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Quadriad Realty to Present City Revised Wahi Skyscraper Proposal

By Farran Powell | August 7, 2012 9:54am | Updated on August 8, 2012 11:45am

WASHINGTON HEIGHTS -  After more than a year and a half of discussions regadring a suite of skyscrapers that could radically alter Upper Manhattan's skyline, developer Quadriad Realty said it will soon submit its revised plan to the city.

Officials from the New York-based developer Quadriad Realty said they plan to submit revised plans to the Department of City Planning for approval to build two to four 29 to 31-story skyscrapers on West 190th Street and Broadway for its project dubbed the "Tryon Center." 

The developer presented a preliminary plan to Community Board 12 last month, which includes more affordable housing units and buildings that sit up to 10 stories shorter than originally proposed in 2010. Quadriad officials said they planned to submit the new proposal to the city in late July, but agency reprentatives said they have not yet seen the new plan. 

Last year area residents and community leaders said they opposed the plan because of the height of the proposed buildings, which are significantly taller than most of the existing buildings in Washington Heights. Developers argued in an initial proposal that they needed the extra space to include affordable housing, but critics said their rates were pegged to Manhattan's median income levels, which are still too high for the lower income averages of Upper Manhattan residents.

Quadriad officials had argued they would move ahead with an as-of-right plan for the building, which will include no affordable housing units, if unable to hammer out a compromise with the community.

According to the developer, Quadriad's new plan was hammered out after meetings with local leaders, including State Sen. Adriano Espaillat, Assemblyman Guillermo Linares and City Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez, where the group attempted to determine the right mix of income levels for the neighborhood.

In addition to building affordable housing units, the developer has promised renovations to public facilities, such as a facelift to neighboring Gorman Park, and a plan to renovate the 191st Street 1-train station's entrance. The units will offer more than 400 market rate rental units.

The latest plan, which includes a mix of residential and commercial space, increases the number of affordable housing units from 160 to 184 to accommodate more low- and moderate-income individuals and families. The development will provide 52 units for low-income individuals and 132 units for moderate-income.

Moderate-income units range from $33,600 to $56,000 for studio to 3-bedroom apartments, which rent from $840 to $1,400. Low-income units will be avaiable to individuals and families who earn $33,600 to $56,000 and rent from $510 to $895 a month.

The development will also offer 350 market rate apartment, which makes up 65 percent of the apartments proposed. Originally, the ratio was 70 to 30 and included housing for "middle income" individuals.

No submission for zoning or land use has been received yet, according the Department of City Planning and the Department of Housing Preservation and Development.

"As such we have not made any commitments to the project, and it would be premature to discuss details before we are able to assess the feasability of the proposal," wrote HPD spokesman Eric Bederman.

The developer did not specify when the group plans to submit its new proposal to the city.