When we last left East Houston St.'s Liz Christy Garden, construction workers were spotted removing some greenery to make way for Avalon Chrystie Place's sister development across the street (photo at right from Urban Pigeon). Since then, negotiations between Avalon Bay and the Garden have been back-and-forth, with no shortage of heated press releases dispersed into the Internet void in the process. But now?finally? there appears to be a deal. The nature freaks tell us:
Under the agreement -- devised with the input of the Liz Christy gardeners and professional arborists -- Avalon Bay will reconfigure the building to protect specific trees in the garden. However, in order to be able to build to the property line a temporary encroachment into the garden will be necessary to shore up the ground while the foundation is being poured. This will prevent any collapse in the garden. The builders will excavate no more than three feet on to the Garden property for this shoring process, affecting only about 3% of the total square footage. During this process Avalon Bay will mitigate the construction in several ways and will provide money for restoration after construction is completed.Listed amongst the building redesigns: windows on the first floor will not look straight out onto the garden. Sorry, arbor voyeurs.
· Report: Avalon Christie Crushes Spring Blossoms [Curbed]
· Avalon's Across-the-Street Plans [Curbed]
· Liz Christy Garden [lizchristygarden.org]