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The Caledonia
The Caledonia is a 24-story, glass-and-brick residential structure abutting the High Line at 450 West 17th Street between 9th and 10th Avenues. The building has its own entrance onto the High Line. The building’s developer is the Related Companies and the Taconic Investment Partners and the architect is Gary Handel.
The building includes a lobby with a waterfall and 534 units with bamboo floors, as well as a meditation garden, sun deck, pet spa, children’s playroom, Equinox gym and spa, library and indoor parking. There are 288 units available for rent, 190 condo units and 56 affordable housing units. The Caledonia is one of the first developments in the Special West Chelsea District to opt into the inclusionary housing program, which requires the developer to set aside twenty percent of the housing units as permanent affordable housing rental units in exchange for a bonus for a greater buildable area. The affordable housing units must be integrated throughout the building.
Opposition to the buildings construction arose from the local community board, Manhattan Community Board (CB) 4. CB 4 charged that the Related Companies were in violation of Inclusionary Zoning laws. On Nov. 1, 2006, CB 4’s full board approved a letter by the Board’s Affordable Housing Task Force asking the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) to examine whether the developer was creating segregated conditions, by confining all of its affordable housing units to the first eight floors of the building rather than the integrating the affordable housing as both programs require. HPD responded to CB 4 that the Related Companies development was indeed in compliance with the City’s inclusionary housing laws, although the units will all be located on certain floors. HPD argument is that the Caledonia is “structurally one building,” therefore the distribution of housing is acceptable.
The project cost $350 million. Interest in The Caledonia has reportedly increased significantly since the June 2009 opening of the High Line.
Last Updated: July 28, 2009
This development is closely interlinked with:
High Line Redevelopment
- RELATED DEVELOPMENTS AND COMMUNITY DISTRICTS:
High Line Redevelopment - Most Recent Story: 06-14-2010
Manhattan Community District 04 - Most Recent Story: 06-14-2010