LOWER EAST SIDE — A luxury tower on the East River waterfront could rise up to 800 feet — almost three times taller than the neighboring Manhattan Bridge and triple the height of the tallest buildings in the area, according to an application filed with the city.
Extell Development Company filed an amendment to raise the building’s height to 72 stories from 56 stories, according to a recent CityRealty blog post. The Department of Buildings approved the application for the original structure in late May, records show. The agency has not issued a permit for the amended structure, a DOB spokesman said.
The developer previously had a permit to construct a 68-story building but applied to lower its height to 56 stories in March, records show. Extell received a permit to build the 56-story tower last month, according to DOB’s website, even though a sign at the construction site says the building will be 71 stories tall.
No alterations have been proposed for the 13-story building next to the luxury tower, which will contain 205 affordable units, the DOB spokesman said.
Extell had no comment on the final plans, a spokeswoman said.
The project has been a controversial neighborhood issue since the developer bought the property in 2013 and demolished the Pathmark located there the next year, leaving residents in the immediate area without a supermarket close by.
Neighbors feel the tower will look out of place in the cluster of mid-rise buildings, the tallest of which stands at 21 stories tall, according to CityRealty. They have also raised concerns about the construction site, which caused parts of Cherry Street to cave in last month.
Community groups also rallied against the development in April.
Residents plan to share their grievances and ask Extell questions about the development in a July 29 meeting hosted by Community Board 3 and the Two Bridges Tenants Association, said the group's president, Trever Holland. The meeting will take place at 6:30 p.m. at the Two Bridges Tower community room, located at 82 Rutgers Slip.
