30-30 Northern Boulevard and Edward Minskoff

Developer Edward J. Minskoff Equities abandoned plans to build a 635-room dormitory in a rapidly-changing section of Long Island City in order to concentrate on larger projects in Manhattan, the company’s president said.

Edward Minskoff, president of the commercial firm, had sought to build the 19-story tower on the property at 30-30 Northern Boulevard in Queens Plaza.

He sold it to Long Island City-based Alma Realty, which paid $21.5 million for the 238,000-square-foot building and the 103,000-square-foot parcel under it on Jan. 27, city property records published last Friday show. The sale went into contract in September 2010. [more]

A masonry wall still stands where a plate-glass retail facade was planned to debut in July at 344-46 West 14th Street

The developer rehabilitating a Meatpacking District apartment building
to include retail is accusing its lender of trying to take over the
project through illegal activities, in a new $20 million lawsuit. The developer, 344-46 West 14th Associates, claims in the lawsuit filed
Aug. 26 in New York State Supreme Court that the lender, Connecticut
hedge fund Patriot Group, is trying to wrest control of the delayed and
over-budget project at 344-46 West 14th Street near Ninth Avenue by
refusing to allow outside financing and telling contractors that money
to pay them had run out. The developer is claiming breach of contract; interference with contracts; fraud and other charges, and is seeking $20 million in compensatory damages, the suit says. [more]