Construction Begins Above Ground on Giant Essex Development

LOWER EAST SIDE, NY — The no-man's land around the Williamsburg Bridge is one step closer to becoming an unprecedented modern development. A tower crane appeared for the first time on Sunday on the site of the upcoming giant development, Essex Crossing, the Lo Down found.

Construction workers also blocked off Broome Street all day Sunday for work on the development, according to the Lo Down. That means construction will begin above ground on the six-acre site which will be an underground market, 14-screen Regal movie theater, a park, office space and 1,000 new housing units, according to the development's website. Workers have been doing construction on the underground market for the past few months.

Construction on the Essex Crossing, which is estimated to cost $1.1 billion, is expected to be fully finished by 2024. The 1.9 million square feet of new development will be built on a strip of land called Seward Park Urban Renewal Area (SPURA), which has been mostly left vacant since the late 1960s.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg unveiled the official Essex Crossing plan in September 2013. It's being developed by Taconic Partners and designed by SHoP architects.

Image from Google Maps