[Obey]

Work on Glassy Astor Place Starbucks-Crusher Starting Soon
http://ny.curbed.com/archives/2011/0...rting_soon.php

Developer Edward Minskoff has big plans for 51 Astor Place. A Starbucks closed to make way for Minskoff's proposed Fumihiko Mahi-designed structure in 2009, and the developer has chatted with a few media outlets about his hope of filling the building with high-tech companies, investment banks, and advertising firms. The key question, of course, is when all this will happen. The answer: pretty soon! EV Grieve has an update from this week's developer-community meeting, and it turns work at the site will start July 1, with actual demolition likely for mid-August after the abatement and inspections are finished. The entire project will take about 17 months. Of course, that's 17 months of early morning and occasional weekend construction to really warm the neighbors up to the place.
The developer describes the 183-foot building as "black glass with black granite and silver fins," which lines up with the rendering we've had on our radar. The building has educational space—with NYU and Cooper Union on the list of potential tenants—and retail. In the plaza, pending Community Board 3 review, there'll be an Alexander Calder sculpture where the Film Academy Cafe now sits. Competition for the Cube?