After a drawn-out saga, Tom Stoelker reports on the settlement reached last week over the fate of the Manufacturers Hanover Trust building in Manhattan.
According to Stoelker, Vornado Reality and preservationists have finally reached an agreement for how to preserve, and redevelop, key elements of the building designed by Gordon Bunshaft for Skidmore Owings and Merrill (SOM) in 1954.
The primary issue of contention between the two sides was how to protect the interior elements of the former bank building as it's converted to retail uses. Victories for preservationists include the expansion of the landmarking to include the interior of the former vault space and the reinstallation of two Harry Bertoia sculptures.
Not all of preservationists' concerns were addressed in the agreement, however. "Several other contentious elements remain. The escalators that were once viewed in profile from Fifth Avenue, now run perpendicular to the avenue, and two doors were inserted onto the Fifth Avenue facade," noted Stoelker.
FULL STORY: Glass Half Full
Report Reveals Proposed NYC Congestion Pricing Details
The draft proposal indicates most drivers would pay $15 to enter the Central Business District.
Zero New Housing Permits Issued in Manhattan Last Month
July was a dead month when it comes to approving new housing units.
Staten Island Sues Over Congestion Pricing, Too
The borough’s president says the plan would bring more traffic to Staten Island and unjustly burden its residents with air pollution and tolls.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.
San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.
Trump Prompts Restructuring of Transportation Research Board in “Unprecedented Overreach”
The TRB has eliminated more than half of its committees including those focused on climate, equity, and cities.
Amtrak Rolls Out New Orleans to Alabama “Mardi Gras” Train
The new service will operate morning and evening departures between Mobile and New Orleans.
The Subversive Car-Free Guide to Trump's Great American Road Trip
Car-free ways to access Chicagoland’s best tourist attractions.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont