New York University on Tuesday announced plans for a new student residence to be located on E. 12th St., between Third and Fourth Aves., in Manhattan. The new residence hall will accommodate students relocating from some residence halls south of N.Y.U.’s Washington Square campus. The residence is scheduled to open in the spring of 2009, housing about 700 students in 26 stories and approximately 190,000 square feet of space.
Hudson Companies, Inc. — owner of the E. 12th St. property — and N.Y.U. recently signed an agreement to develop an undergraduate student residence on the site.
In a press release, N.Y.U. President John Sexton said, “We are excited by this opportunity to be able to advance one of our key priorities: building a sense of community among our students and enhancing residential life. Moving students closer to the academic and other residential centers of the university, near Washington Square and Union Square, is an important element.”
Hudson Companies acquired the site — which previously housed St. Ann’s Church — from the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York more than a year ago and has worked with community groups to preserve the north facade of the church, which was built in 1847. Additional air rights for the project were acquired from the Peter Cooper Station Post Office on Fourth Ave. and 11th St.
As they move forward with designing and developing the site, N.Y.U. and the Hudson Companies will remain committed to preserving the church facade and will work closely with the community, according to the N.Y.U. press release. The architect for the project is James Howie of Perkins Eastman.
The project is slated for completion in spring of 2009. Construction is anticipated to begin in 2006.
