NEW YORK - Here's how a 1932 guide to Manhattan describes the view of Central Park from the 43-story Essex House: "an unbroken vista - unequaled anywhere in the city. ... Few apartment buildings in the world are more ideally located."

Today, here's how visitors typically describe the park view from One57, an apartment building a block south of the Essex House and more than twice its height: "Wow!"

The same can be said of the building itself. One57 exemplifies a new type of skyscraper - very tall, improbably slender, ostentatiously opulent - that is reshaping a famous skyline composed mostly of bulky office buildings.

One such apartment tower under construction, 432 Park Avenue, will have a top floor higher than the Empire State Building's observation deck. Another will have a top floor higher than any in One World Trade Center, which is officially (by virtue of its spire) the nation's tallest building.

The 432 Park penthouse has sold for $95 million; two duplex apartments at One57, now nearing completion, also are under contract, each for more than $90 million. Even a studio apartment on a lower floor at 432 Park (designed for staff - a maid or butler) costs $1.59 million.

Such prices seem incongruous in a nation that has yet to recover from the 2008 financial crisis; that lost its lead in skyscraper construction decades ago; and that suffered a terrorist attack in 2001 that seemed to dampen enthusiasm for high-rise living.

And these mansion-size apartments with 30-mile views will go unoccupied much or most of the time. Not since the Gilded Age, when Vanderbilts and Astors spent only a few months each summer at their marble Newport "cottages," will so much expensive space be so little inhabited.

But what's most striking about these towers is their shape. The boxy old World Trade Center twin towers had a ratio of base width to height of 1-to-7 (209 feet-to-1,368 feet); an apartment house about to begin construction next to the Steinway piano showroom on 57th Street will be a feathery 1-to-23.

That kind of skinniness, also found in skyscrapers in Hong Kong and Dubai, is shifting the focus of high-rise construction. Twenty years ago, only five of the world's 100 tallest buildings were at least partly residential, compared with 31 today. They include the Princess Tower in Dubai, at 1,358 feet the world's tallest apartment house.

These towers are shaped by their clientele: a transnational nouveau riche looking for a second (or third or fourth) home. Having made fortunes in nations less regulated economically and less stable politically than the USA, these buyers want a safe investment as much as, or more than, shelter. And they don't want to pay New York resident income taxes.

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Sky's the limit: New towers for the rich soar in New York

South Bend, Ind. The housing boom continues in Downtown South Bend.

A site sale approved Thursday will result in the construction of a brand new four story building at the intersection of Hill and Colfax in the East Bank Village.

The $2.9 million project will add 13 apartment units to the mix. The developers are set to break ground in the spring.

We're not a loft but we would have some of that type of feel higher ceilings, stainless steel open floor plan to really attract that young professional demographic so it will seem high scale but our pricing and what we're looking to do for market rental rates will be feasible for that demographic, says Audra Sieradzki from Colfax at Hill.

The ground floor of the apartment building will be leased as commercial space. The city owns the development site, but Thursday agreed to sell it for $20,000.

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New apartment building is approved at Hill and Colfax

Our team of professionals works closely with developers and architects to create custom multi-family modular building designs. We will work with you to create a custom design to fit virtually any building site or set of building code requirements.

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If youre not looking for a complete custom design and are seeking to save time and money, we have an in-house staff that can develop a modularapartment design to meet the parameters of your site and your market. We will partner with developers and architects to adjust designs and efficiently meet the specific requirements of your site, unit count and density.

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Guerdon Modular Apartment Construction

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- A local architect, construction company and manufacturer are using a unique and increasingly popular construction method--modular building--to construct the majority of a downtown Winston-Salem apartment complex in just 13 days.

Modular building consists of using appliance-ready apartment units that are manufactured in a climate-controlled factory and transported onto construction sites. The units are stacked, using a large crane, on top of one another. Because of the controlled environment in which they are built, proponents of modular building have said the method yields better-quality products that aregreener, more cost-effective and more time sensitive.

Mickey Pack, the job superintendent for Frank L. Blum, the construction company for the Winston-Salem site, explained crews started stacking units last Wednesday. Every morning starting at 8:30, weather permitting, crews stack one row of four units onto the existing building frame. The top unit already has a roof installed. After unit placement, a task Pack said will be completed within the next week, crews will work for another four months to add final touches to the site.

When the building is complete, it will have 65 one-bedroom apartments, each approximately 630 square feet. These apartments will be called the Hilltop House South in Winston-Salem, located at the corner of Brookstown Avenue and Factory Row.

Kevin Masten, the project manager for Blum Construction, explained these modular units are fully inspected, in compliance with state inspection codes for such buildings. Inspectors visit both the manufacturing site, Champion Commercial in Salisbury, and then do additional inspections at the building site in Winston-Salem.

The architect behind the project is CJMW Architecture. CJMW principal Tom Calloway explained he believes modular building is a significant component in the future of construction--both in Winston-Salem and Triad-wide. He said the key characteristics of the method are time reduction and superior quality. Calloway did acknowledge some concerns people generally have about modular building. He said a common misperception is that pre-assembled units are cheaply-made. But, both he and Pack affirmed the units are made with quality materials, including walls that reduce sound disturbance.

Mike Ryan, the general manager for Hilltop House South, said the quick construction and quality assurance of the complex is appealing to future tenants. He said the units are not yet available for rent, but he expects them to cost approximately $800 per month.

According to the Modular Building Institute, all modular buildings have to abide by the same building codes and standards as site-built structures.

WFMY News 2

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65 W-S Apartments to Be Built in 13 Days

Akron council members not only approved a controversial new apartment building for veterans, the homeless and the disabled in North Hill on Monday they voted to make it larger than originally proposed.

Joel Testa, the developer, initially asked for 40 units, but bumped his request up to 60, based on the need in the community. He said Continuum of Care, which surveys the homeless in the area, estimates 388 additional beds are needed to service the homeless. He argued against putting off the project, as one councilman suggested, because of the need.

People are going to die, he told councils Planning Committee Monday afternoon, referring to the homeless who could perish in the cold because of a lack of housing.

Council members were persuaded by Testas argument, voting 11-1 to move forward with the plans for the second phase of the Commons at Madaline Park, which will be built on Brownstone Avenue, south of Longshore Avenue.

Council member Russel Neal Jr., however, voted against the proposal, saying he thought the city should see how the first phase of the project goes over before signing off on an expansion. The first 60-unit Commons at Madaline Park is currently under construction and is expected to open in March.

I have no problem with the project, he said. I have a problem with us rushing without knowing how this will impact the neighborhood and those who live there. They want to do the second phase before they finish the first.

Council member Linda Omobien, who works for Community Support Services, which will be the co-owner of the apartment buildings, abstained from the votes.

Council member Jim Hurley, who represents Ward 2 that includes the development, backed the project after expressing concerns when it was initially proposed earlier this year.

A facility for the vets I have a hard time saying no to that, he said. In my heart, I think its a good idea.

Councilman Jeff Fusco, who chairs the Planning Committee, reminded council members that they needed to vote based on the best use for the land and not based on who will be living there.

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Akron City Council approves 60-unit apartment building for veterans, homeless, disabled in North Hill

The Chinn Construction crane currently working on the LA Fitness/Apartment site in West Seattle is decorated for the holidays and affords an amazing view of West Seattle and beyond.

The 150 foot tall construction crane currently in place at the site of the construction of the L.A. Fitness and apartment building at the intersection of 39th S.W. Alaska Street S.W. and Fauntleroy Way S.W. is now decorated for the holidays. But it's also a remarkable vantage point to see around the area from a unique perspective.

The crane now sports two 16 foot tall "trees" of lights, a 7 foot in diameter Christmas wreath and two 12th Man LED signs for the Seahawks that are about 4 feet to a side.

Chinn Construction LLC, using lulls in the construction process, decorated the crane in stages finally completing the lighting process this week. James Casal, Superintendent of Chinn Construction LLC said, "The supplier of the operator and what we call a 'bell man' on the ground supplied by Garner Construction stepped up, supplied, and installed with our help all the Christmas lights, the wreath and the 12th man lit sign boards. There's another hoist on the crane that we use to haul the lunch up or a backpack with gear or we hook on to the crane itself with a long rope on it and he pulls it up. Then we take the lights and from the top, dangle them down the side. A guy then just works his way down attaching them to the tower. The boom has a catwalk on it and they walk along it with safety harnesses clipped on to a cable and install the white lights that go out the boom's edge. It's taken them a few days and we've got to keep running too."

The holiday lighting will stay up through new year's eve but the 12th man signboard will likely stay up much longer though, "everyone on the crew is after me to let them take it down and put it up at their house," he said laughing.

The construction project is expected to be complete by February, 2015 and will have 500 parking spaces, and 240 apartments in two buildings plus the L.A. Fitness Center.

ABOUT THE PHOTOS By David Rosen

I was invited by Mr. Casal, to climb up to the top of the crane around 7am. I made sure I had my steel toe shoes on and a good pair of work gloves as well as a safety hard hat. I signed a waiver and then once on the crane, I slowly began my climb up a caged metal ladder straight up to 150+ feet. It was a good climb up and I stopped at every platform to check out the scenery for a brief moment but once I reached the very top platform where the crane's cab was, I was blown away by the spectacular view of West Seattle.

I have never done this before and to get this great opportunity was awesome. The crane operator named Vance Allred was super nice and had a lot of stories to tell me about his past projects he had worked on. I also can't forget Rich Olson who is a great and funny guy who helped hang the lights up on the crane. Overall I had the time of my life and I loved the views and photos that I got to take when I got up there. The morning started out cold and foggy but started to warm up and the fog started to clear by the late morning. You defintely get a good workout that's for sure, though it only took about 5 minutes in total to climb.

Continued here:
SLIDESHOW: The view from the top: Chinn Construction crane is decorated and provides a West Seattle vantage point

Despite heavy opposition from the Glendale Historical Society, a 142-unit building in the San Fernando Road Corridor, known as the Link, was given final approval by the City Council this week.

The nonprofit dedicated to preservation opposed the roughly $25-million project on a roughly 1-acre site at the corner of Central Avenue and San Fernando Road because it would require the demolition of a commercial building built in 1930 that the historical society considers a historic landmark.

Historical society representatives said they did not oppose development altogether, but asked that the developer, George Garikian owner of Kareco Inc. to rehabilitate and incorporate the 1930 structure into the design.

This is a link to our past, said nearby resident Marty Bracciotti. Theres no reason [the developer] cant incorporate this in and mix modern and new.

Doing that, though, would be economically infeasible, according to a city report. Garikian described the building as old, out-of-context and unsafe.

We are not the sleepy community we used to be and we will never be that again, he said, adding that his project signifies the progress Glendale has made.

About 20 opponents spoke during more than an hour of public comment and described the building as a historical landmark and pleaded with the Council to block the proposed design.

The Link is just one of many apartment buildings coming to Glendale. As a development boom has taken hold in the city, roughly 3,800 units are either recently completed, under construction, entitled or in the entitlement process.

Both the developer and the historical society hired consultants to determine if the building at 3901 San Fernando Road should be considered a historic landmark, with each side coming up with a different answer and then describing their opponents defense as flawed and erroneous.

The historical societys consultant, Christine Lazzaretto of Historic Resources Group, claimed the building deserves to be preserved because its a rare example of Mediterranean Revival architecture applied to a commercial building and the builder, Lloyd H. Wilson, brought many industrial businesses to Glendale.

The rest is here:
'Link to our past' not enough to block the Link

A small office building at 54 Sasco Hill Road would be replaced by a mixed-use office and apartment building if a new application wins Town Plan and Zoning Commission approval.

The TPZ began a public hearing on the application filed by Love Where You Live, LLC, on Tuesday night, but the hearing was continued to January.

Raymond Rizzio, the lawyer representing the applicant, said the 2,700-square-foot building, while on largely residential Sasco Hill Road, is in a designed commercial district. "We want to add to the property," he said, and build a mixed-use project.

The new building would be elevated, provide additional parking and comply with Federal Emergency Management Agency standards. The first floor would be office space and the second floor would be an apartment. Both spaces, Rizzio said, are expected to be occupied by the building's owner, Love Where You Live, a local construction company. He said, however, it would be used for office purposes and the property would not house construction equipment.

On one side of the property is a large office building that fronts on the Post Road, and on the other is a private home that uses the driveway at 54 Sasco Hill Road through an easement.

It is expected that the new building would add two more cars to the traffic on Sasco Hill Road during peak hours, according to the applicant.

Landscaper William Kenny said the project calls for marsh area behind the building to be restored, with invasive species and a lawn area removed.

Rizzio said the building would be white-washed brick, clapboard siding and large expanses of glass, taking advantage of the water views of the Mill River. He said while the proposed building would be two and a half stories -- there is a small loft area on the third level and an enclosure for mechanicals -- it would not appear taller than nearby structures because of the lot's low elevation. The first floor would have 3,250 square feet of office space, while the second floor apartment would have 2,819 square feet. The loft area would be comprised of 327 square feet.

The property in question, Rizzio said, sits lower than Sasco Hill Road. "From the street, there's a 7-foot shift in grade," he said.

A mixed-used building, he added, would provide a transition from the abutting commercial district on the Post Road to the residential district on Sasco Hill Road.

Continue reading here:
Mixed-use building proposed on Sasco Hill Road

Published: Thursday, Dec. 12, 2013, 3:41a.m. Updated 12 hours ago

An apartment complex for seniors is in development in North Versailles.

Construction of the 40-unit Primrose Apartments is expected to get under way in February or March, with a targeted occupancy date of early 2015, according to developer Hudson Group Inc. of Hermitage.

It's intended to create a community of senior citizens within a building where they live independently in a safe and secure environment, Hudson's director of government services Dana Frankenburg said.

The project is being funded with a $6 million grant, awarded in 2011, from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Section 202 program for elderly housing.

The Community Action Partnership of Mercer County is the sponsor, and will own the building when it is completed. Frankenberg said the project constitutes good use of federal tax dollars.

There is a high need for this type of housing in the North Versailles area, Frankenburg said.

Allen Wagner, who is code enforcement officer for North Versailles, said he sees the facility as a good fit for the township. Wagner noted that approximately 42,000 seniors live within a five-mile radius of the township's Wal-Mart.

The whole Mon Valley is senior citizen rich, Wagner said.

The three-story apartment building will be built on five acres of the old Fillar estate on Denning Way. It's a location that puts it in close proximity to the Giant Eagle and other businesses along Route 30. Wagner, who through marriage has family ties to the previous owners of the land, said the property sat vacant for years and was thought to be undevelopable because of an abandoned petroleum line crossing the site.

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Developer proposes senior complex in N. Versailles

The Reserve Bank has exempted new homes from its LVR regulation. Photo from NZ Herald.

While welcoming the exemption, the Labour Party criticised Westpac bank's decision yesterday to charge higher interest rates for low-deposit borrowers, claiming the Government had created a ''two-tier home lending market''.

Reserve Bank deputy governor Grant Spencer announced yesterday that the central bank, having consulted the building industry and other banks, would exempt new residential construction loans from the LVR restrictions, which were introduced on October 1.

The LVR sought to keep overall bank mortgage lending to people who had less than a 20% deposit, at 10% of banks' lending portfolios, putting first-home buyers at a further disadvantage.

''While high LVR construction lending is only around 1% of total residential lending, it finances around 12% of residential building activity,'' Mr Spencer said in a statement.

''This exemption means that low deposit lending will fall outside the 10% speed limit if it is financing the construction of a new house or apartment.''

Labour's Housing spokesman Phil Twyford said recent evidence from the Registered Master Builders Federation, that the LVR was putting thousands of new builds at risk, ''blew a hole'' in the Government's policy of trying to increase housing supply.

Warwick Quinn, chief executive of the Registered Master Builders Federation, said he had no doubt it was research from independent consulting company for the building industry, Branz, released late last month, which influenced the policy change.

It showed 5000 new houses, not the previously estimated 3000, could be jeopardised by applying LVRs to new house construction.

''The information the banks keep on how much lending they do on new house construction is not great,'' Mr Quinn said.

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LVR exemption for building welcomed