing structure at the golf club, which has courses designed by A.W. Tillinghast. The new building will feature a stone-clad early 20th century manor home design, two kitchens, dining areas for more than 300 people, locker rooms, and steam and massage rooms.

The project also entails building five new tennis courts and a new swimming pool complex.

Mast Construction Services of Little Falls, N.J., is serving as owner's representative, while Peacock and Lewis Architects of North Palm Beach, Fla., designed the new clubhouse. Weitz Gold International, also of North Palm Beach, is the builder.

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