architecture, urban design, planning
The two project sites are located in Long Island City at the end of 44th Drive along the East River. The proposed FAR recommended by the EDC yielded a massing that was vastly greater than the surrounding context. To justify the new towers, the design proposal included a design for the full length of 44th Drive, in which building density and height increase nearer the waterfront, or near Courthouse Square at the opposite end. The proposed development was to contain a large amount of commercial and light industrial space, an elementary school, a substantial amount of residential apartments, and vehicular parking. The building base is constrained by setback requirements, an adjacent subway line and the need for a service road to access the multiple cores serving the different functions in the building. To accommodate the full program and to acknowledge the underlying waterfront codes, the residential towers are oriented perpendicular to the wateredge, atop a prominent cantilever. The tower bends slightly so that the views out from 44th Drive effectively open up at the waterfront. Ground floor commercial and restaurant uses line the street and public riverfront access space.
*this project was completed by Christopher Stienon while a part-time employee at FX Fowle.
Location: Long Island City, New York
Client: Simon Baron / Carlyle LLC
Services:
Concept plan proposal including conceptual architecture design, massing, programming, zoning review.
Waterfront Access Plan.
