Landmarks commission approves new St. Vincent’s building, Sam Chang opening 20 hotels in 20 months … and more

1. Landmarks Preservation Commission approves the new St. Vincent’s hospital building [Curbed] and [Crain’s]
2. Aloft hotel on Duffield Street reaches six stories [Brownstoner]
3. Sam Chang plans to open 20 hotels in 20 months [Forbes via Curbed]
4. Former Christian Science Church gets new facade [Curbed]
5. Renderings of Extell’s Riverside Center revealed [Curbed]
6. Tishman Speyer hires Barry Wine to search for a restaurateur to operate the Rainbow Room [NYO]
7. Apartment vacancy rate climbing [NYO]
8. Charles Wang and Scott Rechler want to create self-sufficient community in Uniondale [Newsday]
9. Andrei Vavilov cuts price of his Plaza unit from $12.5 million to $9.95 million [Cityfile]
10. Douglaston Hills residents want to change back street names [NYDN]
11. Pols wrote a letter to Governor Paterson asking him not to give stimulus funds to the Atlantic Yards project [Brownstoner]
12. Hospitality mogul Seth Greenberg interested in running Tavern on the Green [NYO], while the restaurant has just been sued by another vendor [Eater]
13. W Hoboken accepting guests starting March 27 [Hotelchatter]
14. Final steel beam put in place at the Giants and Jets’ new stadium [CBS]
15. Stop-work order issued for store on Broadway and 22nd Street for 800-square-foot sign [NYT]
16. Work has not started at the planned 14-story condo at 49 East Houston Street [Vanishing NY]