Turtle Bay News A Publication of the Turtle Bay Association Winter 2014 Vol. 57, No. 1 Real Estate Development Picks Up in Turtle Bay and City BY BRUCE SILBERBLATT onstruction projects halted in the • Construction Pending. construction aftermath of the 2008 financial - 315 East 45th Street (Permanent Mis- of a new ho- Ccrisis are humming again in Turtle sion of the United Arab Emirates to the tel or condo- Bay. Here’s an update on projects in pro- United Nations) minium of, cess and some that we might see under cur- - 229 East 49th Street (Permanent Mis- say, 30-40 rent or future rezoning plans. sion of the Republic of Senegal to the floors would United Nations) be possible. • Zeckendorf’s 10 UN Plaza. The enclo- - 405 East 51st Street (northeast corner sure is topping out and two penthouses Building of First) have been combined into one for sale at Ever Taller - 219 East 44th Street (north side be- $100 million. The radius of tween Second and Third) East 49th and • Halcyon. Work at the crane-accident site, - 305 East 50th Street: awaiting DOB ap- 50th Streets, at 303-305 East 51st Street, is moving proval of permits. from Park ahead. Demolition of the tower’s eastern Extell Amasses Holdings on East 49th to Third Av- side is complete, as is building of the and 50th enues, holds base’s superstructure. The tower’s west- Extell Development has bought the seven- potential for ern extension has been framed up to the story garage at 138 East 50th for $61 mil- building high 12th floor. lion and applied to the DOB for demoli- and mighty • 145 East 47th Street. The lot, formerly tion. The company has also acquired two once the home to a small building between Lex- smaller properties, Nos. 143 and 151 East East Mid- ington and Third, is being excavated. 49th Street. Adjoined with No. 138 at mid- town Rezon- • 969 First Avenue. The foundation has block, this total grouping of sites would ing proposal been partially completed at the site, still enable the aggregation of 148,000 square is taken up again. Under an open lot just south of Parnell’s, be- feet of air rights. When combined with No. Rendering of Halcyon, 303- tween 52nd and 53rd. 138’s 100-foot frontage on 50th Street, the the Bloom- 305 E. 51st Street at Second. berg rezon- ing proposal, most of this block was des- Jessica Lappin Honored at TBA’s 2013 Annual Meeting ignated as “Site 17” and will probably figure as a target for demolition in any The TBA’s Annual Meeting, on Nov. 12, munity, with special interest shown in the future rezoning plan. Considering this, the 2013, was a jam-packed event where latest report from Bruce Silberblatt, the Extell property assemblage on 49th and TBA’s Zoning, Land Use and Transporta- members heard news from a slate of com- 50th Streets could be folded into Site 17 tion Committee Chair. munity leaders and TBA directors, and had and combined with the taking of three ad- continued on page 7 joining large hotels to create a nearly one- the chance to learn more about the com- million-square-foot monster and allow a 70-story building. Although the rezoning project is temporarily moribund, the future opportunity to build tall in this area is not. Might rezoning of the East 49th/50th Street area enable the next One57, Extell’s 75-floor tower at 157 West 57th, currently the tallest residential building in the West- Directors Pat McDougald, Bruce Silberblatt, ern Hemisphere? Or another 432 Park Jessica Lappin receives honor from Bill Curtis; Dick Irwin and Grace Perry. A TBA member Avenue? This super-tall residential tower Dan Quart looks on. appears in the back. continued on page 3 Turtle Bay Association • 224 East 47th Street, New York, NY 10017 • (p) 212-751-5465 • (f) 212-751-4941 • [email protected] • turtlebay-nyc.org TBA Who’s Who In Memoriam The NYPD Block Watcher Program to Start Up Soon Turtle Bay Association 224 East 47th Street Chico Hamilton, “Cool Jazz” Great, “Block Watcher” is Dies at 92 New York, NY 10017 a community-partic- Phone: (212) 751-5465 Chico Hamilton, a towering artist whose ipation program run Fax: (212) 751-4941 quiet and melodic style helped define Cali- by the NYPD and Email: [email protected] fornia’s “Cool Jazz” open to all. As a block Website: www.turtlebay-nyc.org movement in the watcher you become Check our Bulletin Board: 1950s, died in Man- part of an informal network of citizens East side of Second Avenue hattan on Nov. 25, who report incidents – emergency and between 48th and 49th Streets, 2013 at the age of 92. non-emergency – to the NYPD and other outside wall of supermarket. Following a career of city agencies. Your objective is to watch pioneering work as a your block and, if you observe any crimi- Board of Directors drummer, bandlead- nal activity, report it. No further action or Officers er, composer, teacher involvement on your part is required. President: William E. Curtis and talent scout, Mr. As a citizen and resident of Turtle Bay, Secretary: Grace L. Perry Treasurer: Dick Irwin Hamilton continued Photo: Jack Vartoogian/ your participation can provide a valuable Vice Presidents: Millie Margiotta to perform and re- FrontRowPhotos assist to the police officers of the 17th Pre- Dolores Marsh, Bruce Silberblatt cord even beyond his 90th birthday. cinct and help actively ensure the safety and security of our neighborhood. Directors The Chico Hamilton Quintet was one of the Ethel Bendove, Bunny Blei, most popular jazz bands at nightclubs and The program has not yet launched; how- Meryl Brodsky, Orin Buck, jazz festivals during the 1950s and ‘60s, and ever, you can sign up now, and you will be William E. Curtis, Denise Hamilton, appeared in the 1957 movie, “Sweet Smell notified when it starts up. Contact: Marie-Louise Handal, of Success,” with Burt Lancaster and Tony Anita Harvey, Dee Howard, Police Officer Jeffrey Arlotta Bill Huxley, Dick Irwin, Curtis, and in “Jazz on a Summer’s Day,” 17th Precinct Community Affairs Bert Stern’s acclaimed documentary about Mary Marangi, Millie Margiotta, 212-826-3228 Mark P. Markowski, the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival. [email protected] Dolores Marsh, Pat McDougald, Mr. Hamilton was born Foreststorn Hamil- Candi Obrentz, Grace L. Perry, ton in Los Angeles on Sept. 21, 1921. His Michael Resnick, father, Jesse, worked at the University Club Welcome, New Merchant Carol Rinzler, Bruce Silberblatt of Southern California, and his mother, Members Honorary Emeritus Pearl Lee Gonzales Cooley Hamilton, was Animal Care Barbara Connolly a school dietitian. The Cat Nanny Jeannie Sakol Cat Care In the Home Helen Shapiro Mr. Hamilton is survived by a brother, 212-758-6691 Don; a daughter, Denise Hamilton, a TBA [email protected] Community Calendar Director; a granddaughter; and two great- Banks & Financial Services North River Global, LLC (Accounting) granddaughters. His brother the actor Bernie 17th Precinct Community Council Hamilton, and his wife, Helen Hamilton, 251 East 51st Street, Suite 8A 212-991-8160 Open Meeting both died in 2008. [email protected] Last Tuesday every month, 6 pm Sutton Place Synagogue He was a longtime neighbor in Turtle Bay Not-for Profit Associations 225 East 51st Street and a member of the TBA. CIVITAS Citizens, Inc. 1457 Lexington Avenue 212-826-3228 (Quoted and adapted from an article by Peter Keepnews, 212-996-0745 (No meetings July, August, December) The New York Times, published November 26, 2013) http://civitasnyc.org Office Construction Community Board 6 Editorial Committee Glenn Partition Inc. Full Board Meeting 845 UN Plaza, 24B Second Wednesday every Editor: Lee Frankel 212-243-2800 month, 7 pm Layout: Hilary Black [email protected] NYU Medical Center Photographs: Lois Avery Gaeta, Restaurants 550 First Avenue Davio’s Manhattan 212-319-3750 Vivian Gordon, Candi Obrentz Northern Italian Steakhouse Contributors: Lois Avery Gaeta, 451 Lexington Avenue Now live online at Bill Huxley, Millie Margiotta, 212-661-4810 http://wp.cbsix.org/live/ Candi Obrentz, Bruce Silberblatt davios.com 2 Turtle Bay News www.turtlebay-nyc.org Turtle Bay’s Elected Officials, 2014 -Contact Information Reminder on Rules Governing Parks and Representative Carolyn B. Maloney Gale Brewer U.S. House of Representatives, 12th District Manhattan Borough President Playgrounds 1651 Third Avenue One Centre Street New York, NY 10128 15th Floor A recent bulletin from the NYPD’s Com- 212-860-0606 New York, NY 10007 munity Awareness department drew atten- http://maloney.house.gov 212-669-8300 tion to city regulations governing parks Senator Liz Krueger Letitia “Tish” James and playgrounds that help foster a safe New York State Senate, District 28 NYC Public Advocate environment for all visitors by deterring 1850 Second Avenue, at ground level One Centre Street New York, NY 10128 certain criminal elements, such as child 15th Floor predators, drug dealers, and prostitutes. 212-490-9535 New York, NY 10007 lkruegersenate.state.ny.us 212-669-7200 • A “Park” is a general open area desig- Assemblymember Brian Kavanagh http://pubadvocate.nyc.gov nated for recreational use by anyone. New York State Assembly, District 74 237 First Avenue (14th Street), Room 407 Scott Stringer • A “Playground” is a place with recre- New York, NY 10003 NYC Comptroller ational equipment such as swings, see- One Centre Street 212-979-9696 saws, monkey bars, and slides, for chil- [email protected] New York, NY 10007 212-669-3916 dren to use. Assemblymember Micah Z. Kellner http://comptroller.nyc.gov New York State Assembly, District 76 • An adult is permitted on a playground 1365 First Avenue Dan Garodnick only when accompanied by a child un- New York, NY 10021 City Councilmember, District 4 der the age of 12.