WASHINGTON HEIGHTS — The CEO of the company that put a dent in Quadriad Realty's Washington Heights skyscraper plan believes that a large tower wouldn't be good for the community.
HAP Investment Developers CEO Eran Polack said Tuesday that community outrage over Quadriad's tower proposals were part of the reason his company's condos will only be seven stories tall, in accordance with existing zoning laws.
"The community board is against it and the neighborhood is against it," Polack said of applying for a rezone for a taller building. "I didn't think it was the right thing to do."
Polack added that HAP has a history of developing buildings in accordance to current zoning laws, saying, "We always do as-of-right, it's our policy and the way we do business. We bought this property to develop it as-of-right."
HAP put a dent in rival Quadriad's plan to put a pair of skyscrapers uptown when it bought a piece of the proposed skyscrapers' footprint — at 4452 Broadway — in April, according to the Department of City Planning.
They have since refused to cooperate with Quadriad, which said initially that it would court HAP as a partner in the project.
Quadriad's plan to place towers of 25 and 28 feet required a rezoning of the land, and the developer and Community Board 12 tangled over the number of affordable housing units that would be offered as part of the plan.
HAP plans to construct a seven-story building with 128 condos on the property, and said they plan to sell the property at market rate. The plan is currently pending city approval, and Polack said he expects a groundbreaking next summer with construction being completed in mid-to-late 2015.
Polack also offered details on two other projects that HAP is working on.
HAP Four, a 100-unit apartment complex planned for 653 W. 187th St., is being designed by world-famous designer Karim Rashid. Polack said HAP Four would consist of rental units that would be offered at "cheaper prices."
HAP Three, planned for West 167th Street, will be 39 units of condos with 12,000 square feet of community space that can be used for doctor's offices. Both of those projects are still being finalized.
