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Burymeincalamine t1_izgd1g3 wrote

Reply to comment by Tokyocheesesteak in New York’s ‘zombie’ office towers teeter as interest rates rise by rootbeer_racinette

There is no reason to convert the buildings near Penn station into apartments…you should keep the huge office buildings close to mass transit centers and convert buildings in more isolated areas into residential housing

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Tokyocheesesteak t1_izgeyyn wrote

Many of the buildings in the area, particularly smaller, schlocky postwar office buildings, need to be torn down and redeveloped; however, the area also boasts a great number of magnificent prewar high-rise buildings, particularly around the Garment District, which ought to be preserved and protected. As many of these are obsolete as office buildings, or at least would be difficult, and some. Early impossible, to retrofit to a level where they can compete with new office buildings, they are better off retrofitted as apartments.

The new towers would revive the area's office stock while the prewar renovations would create thousands of new apartments, transforming the Penn Station area and the Garment District into a vibrant, mixed-use, centrally located, round-the-clock neighborhood with excellent transit service and close proximity to central Midtown, the waterfront, and Lower Manhattan.

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Burymeincalamine t1_izgps0v wrote

From an urban planning perspective, you should build office towers close to mass transit hubs (which would also lower housing needs and congestion within the city) and convert the near-empty older office buildings (or their plots) that are further away for residential use

New office space gets snapped up quickly. Banks, consulting, and law firms are pretty much back in the office full time and the towers in Hudson yards are full every day. Not sure where this sub gets their info that offices are dead. Old crusty offices, sure, but prime space gets leased before the buildings are even finished

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Tokyocheesesteak t1_izgrhua wrote

Not sure where you got the idea that I think that new office buildings are dead (unless I misread your post). If anything, my post supports your take in a sense that it it advocates for construction of new office buildings around Penn Station and conversion of old ones into residences.

Having said that, the area can definitely use new residential construction, as well. Ita not like living within a direct train ride of anywhere in Manhattan and literally all of the metropolitan region is not a highly desirable amenity.

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