green building

• Wired New York takes a look at renderings of unbuilt Gotham skyscrapers - many of which were to incorporate green design features.
• Vornado looking to rezone site of Hotel Pennsylvania across from MSG for new office tower
• On heels of two-year green retrofit program, Pantheon Properties inks two industrial tenants in Newark and Secaucus, New Jersey.
• Libeskind's green design for One Madison Avenue alludes to September 11 .
• Brooklyn Creative League to bring shared, green office space to Park Slope.
• Contractor on JetBlue's green T5 project at JFK
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NDR Group recently completed construction on Garito Manor at Union Square . The 102-unit, $30 million facility will accommodate seniors over the age of 62 with lower incomes. While funding for the project came from many sources, NYSERDA provided a $399,000 grant for the project’s green features, which include five geothermal wells, energy efficient lighting, windows, and insulation, and locally-sourced materials. Perkins Eastman Architects designed the project with construction management services from Andon Construction Company . Garito Manor is seeking an unspecified level of LEED certification; for monthly rents ranging from $2200-$2800 residents will enjoy two daily meals, 24-hour security and concierge, housekeeping, and transportation services. The complex opened today for residents to begin moving in and is named for former New Rochelle mayor Frank Garito, who had pushed during his administration for the redevelopment of New Rochelle’s downtown historic district.

The Gold Street Apartments is a 62,000-square-foot rental development currently under construction at 40 Gold Street in lower Manhattan. The 14-story project broke ground back in June and was designed by Manhattan-based Meltzer/Mandl Architects. 56 studio and two-bedroom apartments will complement 5900 square feet of ground-floor and basement retail space. Although the design includes a number of green design features, ranging from low-E windows and Energy Star-rated appliances to an efficient building envelope, it does not appear that the project is seeking any sort of LEED or other third-party certification. The project team includes structural engineer Severud, mechanical and electrical engineer TSF Engineering, and general contractor MJM Construction Services. Occupancy is scheduled for June 2010.

• Meltzer/Mandl Completes Design for Gold St. Apartments (NYREJ)

The First Avenue District School in Newark, New Jersey recently earned an Award of Merit from New York Construction magazine in connection with its "Best of '08" awards program. The elementary and middle school was designed by Paulus, Sokolowski & Sartor ("PS&S") and includes green design features that would qualify it for 31 different LEED credits, though Newark chose not to pursue formal certification (citing cost considerations).

Some of those green features include daylight and occupancy sensors, passive solar design, and efficient, full spectrum lighting. Locally sourced and recycled-content materials were used during construction, while other LEED-standard features include light pollution reduction, water-efficient landscaping, low-VOC paints and sealants, and a construction waste management program.