Construction permit revoked at Abolitionist site

Here is info from an email from "Friends of Hopper Gibbons Underground Railroad" about the Abolitionist home at 339 W. 29th St. in Manhattan:

Julie and I just received news yesterday from Leah Donaldson of the DOB that the agency "has revoked application 103907337, which included the addition of the fifth floor. A Stop Work Order has been issued to the site and periodic inspections are conducted to ensure no work is occurring.

DOB will continue to monitor the site to ensure all violations are being resolved."

From what Julie heard from an architect, having an application revoked is a very rare thing. So, I think this is big news.

Please stay tuned for more details.

New rendering of hotel at 229-231 Duffield- near exciting MetroTech

New rendering of the hotel at 229-231 Duffield showed up on the V3 website. It's their featured project, and here's the blurb:

The new hotel, will be developed and operated by V3 Hotels and designed by H. Thomas O’Hara, is just steps away from the MetroTech center, the court buildings and the Manhattan Bridge, as well as being minutes from Manhattan by subway or bus. The hotel will have a unique presence along the block of many hotels. The red artesian textured brick and matching mortar will give the building seamless verticality, while the angular facade will give each room a different view floor by floor. The boutique hotel will have 130 rooms that will be comfortable as well as affordable, and more than 1,500 square feet of ground floor retail space.

There's no mention of the Abolitionist homes on either side of the proposed hotel. But it's close to MetroTech and Manhattan! Uh, V3's "ultimate goal," according to their website is

to provide our guests with a hospitality experience that exemplifies a new paradigm in the hotel industry while always respecting and reflecting our communities and neighborhoods.