A Tower the Height of the Empire State Building…in Brooklyn

The wave of skyscraper construction in New York is about to jump the East River.

1 minute read

August 6, 2015, 5:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Brooklyn Brownstones

Matthew Ruttledge / Flickr

"Developer Michael Stern will pay $90 million for the former Dime Savings Bank of New York building on 9 Dekalb Ave., and could use its air rights to build a tower next door that rises above 1,000 feet," according to an article by Daniel Geiger.

"The bank at 9 Dekalb Ave. is a 150-year-old landmarked Neo-Roman building with a domed roof and an ornate interior. But perhaps more important than the building, which could become a prime retail location for an upscale brand like Apple, are the development rights that come with it: roughly 300,000-square-feet."

Geiger notes that this would be the first building in New York City to top 1,000 feet outside of Manhattan. A source familiar with the deal "suggested that Mr. Stern could build a tower potentially higher than the Empire State Building, whose spire stands at 1,454 feet." In a city flush with plans for tall buildings, only one would climb higher than that speculative possibility for the Brooklyn development.

Geiger also notes that Stern is on a roll with parlaying landmarked buildings into high-end high-rise buildings. His building at 111 W. 57th St. will be over 1,400 feet tall, "incorporating an existing building whose ground-floor retail space used to be a showroom for the piano maker Steinway & Sons and is landmarked."

Wednesday, August 5, 2015 in Crain's New York Business

View form second story inside Southdale Mall in Edina, Minnesota with escalators and model cars parked on downstairs floor.

The Mall Is Dead — Long Live the Mall

The American shopping mall may be closer to its original vision than ever.

March 21, 2024 - Governing

View of Austin, Texas skyline with river in foreground during morning golden hour.

The Paradox of American Housing

How the tension between housing as an asset and as an essential good keeps the supply inadequate and costs high.

March 26, 2024 - The Atlantic

Houston, Texas skyline.

Report: Las Vegas, Houston Top List of Least Affordable Cities

The report assesses the availability of affordable rental units for low-income households.

March 22, 2024 - Urban Edge

Aerial view of Anchorage, Alaska downtown with mountains in background at golden hour.

Anchorage Leaders Debate Zoning Reform Plan

Last year, the city produced the fewest new housing units in a decade.

March 28 - Anchorage Daily News

Young man in wheelchair crossing zebra crosswalk.

How to Protect Pedestrians With Disabilities

Public agencies don’t track traffic deaths and injuries involving disabled people, leaving a gap in data to guide safety interventions.

March 28 - Governing

Aerial view of mountain town of Steamboat Springs, Colorado in the winter with snow at dusk.

Colorado Town Fills Workforce Housing Need With ‘Dorm-Style’ Housing

Median rent in Steamboat Springs is $4,000 per month.

March 28 - CBS News

News from HUD User

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Call for Speakers

Mpact Transit + Community

New Updates on PD&R Edge

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.