Construction breaks ground for Greenpoint Landing’s OMA-designed towers
Rendering courtesy of OMA/ nuur.nu
Construction is now underway on the next phase of development at Greenpoint Landing, which includes one acre of additional public waterfront space designed by James Corner Field Operations and two new residential towers designed by Rem Koolhaas’ international architecture firm, OMA. In addition to 745 units of mixed-income housing, the new towers will also add 8,600 square feet of ground-floor retail.
The next phase of the esplanade expansion will add more than 40,000 square feet of new public space to the existing public waterfront, with a focus on landscaping and green spaces, including a lawn and picnic area. In total with the first phase of development, the esplanade (which is adjacent to the newly reconstructed Newtown Barge Park) will create more than two acres of continuous public space along the shoreline. New pedestrian connections on Dupont Street and Eagle Street—which will be extended to the waterfront—will make the area more accessible. Construction will be led by Brookfield Properties and Park Tower Group then donated back to the City so it can function as a public park.
As 6sqft previously reported, the OMA-designed towers will feature precast concrete panels surrounding large, square windows. Designed to maximize skyline views, the space between the two towers is intended to “frame a new view of Greenpoint and a new vista from the neighborhood to Manhattan.”
“We’re excited to begin construction on what will be a new hinge point between Greenpoint and the waterfront,” said Jason Long, OMA Partner, in a statement. “The two towers are flanked by smaller buildings—7 stories at the corner and 3 stories at the water—to create a continuous yet shifting perimeter around the block. This variegated edge will extend Dupont and Eagle streets to bring activity and access to the East River.”
Together with the adjacent seven-story building, the two towers will bring a total of 745 units of housing—30 percent of which will be affordable. Marmol Radziner is the interior designer and landscape designer for the buildings and Beyer Blinder Belle will serve as the executive architect and unit interior designer.
The developers also announced that Two Blue Slip, the second residential tower at Greenpoint Landing designed by Handel Architects, will begin leasing in the spring. The first building, One Blue Slip, opened in August 2018, along with 1.5 acres of public waterfront open space. It holds 359 units—90% of which have views of the East River and Manhattan skyline—and a range of amenities designed by Gachot Studios.
Rendering courtesy of Brookfield Properties and Park Tower Group
Greenpoint Landing is a 22-acre site situated along a half-mile of East River waterfront. The site was designated for residential use as part of the 2005 Greenpoint-Williamsburg rezoning. When complete, Greenpoint Landing will include roughly 5,500 residential units—1,400 of which are to be affordable housing—four acres of public open space, and a new public school.
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