After seven years of stalemate, two developers have reached an agreement that will allow them to build ultraluxury towers on the northern edge of Midtown. The area is becoming the modern equivalent to what the robber barons built a century ago.
With dollar signs in their eyes, Gary Barnett and Steven Roth reached an agreement this week that will allow each other to move ahead with two "superluxury" towers along 57th Street. Combined with five other luxury high-rises in the area, the buildings will help transform a "once dowdy stretch" into "Billionaires’ Row," reports Charles V. Bagli. "Taken together, the seven high-rise buildings promise to remake the skyline and to redefine what it means to be rich in a city that is a cradle of capitalism and not so long ago was an emblem of urban poverty."
"But with the surge in construction of apartments at prices only a billionaire could afford, is there a fear of saturation?" he asks. “'Price really has no relevance,' said Nancy Packes, a real estate consultant and marketing executive. 'High net worth individuals look at real estate today not as a place to live, but as an investment.'"
FULL STORY: Developers End Fight Blocking 2 More Luxury Towers in Midtown
Billionaires Row Residents Sue to Block Homeless Shelter
The denizens of the luxury apartments near Central Park oppose the "expense" of a new homeless shelter.
Billionaire Row's Newest Residents: Lawsuits and Foreclosures
The world's skinniest skyscraper, under construction on Manhattan "Billionaire's Row," is over budget with 60 stories left to build.
New York City's Skyline Evolves With Tall, Skinny Towers
For better or for worse, the tall, skinny towers that have helped to remake New York’s iconic skyline appear to be growing in popularity among developers.
In Most U.S. Cities, Archaic Laws Limit Roommate Living
Critics argue laws preventing unrelated adults from living in the same home fail to understand the modern American household.
Ten Signs of a Resurgent Downtown
In GeekWire, Chuck Wolfe continues his exploration of a holistic and practical approach to post-pandemic urban center recovery, anchored in local context and community-driven initiatives that promote livability, safety, and sustainability.
Off-Peak is the New On-Peak
Public transit systems in major U.S. cities are starting to focus on non-rush hour travelers as pre-pandemic commuting patterns shift and transportation needs change.
The New Colorado River Deal: An Explainer
According to one analyst, the agreement approved by the states doesn’t go nearly far enough to protect the river in the long term.
Research Indicates the Large Potential Benefits of Parking Cash-Out Laws
‘Free’ employee increases driving. Parking cash-out laws reward commuters who use climate-friendly modes, which increases fairness and reduces traffic problems.
Through the Eyes of a Journalist: Megan Kimble Reflects on Covering Food Systems, Zoning Changes, and Highway Projects in the Southwest
Kimble’s interest in topics related to urban planning spawned from research and writing about food systems in the borderlands of Arizona. She then moved to Austin in the midst of the city’s update of its Land Development Code.
Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission
Code Studio
TAG Associates, Inc.
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Montrose County
Knox County
Wichita-Sedgwick County Metropolitan Area Planning Department
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.
