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The NY Times reports that a developer claims it "would face hardship if it could not get special permission to build a bigger office tower on its site next to the High Line, the long-awaited elevated park that has helped drive up real estate values in the meatpacking district." The Romanoffs have been trying to maximize their space at 437 West 13th Street and say that the High Line's structure has either prohibited them from doing so or that it's making building much pricier. Their lawyer explained, "We’re not saying we wish the High Line wasn’t there. But it makes it more expensive to build." However, office real estate isn't really on fire these days. Community Board 2 chairman Brad Hoylman summed up the skepticism a few months ago, "The fact that the applicant is claiming hardship because of the High Line rankled some folks in the community. For many people, it seems that the High Line is a windfall."
High Line Developer Wants Permission For 2nd Tower
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What a surprise!
Hardship? Get lost you idiot. I hope you go under and take all your investors with you.
Look at poor Donald Trump. He's facing hardship because those nimbys down there in west SoHo wont let him make it residential. That is a true hardship case.
Cry me a river.
It's not terrible that somebody wants to build but that has to be the lamest reason for an exception ever. My guess is that more developers who sometimes operate in 20 year cycles, will use the economy to gain advantages and approvals that would never have been granted when times were better, for stuff that they won't build until rents skyrocket again.
Actually I don't think that developers have this thing inside them that tells them to "BUILD BUILD BUILD". If given the opportunity they would be like John Jacob Astor and have others "BUILD BUILD BUILD" with 21 year land leases and let the others take the losses at the end of the lease.
Leave it to a developer and a lawyer to come up w/ a 'hardship' building a project in the West Village next to the High Line. And of course, after all the bribes are paid, theyll get exactly what they want. The entire High Line is a scam. Just a reason for developers to tear down every building and replace them w/ yuppie condos, pocket the money and run.
If not for the High Line, this sad sack of a developer would not even be developing this property. The High Line has caused the biggest land-grabbing development boon this city has seen in a long long time. What more does he want, for the City to give him the land, build him his building and then give him all the profits tax-free?
That sounds about standard under the Bloomberg administration.