NYU Spokesperson Issues Response to 181 Mercer Modifications
NYU Local reported on Friday that residents in Greenwich Village spoke out at a Community Board 2 meeting in late October about modifications proposed for 181 Mercer, a $1.2 billion multi-use space currently under construction.
Matt Nagel, a spokesperson from the university’s Office of Public Affairs, responded to Local’s inquiry in an email Friday.
The email primarily addressed the history of the 181 Mercer project rather than issues that arose out of last month’s Community Board 2 meeting, which highlighted local residents’ frustrations after NYU proposed further modifications of the structure in early September. Instead, much of the email was in line with the University’s branding of the structure as open, modern and well within limits set by the city.
“181 Mercer Street’s design has progressed through several phases,” wrote Nagel. “We were approved to build 930,000 gross square feet of space. NYU, working in consultation with Council Member Margaret Chin, slimmed down the plans for the building and made it less bulky resulting in a building that is currently planned for 735,000 gross square feet.” Nagel also noted that these figures are “above and below grade,” meaning that square footage refers to the entire structure, including portions beneath ground level.
Nagel’s email also states that NYU is working with Council Member Chin and is “currently considering design refinements to the northeast portion of the building including to the two-story elevator bulkhead that sits atop the building podium at the base of the northernmost tower.”
NYU has agreed to a number of community commitments in relation to the building at 181 Mercer and its surrounding area, Nagel claims, including approximately 7,500 square feet of public space on the ground floor in the form of a “public atrium and community uses space.”
Notably, the email did not specifically address residents’ concerns about light, noise and air. However, Nagel repeatedly referenced NYU’s cooperation with council Member Chin as well as its intent to slim down designs.
“The design team produced a building that is 20% smaller than permitted under the City approvals and the building helps us meet a crucial set of academic and NYU community needs within a single structure.”
The entirety of Nagel’s statement can be found below:
181 Mercer Street’s design has progressed through several phases. In 2012, the New York City Council granted us permission to develop new facilities on the two superblocks and the first project in the plan that was designated to proceed is the 181 Mercer Street building. We were approved to build 930,000 gross square feet (above and below grade) of space. NYU, working in consultation with Council Member Margaret Chin, slimmed down the plans for the building and made it less bulky resulting in a building that is currently planned for 735,000 gross square feet (above and below grade).
During the land use review process in 2012, discussions between NYU and Council Member Chin resulted in significant changes to the 181 Mercer Street building; chief among them was the elimination of a proposed Tower B at the corner of Mercer and Bleecker Streets. Tower B was intended for student housing and was comparable in size to Towers C, D, and E. As a result of discussions with Council Member Chin, this tower element was removed from the northeast corner of 181 Mercer Street, directly across from 88 Bleecker Street. The discussions with Council Member Chin also resulted in height reductions to Towers C and D (Tower C was reduced 30 feet and Tower D was reduced 40 feet in height). The design team produced a building that is 20% smaller than permitted under the City approvals and the building helps us meet a crucial set of academic and NYU community needs within a single structure.
The University is currently working with Council Member Chin in response to her concerns expressed by residents in the area. The University, working in consultation with Council Member Chin, is currently considering design refinements to the northeast portion of the building including to the two-story elevator bulkhead that sits atop the building podium at the base of the northernmost tower. The elevator bulkhead facilitates critical internal circulation and enables access to some of the largest programmed spaces within 181 Mercer Street, including performing arts spaces, classrooms, and student housing. However, the University instructed the design team to look into the Council Member’s request and the architects have advised that the elevator bulkhead can be reduced by approximately one-third of its mass at its northeast corner by removing space planned for student activities. With this change, the eliminated portion of the bulkhead will become open space as part of the roof terrace.
In addition, the remaining portion of the elevator bulkhead can be concealed by a green screen as well as surrounded by ornamental plantings and shrubs that will blend with and connect to the adjacent roof terrace that will be planted throughout.
Separately, there will be community space in and around 181 Mercer Street. Council Member Chin advocated for community space inside 181 Mercer Street which resulted in approximately 7,500 square feet of community space accessible from the ground floor of 181 Mercer Street (a public atrium and community uses space). In addition, another publicly accessible space will be the Greene Street walk that will run along the west side of 181 Mercer Street.
With the guidance of Council Member Chin, NYU agreed that in addition to the approved plan, NYU would fulfill a series of commitments to the community. These commitments include (but are not limited to) enhancing spaces for public use (the Bleecker Street Landscape and the LaGuardia Street Landscape) and supporting spaces for community use, such as making 6,000 square feet available in WSV 4 for a daycare and pre-K program managed by Creative Steps/University Settlement. In addition, Councilmember Chin advocated for another 900 square feet of community facility space that has been provided in WSV 3 to Visiting Neighbors. Visiting Neighbors provides outreach programs for seniors in Lower Manhattan.
