The changes are expected to require amendment of the General Development Plan (GDP), the master plan for the Island appended to the Lease under which the State is responsible for development of the Island, which is owned by the City of New York.

The revised Octagon project would be increased to nine stories and 400 to 450 units, and would replace the originally-proposed "L" shape with a "J" shape.  In a revision requested by some residents in earlier meetings with the developer, the building layout has been changed to set off the restored Octagon Tower by means of 5-story-tall connectors separating the tower from the new buildings.

As now planned, the Octagon apartments' left wing, as drawn here, would add an additional "J" curve that would be invisible from the angle shown.  It would extend behind the left end of the left wing shown here.  The apartment wings are now taller, but separated from the Octagon tower by a five-story connector.  Under the new plan, twelve apartments would be placed within the Octagon tower.  No site layout was made available, pending its presentation to the RIOC Board of Directors.

The project is now proposed as an 80/20 division – 20% of the units "affordable," and 80% market rate.  The lower-rent units would be scattered throughout the buildings.  The 400-plus units are to be divided into studios, 20%; single bedrooms, 50%; two bedrooms, 15%; three bedrooms, 15%; with sizes from 500 to 1200 square feet.

Bruce Becker, president of the firm that bears his name, said that the addition of 60 or more three-bedroom units is a response to community concerns about having housing suitable for families.

Under the new plan, there will be five floors within the Octagon structure, with the ornate spiral staircase restored around them.  The top three floors will each have four apartments, while the lower two floors will be "amenity space," partly available to the community.

To deal with the GDP matter, the developer, Becker and Becker, has drafted an amendment for approval by the City.

In a major change to the project, parking for 144 cars would be built at the Octagon tennis courts, expanding the site across the Island from the west channel of the river to the east channel.  The courts would be moved to a deck above the parking area.  In a September 20 meeting, members of the Residents Association Planning Committee, chaired by Larry Parnes, had reservations about parking separate from Motorgate.

Representatives of Becker and Becker told the committee that RIOC has told them that Motorgate parking would not be adequate for both the Octagon apartments and Southtown.  (The Hudson/Related plan for Southtown is currently on appeal in the State Supreme Court, with a decision expected within the next month or two – possibly as early as next week.)

This week, the Becker and Becker architect on the project, David Levine, told The WIRE that  the firm intends to investigate whether the parking grade might be depressed slightly, to reduce the overall height of the building.  He said there are questions about water table that must be answered before a decision can be made on that.  "We will design the exterior to be attractive and compatible with the restored Octagon," he said, adding that the parking structure will be open-air, without mechanical ventilation.

Becker and Becker has hired a landscape architect to design the park component of the Octagon project, which would satisfy the GDP's requirement for an "ecological park" on the site.

Presuming RIOC gives Becker and Becker extension of site control at the Octagon, the developer hopes to start building by March, 2002, with occupancy possibly as early as the first quarter of 2004.

Becker promised a site plan would be made available for community review as soon as possible.