21-Story Manhattan High-rise

Scope

The EDG team initially performed a property analysis for this entire city block on 106th Street, between Madison and Fifth Avenues. The project aimed to unlock the property’s maximum value by utilizing the maximum allowable floor area, repurposing existing space, and increasing parking on the site. As a result, our work includes designing approximately 170,000 sq. ft. in total new floor area and renovating 48,000 sq. ft. as part of over ten projects throughout the development site.

Approach

The owner previously retained two other consultants who determined only 20,000 sq. ft. of the remaining FAR could be used. We revisited the original zoning analysis performed on the existing site and found multiple locations to construct approximately 170,000 sq. ft. of gross floor area. Our work also included navigating the Harlem-East Harlem Special Purpose District, recent rezoning, and the original zoning at construction. We looked at the site holistically, carefully examining the existing building’s operations while considering the seamless integration of the proposed buildings. We also considered structural considerations for all proposed work.

Impact

Our high-level understanding of zoning and building design experience gives us the advantage of having a complete picture of a development site. We navigated many zoning and code considerations for the project, including subdividing the site. We de-risked dozens of potential issues on an incredibly complex site to make the development possible. As a result of our initial work finding ways to capture the full underutilized FAR, we are currently designing the reprogramming of 48,000 sq. ft. of ground floor spaces, including retail, commercial, and community facility space; a 60-car parking garage expansion; additional commercial/community facility space; the consolidation of lobbies to recapture floor area; as well as the design of a new 21-story residential tower.