Shown are developer Silver Star Motors, architect MADGI, and builder 1 Oak Contracting celebrating the completion of the structural frame. Photo credit: Peter Wilk/Wilk Marketing Communications.Queens, NY The developer, and affiliate of Silver Star Motors, the architectural firm of Montroy Andersen DeMarco (MADGI), and builder 1 Oak Contracting have topped-out 37-14 36th St. in Long Island City.
37-14 36th St., is one of the first new high-rise mixed-use residential/retail buildings in east Long Island City/Dutch Kills section, located along a stretch of Northern Blvd. The building is the harbinger of the new wave of residential development in this section of Queens, which has not yet seen any major new projects, despite its proximity and commute to Manhattan.
Rendering of 37-14 36th Street, Long Island City- Queens, NY. Rendering courtesy of Montroy Andersen DeMarco.The traditional ceremony that celebrates the completion of a building’s structure culminated in the pouring of the final load of concrete on the top of the building from a bucket signed by the project team’s leadership, invited guests, and construction crews.
The event was led by Silver Star Motors principal Michael Cohen; MADGI principal Richard DeMarco, AIA, and project manager & designer Elizabeth Zagarello; and 1 Oak Contracting president Roni Benjamini, head of construction Charlie Frattini, and assistant project manager Rebecca Eaker.
“We are excited to achieve this significant milestone in the development process, thanks to the efforts and dedication of the design and construction team of Montroy Andersen DeMarco and 1 Oak,” said Cohen.
DeMarco said, “When complete, the 10-story, 135,000 s/f mixed-use structure will feature a Silver Star Mercedes-Benz dealership on the first two stories and 85 rental apartments on the upper floors. It will be one of the first new high-rise residential buildings to open its doors in the increasingly popular eastern section of Long Island City.”
“This magnificent project has presented several technical and logistical challenges to our construction crew. Today’s ceremony and the fact that the building’s development is proceeding on schedule is a testimony to the great skill of our site personnel and NYC construction laborers,” said 1 Oak Contracting principal Benjamini.
MNS Real Estate is serving as a leasing broker and marketing agent for the property. The firm joined the project team during the early planning phase, collaborating with the owner and the designers in developing the optimal unit mix for the building.
“The building will cater to the needs of young professionals, especially those working in the technology sector, both in Manhattan and Long Island City. The property will offer extensive tenant amenities, great views, and a very convenient and brief commute to Manhattan,” said MNS CEO Andrew Barrocas.
The initial concept for the site’s development simply was to build a new pre-owned showroom for Silver Star Motors and expand the company’s existing pre-owned sales parking. Silver Star is a Mercedes-Benz dealership that has been selling new and pre-owned luxury automobiles to customers since 1972. The lot is located next to Silver Star’s new car dealership. During preliminary discussions about the design for an expanded dealership with Silver Star’s principal Michael Cohen, MADGI principal Richard DeMarco recommended performing a residential test fit based on the property’s zoning. “Based on our experience in optimizing buildings’ size and revenue, while working within the complex New York City zoning regulations, we thought it best to maximize value for the owner and perform a test fit that would provide the highest return on investment. Our analysis showed that 85 apartments could be developed on the site within the local zoning guidelines. The owner/developer decided to go forward with the residential component, in addition to the originally planned pre-owned dealership section,” said DeMarco.
“When we heard about the possibility for a greater ROI, we were intrigued,” said Cohen. “When the numbers came back, we were sold,” he continued. “When MADGI developed the final drawings, in collaboration with MNS Real Estate, they created a very efficient layout of the property, the dealership section, and the residential units.”
The upscale rental apartments will be marketed mainly to young professionals. The units will comprise 30 studios, 27 one-bedroom units, 28 two-bedroom units, and two three-bedroom units. The structure will be the only new residential building in the area and it will set the standard for attractive, modern units. The site is conveniently located directly above the Manhattan-bound “R” and “M” trains subway stop and next to the popular Paper Factory Hotel.
In addition to architect and the Mercedes-Benz dealership interior designer MADGI and contractor 1 Oak, the project team includes several other prominent firms. The interior designer for the residential section is Fogarty Finger Architecture; Dealer Solutions and Design is the dealership operational design consultant; the structural engineer is Gilsanz Murray Steficek; the mechanical/electrical/plumbing engineer is Lilker Engineering; the geotechnical and S.O.E. engineer and environmental consultant is GZA GeoEnvironmental; the civil engineer is DeRosier Engineering; and the audiovisual/IT/security consultant is Sage Security.
37-14 36th Street mixed-use residential/retail high-rise building in Long Island City - Queens, NY. Photo credit: Peter Wilk/Wilk Marketing Communications.Structure and Façade
The structural system is flat-plate concrete, or concrete floors with rebar. The cellar level will house residential parking spaces, residential storage, and utility systems. The first and second floors of the building will be devoted to the pre-owned Mercedes-Benz dealership. The first floor will be a double-height space with a mezzanine. The second floor will feature a parking area and secondary showroom. A dedicated elevator, an architectural stainless-steel stair, and a car ramp will connect the floors. The client wanted an industrial loft-like feeling to the outside of the building. However, because of the need for large open spaces in the dealership on the lower floors, columns were not spaced regularly throughout the building, making it difficult to create large loft windows and spaces. MADGI solved this challenge by designing a façade in a manner that maximizes the alignment and size of the windows. The building’s exterior also features large horizontal, textured concrete prefabricated panels installed as a rain screen system. The panels are made from high-performance concrete in a grey gray finish that resembles stone.
The lower portion of the building – from the second floor slab edge down – will be finished in aluminum panels, also as a rain screen. While this paneling is stipulated by Mercedes’ branding guidelines, MADGI called for increasing the spacing between the panels to provide an extra textural element. MADGI also specified a double-height entrance for the residential portion entry of the building, located between the dealership and the service facility entry. Overall, the façade’s design picks up on the use of the first two floors as a car dealership and the site’s heritage in luxury car sales. When completed, the building will be very prominently visible to the passing car and pedestrian traffic.
The dealership window on Northern Boulevard will be 17’ high and take up the entire length of the south side of the building – approximately 110’. It will be a curtain wall system with anodized aluminum mullions – a standard Mercedes configuration. Signage will go on the windows between the first-floor columns. In keeping with the Mercedes aesthetic, decorative black columns are used on the façade. MADGI created niches for the columns in the façade and stepped the columns out. Incorporating the columns into the building required both design creativity and experience in navigating complex New York City zoning regulations. Mercedes-Benz’s guidelines specify that columns needed to be set out, away from the building. However, the City’s zoning laws and lot-line regulations prohibited this. MADGI came up with the solution to set back the columns into the façade and create niches around them to satisfy the dealership design guidelines in a manner that complied with building regulations.
On the residential floors, windows will feature black anodized aluminum frames and traditional PTAC A/C units under the windows. Many of the apartments include private terraces that are as large as the apartments themselves.
The street-facing wall on the Northern Boulevard side features large dormers, which in accordance with the building code allow for additional height of this section of the building. MADGI took advantage of the dormer allowance to enlarge the footprint of the residential section of the building and maximize the design efficiency as well as to enlarge the floor height. A strongly defined dormer accentuates the sharp corner of the structure and creates a visual anchor for the building. A strongly defined dormer accentuates the sharp corner of the building and adds a visual levity to the architectural design.
Interior – Dealership
The dealership will be a modern, open space, fitting with Mercedes-Benz’s industrial aesthetic. On the first floor of the dealership, the flooring will be a gray porcelain tile that can withstand car traffic. The ceilings are 20’ high and are of flat-plate concrete. To reduce ambient noise in the expansive space, MADGI is using an acoustical baffle system that mimics the look of structural beams, which are required by Mercedes’ standards.
Ductwork will be exposed half-round oval, and only partially hidden by baffles. Columns of smoothed concrete will be exposed. The first floor will feature the showroom, a coffee station, and desks for sales associates. A glass railing with porcelain treads will connect the first floor to the mezzanine, where the executive offices will be located.
The second floor is a parking area and secondary showroom. In the showroom window, MADGI chose linear lights set perpendicular to the Northern Boulevard façade, so passers-by can see cars parked against the window in a highlighted fashion. Both floors are well-lit. The lights in the dealership had to be between 70 and 90 foot-candles, while installed at the 20-foot height on the first floor and mezzanine, and nine-foot height on the second floor. The design team selected Luminus Prisma, high-bay LED pendant fixtures that fit in the industrial style of the space and the Mercedes standards, but still have the required power and color spectrum to properly serve the retail purpose of the facility.
Interior – Residential
“In the residential portion of the building, the lobby has an industrial loft look – it is open, warm, and has an elegant feel,” said Elizabeth Zagarello, MADGI’s Project Manager. Floors will be a finished clear-sealed concrete and walls will have concrete paneling with wood planks on the ceilings. “A vertical metal band around the entry, off of 36th Street, will differentiate the residential portion from the dealership and make it look like the lobby space is taller than it actually is. It is a simple rectangular black zinc-framed canopy entrance with 30-foot-high glass curtain wall. The glass extends physically into the 2nd floor space but is still connected to the 1st floor lobby. It will be backlit to highlight the wood interior. “It will appear monumental and attract attention from passersby,” she continued. The lobby will have elevators, a reception desk, package room, mail room, and a banquette sitting area. LED lighting will be used throughout the lobby and rest of the residential portion of the space.
The third floor holds the residential amenities, including a 500-square foot gym with a 1,600-square foot outdoor barbeque area with a Zen yoga space, and an outdoor trellis seating area. The 700-square foot lounge on this floor will have a pantry, a communal table, and a television lounge. Laundry facilities will also be located on this floor for studio residents. The one-, two-, and three-bedroom units will have their own laundry facilities. The outdoor space faces west toward Manhattan.
In the upper floors, hallways will be carpeted with minimal downlights and accent sconces at the apartment doors. The apartments themselves will feature hardwood floors and quality, modern, higher-end finishes. High ceilings of 9’2” are used in the lower-level apartments, and the penthouse-level apartments have ceiling heights of 10’6”, with those on the 10th floor having ceilings of 11’4”. Each 10th-floor unit has a private terrace. The 10th floor also features a 1,300-square foot public space with a fireplace and seating area, all with views of Manhattan. On the ninth floor, two units have private terraces. In fact, approximately 30% of the residential units have a large terrace, equivalent in size to the unit itself.
Design and Construction Challenges
The project called on the architectural, engineering, and construction team to showcase their creativity and expertise in addressing design, logistical, and technical challenges related to the location and mixed-use function of the building.
The architectural team had to experiment with several solutions in order to connect both floors of the dealership and the cellar level below. It was a challenge getting the two ramps in the building to function. MADGI looked into car elevators but they did not provide the desired functionality. Instead, MADGI solved the design issue by stacking the two ramps, to save space. One ramp goes to the cellar where the apartment parking is, and circles around, while the other one, directly above, leads to the second floor. One entrance is on Northern Blvd., into the dealership, and another entrance is into the service facilities on 36th Street. The service facility features three sprinter van service bays and four bays for other types of vehicles. This is in addition to Silver Star’s original service facility nearby.
In the pre-construction phase, 1 Oak coordinated closely with the design and engineering team, resulting in improved coordination of the structural and MEP engineering prior to the beginning of the project.
“The site had several geological challenges, one being the water table was two feet above the basement slab. As a result, we encountered significant amounts of water flowing into the excavation,” said Benjamini. “We had to take extraordinary measures to maintain the schedule of the project, including 24/7 de-watering with pumps and overtime work to recover the time lost due to the water condition,” he said. Coordinating the trades’ schedules and managing the speed of construction by the subcontractors also was a challenge due to the complexity of the project. The result of the proactive approach by the construction team was that the time was recovered and the project is on schedule.
Excavation went down 28 feet as part of the preparation for the foundation construction. “We installed multiple soldier soil retention piles on the south and east side of the site for temporary stabilization of the excavation walls,” said 1 Oak Contracting head of construction Charlie Frattini. The piles are hollow steel pipes that are drilled into the soil and subsequently filled with concrete. They are cantilevered (freestanding). The piles are 30 feet long, so they imbedded two feet into the soil. They are stabilized with tiebacks that were drilled into the soil at a 30-degree angle and are 30 feet deep. Although the soldier piles’ function was temporary, and they play no structural function for the building above, they were left in place as the construction proceeded. The team underpinned the remainder of the site during the excavation phase.
Some logistical challenges proved formidable for the team, including a ban of performing any work or even making deliveries on the Northern Boulevard side, due to the subway line running underneath. Thus, all construction staging takes place on 36th Street, where the team has a one-lane closure permit. For example, the crane is installed on the 36th Street side and all deliveries take place there, as well, behind the site fencing. “One of the more unusual logistical solutions is where we located the construction hoist, for both personnel and material,” said 1 Oak Assistant project manager Rebecca Eaker. “Under normal circumstances, they hoists are installed on the exterior of the building. But, due to limited site access, we installed it inside the structure. Otherwise it would be in the way of deliveries and crane operation.” As construction proceeds, each floor is poured with an opening for the hoist. Once the need for the hoist is eliminated, the crews will remove it and the open floor slabs will be filled in with reinforced concrete to complete each floor plate.
The storage of equipment and materials such as elevator elements were something of a challenge. The elevators, for example, were long-lead items ordered 12 weeks in advance in order to be manufactured in and delivered from South Korea. They are stored inside the building in their crates on the first floor in a location that eliminates the risk of damage to the equipment. Other long-lead items include façade elements and windows as well as a stainless steel stair to be installed inside the dealership. The stair was custom designed and fabricated in the greater New York City area.
Silver Star Motors
An affiliate of Silver Star Motors is the developer of the 37-14 36th Street multi-apartment residential building in Long Island City, N.Y. Silver Star Motors is a family-owned and -operated Authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer, in operation since 1972. The company serves buyers of both new and certified used Mercedes-Benz vehicles. Silver Star’s Mercedes-Benz Certified Service Department is one of the highest rated in customer satisfaction.
Silver Star dealership offers an amiable, pressure-free environment. Its employees suggest the cars that would best meet client’s lifestyle and budget. For customers looking to have their Mercedes-Benz vehicles serviced, the dealership provides a service facility, as well as a free valet parking and a pick-up and delivery service. The Silver Star center houses an upscale customer lounge that offers gourmet drinks and pastries along with complimentary WiFi access. Silver Star Motors also supports its clients in the event of an accident, through its Mercedes-Benz collision center and expert staff who are continuously training on the latest repairs and tools of the trade.
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