Test Pilings To Sink At Site Of Planned 30-Story Voorhies Tower, Real Work Expected Within Two Months

If you see activity this week over at 1501 Voorhies Avenue it’s because contractors will begin hammering in test pilings for the  planned 30-story residential tower adjacent to the Sheepshead Bay subway station. With paperwork still under review at the Department of Buildings, the developer tells Sheepshead Bites that real work isn’t likely to start for another two months or so.

A representative for Muss Development told us on Friday that they would begin driving in the pilings sometime this week. Long, steel beams will be hammered deep into the soil, and, if all goes well, checked to ensure that the pilings and the earth beneath them will be able to carry the load of the building and its several hundred residents.

It’ll look like construction has started on the foundation, but not quite.

The Department of Buildings is still awaiting some documents from Muss and their partner, AvalonBay, and reviewing others before issuing permits. Muss’ rep Jeff Kay tells us that they believe all plans will be finalized in the next 30 to 60 days. At that time, actual work on the foundation will begin with more pilings being driven (the tests ones, if all works out, will become a part of the foundation), and the building will get under way.

The 30-story luxury residential tower was first made public in September by this outlet, and we later revealed that Muss, the owner of the Oceana condominiums, and AvalonBay areplanning the 333-foot-tall, 250-unit structure, which will be a mixture of rentals and condominiums, the latter starting at approximately $700,000. There will also be a handful of office spaces available on the lower floors.

Parking, traffic and sewage infrastructure concerns continue to surround the project, with some saying that the 176 parking spaces is insufficient, and that the driveway’s location on already-congested Voorhies Avenue, across from the Belt Parkway exit, will be problematic.