All Posts Tagged With: "LEED-ND"

A few weeks ago, speaking at the Municipal Art Society-Urban Center in Midtown, Douglas Farr provided a critique of the U.S. Green Building Council and its LEED system, suggesting that the organization focuses primarily on standalone buildings and holds a bias against urbanism, among other things. Farr, chair of the USGBC’s LEED-Neighborhood Development (ND) initiative, board member of the Congress for New Urbanism, and President of Farr Associates, gave a presentation entitled “Sustainable Urbanism as the New American Dream.” Although he acknowledged the EPA’s Smart Growth Principles (1996), the Congress for the New Urbanism, and green building as the pioneering reforms to combat climate change, Farr emphasized that LEED, standing alone, is not a sufficient solution to the problem.

The first mixed-use buildings in an urban location in the state of New Jersey to pursue a LEED rating are set to officially open next week in Newark. The Washington Street Townhomes, which are awaiting a formal LEED Gold rating from USGBC, will consist of six 3800-square-foot buildings, each featuring two residential units with commercial space on the first floor. The development is being spearheaded by the Lincoln Coast Cultural District, a community development corporation which is aiming to develop a comprehensive arts and cultural district in Newark’s Lincoln Park. The district will ultimately boast 11 LEED-certified buildings, as well as seek a LEED for Neighborhood Development (”LEED-ND”) rating.

It’s not often we hear about Staten Island on the cutting edge of green building. But the oft-forgotten borough is home to at least two bold new LEED projects currently underway: a police station and a mixed-use riverfront. The NYPD’s 121st Precinct Stationhouse has been designed pursuant to Local Law 86, which requires most new city-owned or operated buildings to obtain at least a LEED Silver rating. There is presently scant information available about the 47,000-square-foot, Rafael Vinoly-designed project, which will be the first LEED Silver police precinct in the city. The cantilevered structure extends linearly out from the site’s irregular footprint, connecting the public both to the natural landscape behind the precinct and, symbolically, to the NYPD housed within.

gbNYC selects green news items of note that were reported across the New York City area during the week of March 2, 2008, including green efforts on the waterfront in Newburgh, New York, thoughts on alternative energy in the context of real estate development at PLI’s Green Real Estate Summit in Midtown, and New Jersey’s Transit Oriented Development programs as a potential model for similar initiatives in New York and Connecticut.

This month’s Gotham Gazette features a fascinating article by Tom Angotti that explores the new LEED for Neighborhood Development standard (”LEED-ND”). In addition to highlighting the relatively low number of LEED-certified buildings in New York City (of the fifteen certified buildings within the five boroughs, ten are in Manhattan, and three of these belong to public agencies), Angotti explores the relationship between individual projects and the neighborhoods around them. (Full disclosure: Dr. Angotti was one of my favorite grad school planning professors).

The community-based Hudson Yards Community Advisory Committee (HYCAC) released their response to the West Side Rail Yards proposals today in a letter to the MTA. Among the highlights:
(1) HYCAC requests that the MTA require a commitment to sustainable construction from whichever developer is awarded the project. Currently, three of the development teams (Brookfield, Durst-Vornado, [...]

Advertising firm Arnell Group pays $70/square foot for 37th floor of LEED Gold 7 World Trade Center
City Council approves Columbia’s Manhattanville expansion plan, which was accepted into USGBC’s LEED-ND Pilot Program
New York City green homes serving as show houses, classrooms
Panel of experts share thoughts on green building in New York City at event organized by [...]