Special back-to-school edition of Rumblings & Bumblings, everybody's favorite development game, where you ask the questions and give the answers. The questions below were submitted by actual readers via airgram. If you've got an answer, another question, or a sweet, sweet digital photograph, drop a line to tips@curbed.com?or drop a note in the comments below. Many thank yous.
1) Downtown: "the short version is: they're tearing the wearhous at 1 york down. i passed the other night the latest gleaming apt tower going up in tribeca, 1 york at canal and ave of the americas, by enrique norten, who's rather good i think...well, construction seemed to start a few weeks ago, and the big posters are still up showing the same scheme as they've been marketing for well over a year, but the building will at least be partially unlike the pictures. they've demolished the back (southern) half of the existing structure...i don't know if this thing is landmarked, which i doubt, it was pretty ugly, or in a historic district, which is probable in tribeca, and i don't know why they wanted to preserve it in the first place, though i'm guessing cost savings (i'm an architect.) but if something's amiss here, i'd love to know more about it..."
2) Gramercy: "Anyone have any idea as to what's happening at an old church on 19th St. btwn 1st & 2nd Aves? The congregation using it moved out right before Easter - rumor was that they lost their lease. Now it is undergoing some interior demolition. Not a huge place, so I don't think this anything on the Novare scale, but just wondering what's happening. I think the address is 355 E. 19th St." Rendering via Wired NY.
3) SoFi: "I don't think you've covered this building.* It is a new building going up on the corner of 35th and 5th. From what I've found out, people expect it to be 'affordable housing' - think this would be pretty interesting for the 'SoFi' area. Does anyone know what's up??" *We have! Unsuccessfully!
4) Harlem: "I'm exiled to NC for a few years, hope to be back in 07, and you help keep me going. I miss my old block, east 109th btw fifth & madison. I know the museum of african art is going up on the lot there. Could you or another reader please give an update on this?"
5) Williamsburg: "I live on Havemeyer and Union in Williamsburg and there has been a lot of very loud construction going on on the west side of Union. I am sure they are putting up more condos, but any idea what, precisely it is going to be? and why the hell they are banging thirty-foot wooden (wooden!) logs into the ground at 7am?"