David Childs/SOM

Although the credit crisis has definitely taken its toll on local green building projects in a variety of ways, the Post’s Steve Cuozzo reported today that Larry Silverstein may be close to landing a tenant who will at least partially replace the space that HSBC was slated to occupy at LEED Gold-certified 7 World Trade Center. HSBC’s potential move to five floors at the green tower was heralded, but a deal to sell its Midtown headquarters at 452 Fifth Avenue (at West 40th Street) fell apart several weeks ago after bidders came up $180 million short of the bank’s $600 million asking price. Accordingly, HSBC very quietly pulled out of its agreement to move downtown to Manhattan’s first LEED-certified commercial office building. Now, the German bank West LB is “in ‘real’ discussions” with Mr. Silverstein for space across three floors.

Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, Toren (Dutch for “tower”) opened its sales office back in April and is offering 241 condominium and affordable units at 150 Myrtle Avenue in Fort Greene. The 38-story, silver-blue aluminum and glass tower is being developed by BFC Partners and is selling at $750 per square foot. BFC head Don Capoccia told The Real Deal last week that the firm has 32 executed contracts and 11 out for Toren’s 199 market-rate units, while a whopping 1300 applications have been submitted for the project’s 42 affordable units. The Toren is aiming for a LEED Silver rating from USGBC and will feature its own cogeneration facility, rooftop gardens, and (presumably) the other LEED-standard green design features.

Real Estate Weekly last week covered the recent Associated Builders and Owners of New York luncheon, which was held at The National Arts Club and featured thoughts from Robert Selsam, Senior Vice President and Regional Manager of Boston Properties. Mr. Selsam described his firm’s 250 West 55th Street, which will seek a LEED Gold rating from USGBC. “We want to think of it as a Lever House redux,” Selsam said; as REW noted, both the seminal Lever House at 390 Park Avenue and the new tower were designed by Skidmore Owings and Merrill as glass boxes rising out of a wider podium base. Many, though certainly not all, of the LEED buildings we’ve reported on in Midtown- including 545 and 510 Madison Avenue- will essentially be walls of glass, but the initial renderings of 250 West 55th appear to be a bit more ambitious in their homage to the local history of the International Style. The 38-story tower is expected to receive tenants in time for a 2010 occupancy; demolition and excavation efforts are already underway.

As we briefly noted late last week, Larry Silverstein has secured another tenant for LEED Gold 7 World Trade Center. Advertising firm Arnell Group will pay $70 per square foot for the entire 40,000 square feet on the building’s 37th floor. According to the New York Observer, only 440,000 square feet remain across 11 floors [...]