Harlem

You know how it is with Good Housekeeping Magazine. You let your subscription lapse for a little bit, and you wind up missing out. Missing out on what, I'm not quite sure -- Faith Hill's unpredictable heart-healthy recipes or an interview with Star Jones about pilates or something, maybe? But in defiance of this (totally unearned, totally knee-jerk) dismissal of Good Housekeeping, it turns out the magazine actually has a bit of a green thing going on, and recently assisted, along with the Steven Winter Group, in greening a LEED for Homes-hopeful circa-1910 brownstone in Harlem until it becomes the "greenest home in Manhattan" label. Apparently this is the third year Good Housekeeping has been doing this, too. Why, except for the fact that I am just obviously not someone who would listen to a story with the words "Good Housekeeping" in it, was I not told about this?

Back in October of 2007, only 19 units remained available at Full Spectrum's LEED Silver-hopeful Kalahari condominium development at 40 West 116th Street between Lenox and Fifth Avenues in Harlem. Only 7 units have moved since, and earlier this week prices were cut on the remaining 12. The asking price on a 1386-square-foot 3-bedroom, 2-bath unit is down 6 percent to $815,000, and a 1732-square-foot 4-bedroom, 3-bath apartment has been cut by 19.5 percent to $1.14 million. It's anecdotal, of course, and certainly a function of market realities here in 2009, but the price cuts are interesting to note in light of the constant barrage of positive studies and other reports extolling the inherent premium value of LEED-certified buildings and other green properties. (Note, however, that the Kalahari has yet to be formally certified by USGBC).

This year's New York City regional USGBC Natural Talent Design Competition, held by the Emerging Green Builders, challenged students and young architects and engineers to design an integrated middle school and affordable housing complex in Harlem. Interdisciplinary teams were required to provides designs with a relevant relationship between a school, housing complex and the surrounding neighborhood. Elements rleating to all five categories of the LEED for New Construction Version 2.2 had to be incorporated by addressing sustainable design features.
 
William Stein, principal at Dattner Architects, will be guest speaking at the awards ceremony, which is set for July 21 from 6 to 8PM at the Trespa Design Center (62 Greene Street) in SoHo. Mr. Stein will be sharing his past experiences and thoughts on sustainable affordable housing design projects in New York City, such as the Via Verde and David & Joyce Dinkins Gardens projects.
 
This event is free but space is limited; you can RSVP by e-mailing EGBAwards09@gmail.com.