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Speechless Sunday: Historic Townhouse to "Sliver Building" Not So Fast!

By Mitchell J Hall

Real Estate Agent

June 06, 2010 03:07 AM

330 West 86th Street, Upper West Side

Existing Building

330 West 86th Street between Riverside Drive and West End Avenue

Proposed Sliver Condo at 330 W 86th

17 story 20 foot wide building

The West 80s Neighborhood Association, the Coalition for a Livable West Side, the West End Preservation Society (WEPS), and LANDMARK WEST! will be co-hosting a community meeting Tuesday

June 8th at 6:30 PM at The Church of Saint Paul and Saint Andrew at 236 West 86th Street.

State Senator Eric Schneiderman, Assembly member Linda Rosenthal, Council member Gale Brewer and Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, community board 7 and the community will be attending this important meeting about the west 80's and West End neighborhood.

West End Avenue

West 86th Street Gilbert Townhouses

West Park: A landmark at Last

Courtesy of:

Mitchell Hall, Associate Broker, The Corcoran Group

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Lenn Harley

Lenn Harley, Homefinders.com, MD & VA Homes and Real Estate - Leesburg, VA

Real Estate Broker - Virginia & Maryland

My first question is, how deep is the building???

If it's deep enough for an elevator in the rear, it could make viable condo units.

I'm not concerned about the 20 feet wide. we have thousands of 20' wide town homes.

Jun 06, 2010 10:48 AM

Mitchell J Hall

Manhattan, NY

Lic Associate RE Broker - Manhattan & Brooklyn

Julie, Michael, Lee & Carol, Roger, Robert, Karen and Kathy thanks for the comments.

There is more to this controversial story but it's speechless Sunday. lol

It's been in litigation for 11 years. There have been all kinds of lawsuits and appeals. One of the lawsuits was from the neighboring buildings, as you can see their side windows will have to be closed. The court's first ruling, was whatever went up on the West 86th Street lot could contain only four units. That was appealed by the developer and recently the Board of Standards and Appeals approved the project.

What is even more interesting is that the city owned the building in 1999. Under an affordable housing program, the city owns buildings that were abandoned by their landlords or condemned or have tax liens. The city sells the building to the tenants below market value, with low property taxes in exchange the new owners promise to rehab the building. The city sold the 5 story rental building to the tenants for $340,00. Instead in 2001 they "flipped it" sold it to a developer for $2.25 million.

Jun 06, 2010 11:16 AM

Mitchell J Hall

Manhattan, NY

Lic Associate RE Broker - Manhattan & Brooklyn

Lenn, I think the depth is the same as most city lots, to the lot line from the building's lot on the north side of west 85th Street. While I am a preservationist, I am also a real estate broker on the Upper West Side and there is a market for floor through condos.

Jun 06, 2010 11:28 AM

Sharon Alters

Coldwell Banker Vanguard Realty - 904-673-2308 - Fleming Island, FL

Realtor - Homes for Sale Fleming Island FL

Sad to say, but in a place like NY even the air has value! We shot this in Paris and this situation reminds me of that one except here a charming historic building will lose out to a not-so-charming modern building. If I were the people with the windows, I would be really ticked!

Air for Sale ~ Paris

Jun 06, 2010 11:42 AM

Mitchell J Hall

Manhattan, NY

Lic Associate RE Broker - Manhattan & Brooklyn

Hi Sharon, The people with west facing windows on high floors have partial Hudson River views. What are they doing in that Paris shot? It looks they're building a bridge connecting 2 buildings.

Jun 06, 2010 11:53 AM

Patricia Kennedy

RLAH@properties - Washington, DC

Home in the Capital

Mitch, my first thought was for the people with windows on the side, and I love the old places! Still, it is space and it's in New York. And I wouldn't mind living there!

Jun 06, 2010 12:57 PM

Aaron Vaughn 830-358-0455

Conifer Builders LLC - Canyon Lake, TX

Hello: While I don't agree that something new has to be souless and all old buildings are full of character, in this case, the change would be a little sad. It's going to happen, though.

Jun 06, 2010 01:18 PM

Dora & Vincent Kwok

HomeSmart Real Estate - Chandler, AZ

CNE - Chandler, Arizona Real Estate

This is an option when land is scarce and more people want to live on that scare land

Jun 06, 2010 01:38 PM

Elizabeth Bolton

RE/MAX Destiny Real Estate Cambridge, MA - Cambridge, MA

Cambridge MA Realtor

Hi Mitchell ~ The tenant flip - gulp. What a shame it would be to lose that building. We lose the buildings one at a time and then all of a sudden realize how few are left. Bummer.

Liz

Jun 06, 2010 01:52 PM

Jennifer Fivelsdal

JFIVE Home Realty LLC | 845-758-6842|162 Deer Run Rd Red Hook NY 12571 - Rhinebeck, NY

Mid Hudson Valley real estate connection

Mitchell the old buildings are a part of the NYC charm, it will be a pity to see it go but I know the preservationist will try their best to save it.

Jun 06, 2010 02:25 PM

Roger D. Mucci

Shaken...with a Twist 216.633.2092 - Euclid, OH

Lets shake things up at your home today!

Wow, most interesting story on this building Mitchell, keep us posted on what happens.

Jun 06, 2010 03:47 PM

Evelyn Johnston

Friends & Neighbors Real Estate - Elkhart, IN

The People You Know, Like and Trust!

I too would hate to see the building go. It is full of character just like it is. It's that all mighty dollar that is threatening it!

Jun 06, 2010 03:55 PM

Tamara Inzunza

Realty One Group Capital - Alexandria, VA

Close-In Alexandria and Arlington Living

Impressive.

Jun 06, 2010 04:13 PM

Chris Olsen

Olsen Ziegler Realty - Cleveland, OH

Broker Owner Cleveland Ohio Real Estate

Hi Mitchell -- Interesting. I guess in Manhattan, with space at a premium, you can only go up! :)

Jun 06, 2010 04:48 PM

Tom Ramsey

Century 21 Northland - Traverse City, MI

Hi Mitchell thanks for sharing this. As Chris said unfortantely with space constrictions you can only go up. Keep us update on how this goes.

all my best

tom

Jun 06, 2010 06:11 PM

Mitchell J Hall

Manhattan, NY

Lic Associate RE Broker - Manhattan & Brooklyn

Pat, Aaron, Dora and Vincent, Liz, Jennifer, Roger, Evelyn, Tamara, Chris, Thanks for the comments.

It should be interesting to see what happens. My guess is nothing for another 10 years lol. I think the only way to save the building is if The Landmark Preservation Commission designates the building a historical landmark. While I haven't followed the litigation the past 11 years, I'm somewhat knowledable about affordable housing programs through HPD (Housing Preservation Deptartment) and air rights so I have two issues.

1. When the "so-called" affordable tenants flipped it for $2.5 million as a NYC taxpayer I have an issue with them profiting at the taxpayer's expense.

2. When the building was sold for $2.25 million. The adjacent coops should have offered $3 million for the air rights. $1.5 million from each building to secure their windows. They really don't have such great views because the apartments above the townhouse with east and west exposures face the other building.

Jun 06, 2010 06:29 PM

Pam Turner, REALTOR®, e-PRO®, SFR

Century 21 Belk Realtors Dalton GA - Dalton, GA

I hope history and charm win out!

Jun 07, 2010 12:28 AM

Anonymous

Doesn't Stewart Little Live there? :)

Jun 07, 2010 05:12 AM

#25

Mitchell J Hall

Manhattan, NY

Lic Associate RE Broker - Manhattan & Brooklyn

LOL, The Little family did live on the Upper West Side.

Jun 07, 2010 05:46 AM

Steve Hoffacker

Steve Hoffacker LLC - West Palm Beach, FL

Certified Aging In Place Specialist-Instructor

Mitchell,

That little building has a lot going for it. Kind of looks like like the other buildings are bookends for it. :)

Steve

Jun 08, 2010 04:53 PM

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