Brookfield awaits Amtrak’s OK to start construction on Manhattan West’s deck

Brookfield Office Properties is awaiting only the go-ahead from Amtrak, which operates the train tracks beneath the site slated for its massive Manhattan West project, before it begins construction on a deck to cover the rail yards.

The New York Post reported that while Brookfield officials say they are 95 percent of the way to an agreement with Amtrak executives, Amtrak in turn said the sides still have “some substantive” issues to iron out. The developer had previously said construction would start in January.

Though the deck is not necessary for construction of any of the four planned towers on the site — as they would rise on the firm corners of the plot where parking lots once stood — Brookfield wants the deck to ensure the development is more aesthetically pleasing for prospective tenants. It will not start construction on towers until the deck is complete.

The Post noted that Brookfield’s predicament is the exact opposite of what Related Companies faces at its Hudson Yards site to the west. It is building the first tower before the deck, even though the deck is required to support the remaining towers on the site. [Post]