Development Watch: Finger Building Back in Action
First the Finger Building got a new owner, then it got a new name and now it’s looking like it might actually get finished. Yesterday a tipster sent in this iPhone shot of contractors reporting for duty. “Looks like I’m going to have a long summer of noisy construction workers waking me up every morning,”…
First the Finger Building got a new owner, then it got a new name and now it’s looking like it might actually get finished. Yesterday a tipster sent in this iPhone shot of contractors reporting for duty. “Looks like I’m going to have a long summer of noisy construction workers waking me up every morning,” quipped the tipster. True, but it’s better than having a rotting eyesore on your block for the next decade. After all, the squatters are taking over the ‘Burg! Update: The building will not be built any taller than its existing 110 feet height. GMAP
Thats not exactly true WBer – there was plenty of noise raised by locals with CB1 when these people were working illegally night and day to try to get the foundation poured and therefore grandfathered in before the zoning change. CB1 did jack. The illegal work continued. This is the same CB1 that not long ago approved a 40 story tower in Greenpoint in an area that has nothing higher than 6 floors.
Certainly the new owners know the history, and probably paid a fair price that allowed them to take that into account. But at the end of the day, they could have kept going – after the latest legal rulings, the community couldn’t have stopped it, nor could the CB (this never really came before CB1 – they voted against a permit extension rather forcefully, but the courts overruled that).
it’ll be great to see it finished. it’s a view ruin-er. not a word, but accurate.
interesting WBer. This is a case of the community taking action, and ultimately getting a result, even after the rubber-stampers at Community Board 1 let them down.
WG News had the scoop on this yesterday -http://thewgnews.com/2009/06/new-finger-building-owners-agree-to-height-cap/ – it’s back, but it’s not going any higher.