200 Amsterdam

200 Amsterdam is a residential skyscraper at the intersection of Amsterdam Avenue and 69th Street on the Upper West Side in Manhattan, New York City.[1] The lot was formerly occupied by the Lincoln Square Synagogue.[2] Upon completion, the tower will contain 112 condominiums.

200 Amsterdam
General information
StatusTopped-out
TypeResidential
Location200 Amsterdam Avenue
Manhattan, New York City
Coordinates40.7768°N 73.9833°W / 40.7768; -73.9833
Construction started2017
Estimated completion2020
Height
Roof669 feet (204 m)
Technical details
Floor count51
Floor area283,000 square feet (26,300 m2)
Design and construction
ArchitectElkus Manfredi Architects
DeveloperSJP Properties, Mitsui Fudosan America

The building stands as the tallest building on the Upper West Side after topping out at 51 stories in August 2019. 50 West 66th Street will be taller if completed as planned in 2021.[3] Buildings of comparable size exist within a thousand feet to the south and east, including Tower 67 and the Park Millennium, which stand 49 and 47 stories tall, respectively.[4][5] However, in February 2020, a state judge ruled that several upper floors would have to be removed.

History

Planning

The site, formerly a synagogue constructed in 1971, was purchased by the developers for $275 million in October 2015.[6] The building's design was officially unveiled in June 2016[7] and permits for the development were filed two months later in September 2016.[8] Despite the project's initial lot spanning just 10,800 square feet (1,000 m2), the developers expanded the zoning lot to over 100,000 square feet (9,300 m2) by purchasing the development rights from parking lots at the neighboring Lincoln Towers. This allowed the project to aggregate floor area limits and build a much larger project upon the small site.[9]

In May 2017, two community groups began the first organized opposition to the tower's development, claiming that the building's zoning lot was illegal and could not encompass the additional development rights from the Lincoln Towers.[10] Local New York City Council member Helen Rosenthal and Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer endorsed the effort and a formal challenge was filed with the New York City Department of Buildings on May 15.[11][12] In June, the Department of Buildings halted new permit issuance for the site until the challenge could be reviewed and ruled on.[13]

At the end of June, the Department of Buildings filed a "Notice to Revoke" against the developers, meaning that the permit would be revoked unless the developers responded and solved issues that the Department had identified.[14] Two weeks later, the Department ruled that the challenge had merit and rescinded the development's permit until the zoning lot was changed to comply with the law.[15] By the end of September, the developers had responded to the Department of Building's concerns and demonstrated conformance with the law without changing the scope of the project.[16]

The development received new construction permits on September 27, allowing the developers to begin excavation and foundation work for the building.[17] However, in November the two community groups filed an appeal with the Board of Standards and Appeals, part of the New York City Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings, again challenging the legality of the development's zoning lot.[18]

In February 2018, the local Community Board 7 noted its displeasure with the building, although legally the board had no power to stop or alter the development.[19] On March 9, the assistant general counsel of the Department of Buildings sent a letter to the Board of Standards and Appeals which acknowledged that the permits issued for the development was "based on an incorrect interpretation of the Zoning Resolution."[20] In July the Board of Standards and Appeals voted 3-1 to uphold the development's permit after which a community group moved to sue the Board in court.[21]

At the end of September, the project's crane was installed.[22] Shortly after installation, the Department of Buildings ordered work to stop at the site until the developer installed sidewalk sheds to protect pedestrians from potential falling debris from the crane.[23] Despite progress on the construction, a lawsuit in the New York Supreme Court was filed by the Municipal Art Society in October to appeal the Board of Standards and Appeals' decision from July. Several prominent local politicians including New York State Assembly members Linda Rosenthal and Richard N. Gottfried as well as Congressman Jerry Nadler supported the lawsuit.[24]

In November, Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank provided a $425.8 million loan to finance construction of the development.[25]

The New York Supreme Court ruled in March 2019 that the Board of Standards and Appeals had improperly applied the law and ordered the Board to review the project again. However, the court stopped short of revoking the development's permits which allowed construction to continue.[26] Another motion for a temporary restraining order, which would have stopped work on the site, was denied in early April.[27] A request for a preliminary injunction at the end of April was also denied, allowing construction to progress while the Board of Standards and Appeals reviewed the zoning challenge.[28] By that time, the building had reached roughly 25 stories in height.[29] At the end of June 2019, the Board of Standards and Appeals reaffirmed the building's permits after construction had reached the 40th floor.[30]

At the end of July 2019, the Municipal Art Society filed another lawsuit in Manhattan Supreme Court to appeal the decision and attempt to stop the building's development, again alleging that the Board had improperly applied the zoning law when approving the building's permits.[31] The building topped-out the following month,[32][33] though work on the crown and facade proceeded through late 2019.[34]

2020 permit revocation

On February 17, 2020, New York Supreme Court Justice W. Franc Perry ruled that the existing permit for 200 Amsterdam had been issued, as reported by Gothamist, "based on a 39-sided 'gerrymandered lot' that abused zoning protocol", and was therefore issued in error by the Department of Buildings, which was ordered to revoke the permit.[35] The ruling necessitates that "potentially 20 or more" newly constructed floors be removed.[35][36][37]

References
  1. Fedak, Nikolai (October 24, 2017). "Excavation Begins for 200 Amsterdam Avenue, Soon to Become the Upper West Side's Tallest Tower". YIMBY. Retrieved December 28, 2017.
  2. Wilson, Reid (March 3, 2016). "Developers Acquire 200 Amsterdam Avenue, Plan 51-Story Condo Tower, Upper West Side". YIMBY. Retrieved December 28, 2017.
  3. Fedak, Nikolai (November 28, 2017). "Extell's 50 West 66th Street Triples In Size, Will Become Tallest Tower on Upper West Side". YIMBY. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
  4. "Tower 67, 145 West 67 Street". New York Times Real Estate. New York Times. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
  5. "Park Millennium, 111 West 67th Street". New York Times Real Estate. New York Times. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
  6. La Guerre, Liam (October 22, 2015). "SJP and Mitsui Fudosan Complete $275M UWS Purchase for Condo Tower". Commercial Observer.
  7. Fedak, Nicolai (June 20, 2016). "200 Amsterdam Avenue Revealed, The Upper West Side's Soon-To-Be Tallest Building". New York Yimby.
  8. Baird-Remba, Rebecca (September 27, 2016). "Permits Filed: 200 Amsterdam Avenue, Upper West Side's Tallest Building". New York Yimby.
  9. Anuta, Joe (April 11, 2017). "Rare tower set to rise on Upper West Side". Crain's New York.
  10. "Neighbors Vow To Fight Neighborhood's Tallest Building: 'A Done Deal That Will Be Undone'". West Side Rag. May 2, 2017.
  11. Anuta, Joe (May 16, 2017). "Developers of Upper West Side's tallest tower face growing opposition". Crain's New York.
  12. "Opponents Mount Zoning Challenge To New Mega Building: 'We Have A Window'". West Side Rag. May 8, 2017.
  13. "Plans For Upper West Side's Tallest Building On Hold As City Reviews Challenge by Neighbors". West Side Rag. June 10, 2017.
  14. "Controversial Amsterdam Avenue Tower 'On Hold' After Another Department of Buildings Ruling". West Side Rag. June 28, 2017.
  15. "'Victory' For Opponents Of Upper West Side's Tallest Building as City Halts Construction - For Now". West Side Rag. July 12, 2017.
  16. Anuta, Joe (September 26, 2017). "Upper West Side's tallest tower back on track". Crain's New York.
  17. "Construction Begins on Controversial UWS Tower at 69th Street as Opponents Consider New Tactics". West Side Rag. October 12, 2017.
  18. "Two Groups File Challenge Against 69th Street Tower Even as Construction Continues". West Side Rag. November 1, 2017.
  19. "Wednesday: Community Board to Discuss Tall Apartment Towers". West Side Rag. February 21, 2018.
  20. "Opponents of Upper West Side's Tallest Tower Have New Hope After City Letter Cites 'Incorrect' Zoning Interpretation". West Side Rag. March 26, 2018.
  21. "Neighborhood's Tallest Tower Gets the Green Light After Zoning Ruling, and Developers Eye Apartment Sales". West Side Rag. July 17, 2018.
  22. "Work Temporarily Stalls on One Mega-Development as Another Races Ahead". West Side Rag. October 4, 2018.
  23. "Stop Work Order Issued for 200 Amsterdam Avenue". West Side Rag. October 19, 2018.
  24. "Lawsuit to Block 200 Amsterdam Filed: 'We Do Not Want a Bunch of Safe Deposit Boxes in the Sky'". West Side Rag. October 13, 2018.
  25. Burke, Mack (November 8, 2018). "SJP Scores $426M in Financing From Sumitomo Mitsui for 200 Amsterdam Avenue". Commercial Observer.
  26. "Opponents Win Victory Over Apartment Tower on 69th Street, Putting Project in Jeopardy". West Side Rag. March 14, 2019.
  27. "Even With Zoning in Doubt, Court Allows Developers to Keep Building 51-Story Tower". West Side Rag. April 3, 2019.
  28. "After Latest Setback, Opponents Fear 'Tallest UWS Building' Will Be Complete Before Hearing". West Side Rag. April 30, 2019.
  29. Young, Michael (April 9, 2019). "The Upper West Side's New Tallest Tower Begins Gaining Prominence, At 200 Amsterdam Avenue". New York YIMBY.
  30. Tannenhauser, Carol (June 26, 2019). "Board of Standards and Appeals Upholds 200 Amsterdam's Building Permit; 'This is de Blasio's BSA'". West Side Rag. Retrieved July 28, 2019.
  31. Spivack, Caroline (July 29, 2019). "Yet another challenge filed against contested Upper West Side tower". Curbed New York. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
  32. "SJP: Controversial Upper West Side Tower Draws Local Buyers". The Real Deal New York. February 4, 2020. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
  33. Young, Michael (August 15, 2019). "200 Amsterdam Avenue Tops Out at 668 Feet Tall on the Upper West Side". New York YIMBY. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
  34. "200 Amsterdam Avenue's Crown Continues Formation, on the Upper West Side". New York YIMBY. November 5, 2019. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
  35. Offenhartz, Jake (February 17, 2020). "'Groundbreaking' Ruling Will Force Developers To Demolish Floors Of UWS Luxury Tower". Gothamist. Archived from the original on February 18, 2020. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
  36. Chen, Stefanos (February 14, 2020). "Developers of Upper West Side Condo Tower May Have to Deconstruct 20 Floors". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
  37. "Judge Rules Permits for 200 Amsterdam Avenue Should Be Revoked, and Building Reduced in Size". West Side Rag. February 14, 2020. Retrieved February 15, 2020.

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