The owner of 711 West End Avenue, a six-story rental building at 95th Street, plans to build an eight-story, 65-unit addition atop the current structure, and a new website appeared, offering renderings and details about the development. At first read, it seems like the site was created by the developer in an attempt to assuage concerns of the current tenants, but West Side Rag reports that it was actually created by a tenant after a meeting with the developer "to provide a portal for information and updates from the developer." The site details how the new building will be constructed and what improvement current tenants can expect, and it makes a point to say that there will be no "poor door." Kaled Management currently runs the building, and they will be working with developer P2B Ventures. PBDW Architects will design the addition.
According to the site, the addition will be more like a new building, as it won't really sit on top of the existing structure. "The new building will be supported by a separate structure of steel columns and beams placed around the exterior of 711 West End Avenue. The new building is not structurally dependent in any way on our building, and our foundations will not support any additional weight." (Hm. Someone please explain how this works. Will new piles be driven?) From the renderings (well, sketches, really), it doesn't look that bad or incongruous, but then again, they look like watercolors, so artistic liberties were taken.
A new entrance will be constructed on West 95th Street, along with a lobby and elevators for the addition. A floorplan shows that the new lobby and existing lobby, which will be completely renovated, connect, but the website also says that there will be "one primary entrance." Other improvements include a renovated garage with a "porte-corchere" and a landscaped driveway, plus the garage will be topped with a shared garden. All of the existing windows will also be replaced, and all units will receive wall-mounted air-conditioners that connect to a central system. The new building will have its own separate amenities, but the website doesn't say what or where they will be.
The website gives no timeline for the project, except to say that once construction starts, it will take up to two years to complete.
From the comments on West Side Rag, it seems that feelings among the current tenants are mixed, but City Council member Helen Rosenthal already launched a campaign to try and stop the development by getting the Landmarks Preservation Commission to extend the Riverside-West End Avenue historic district to include this block.
· 711 West End Avenue [official]
· New Website Details Controversial 8-Story West End Avenue Addition [WSR]
· All 711 West End Avenue coverage [Curbed]
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