A new sign went up recently (though, I am not sure how recently) for 605 W42nd Street (at 11th Avenue), which replaced an older and more dramatic and specific sign (see it HERE) for what is believed to be the site for The Atelier II, the sister tower to the epic failure that is The Atelier, next door on 42nd Street near the West Side Highway.
This site has been ripe with speculation over the years of what it wants to be and what it could be, yet it still remains a disgusting hole filled with a diseased pond and rats. And speaking of rats, while walking home last night down 11th Avenue at 42nd Street (Friday Night/Sat Morning at 3am), I saw 4 rats, BIG ones, the foot long variety, all with in 2-3 minutes, at that corner. In nearly a decade, that is a record. And for the record, these rats weren't all that afraid.
Simply put, the Atelier was a major failure, trying to sell Studio Apartments (Condo) for $800k, with the justification that the public was dumb enough to think they were more valuable because Lindsey Lohan and other C list thespian/future felons were in residence, though none of them owned anything, and simply had free pads to hang out at for a year. Sorry Moinian Group, we just aren't that dumb. Which incidentally is why The Atelier turned into a rental after a big percentage of its units failed to sell as condo's.
And a note to brokers, developers, and building owners; before you start to send me angry emails with ownership and occupancy stats, don't bother and please don't embarrass yourself. I live in a building with a clear view of 12 high rises in the hood that have gone up in the last 6 years, and very simply; the lights on in your buildings apartments don't lie. And another note to the developers and brokers that think they are smart and turn the vacant apartment lights on at night to fool people - I own binoculars, as do most people who live in a high rise, and we can all see which ones are vacant, and I am not the only one looking! Hello? Bueller?
So, why on God's green earth would you build another tower (across the street are the twin 60 Story Silverstein Towers), and at perhaps the bottom of the market, which by the way is NOT coming back anytime soon, regardless of all the overly optimistic bullshit you hear and read about (read: brokers, developers, politicians, etc.) who have a distinct interest in you believing that "all is well".
Well kiddies, the fact is, all is NOT well. The country, our state, and our city are in deep sh*t and things are far from being well. So, batten down the hatches, and get used to it, it gonna be a long bumpy ride here in the Kitchen.
One last thing; all we want is the Whole Foods, so close up the hole, can the development, and give us a few decent places to shop in a strip mall. Oh, and stop lying to us. Thanks!
