Brooks2....I was hoping your 'nuff said would be your swan song..Guess not. If you really find it so tiresome, and nobody could pay you to live at the Azure, why are you wasting your time on this board. I used to read this board and be amazed at the absolute vacuousness of its content. But I eventually began to post largely because of conversations I had with others around the Azure and I realized that people who are considering the Azure actually were looking at this board to see if they could learn information as they considered the building. Clearly, most of the posts had the intellectual heft of a school yard: "yeah, you and what army" "you're not the boss of me." There was certainly no information of any value for a potential buyer. So I started to post, and unlike you and the other trolls, I disclosed that I'm an owner in the Azure, and I offered my opinions and I did them not for you, but for those reading the board. In truth, the back and forth with you and 20 shilling AHart is really like methaphorically debating hamsters.....who incessantly and brainlessly less run on their little Streeteasy Hamster wheel in their little Hamster cage and seem to enjoy the mindlessness of it all. So, I shill I am not. I've always been clear about why I'm posting and I certainly don't hide behind the absolutely anonymity that you cling to. But at the end of the day, the sales trends and pricing trends of the building speak for themselves. You can run faster and faster on your little hamster wheel, but it's not going to change the facts.

Brooks2.....again, you keep puffing away on your hamster wheel (and 2,841 posts, that's a lot of puffing). I am an owner in the Azure. I have posted that I live in a 4 bedroom with my family for not quite two years. That allows people who read this board to know where I'm coming from and that I have an informed opinion that I hope others find useful. You? Who knows? Your typical post like that of this morning "Could not pay me to live there" is neither informed, insightful nor useful to anybody reading this thread to learn anything (other than to be serve/volley fodder for the other trolls). So I don't post here to change your mind or opinion, no matter how much you think I am full of it, I simply post here to provide some informed opinion for those who care, and if as a secondary effect I demonstrate how pointless your posts are (not very hard to do), then I'm content.

Soho, I'm not interested in living at the Azure, but that's just me. However, I've found your posts informative if I was looking to live there. I'm not sure why you are worried about Brooks2's posts on the subject, and I'm not sure why you'd believe that an educated, interested buyer with appropriate means would ignore the detail that you provide and be more or exclusively focused on the postings on this topic that Brooks2 provides. But now you've been successfully lured into a back and forth of no substance on the topic that has diluted the value of your prior substantive posts.

Greensdale---touché! ;-)

Honestly anyone who thinks that neighborhood is "dangerous" or "sketchy" either hasn't lived there or lived there 10-20 years ago.

We lived there for two years, 3 blocks from the Azure (on second). I loved the neighborhood. Eli's is a great place to shop, there's also a Fairway on 86 btwn 2nd and 3rd I believe, and another supermarket (Food Emporium?) on 86 and 2nd. There's a Duane Reade on 93rd and 3rd and on 92 or 93 and 1st. Starbucks on 92 and 3rd, and of course Asphalt Greene on York. There's a stretch of great restaurants on 2nd from about 86th to 94th, and there are a few intriguing ones on 1st which I unfortunately didn't get to check out. Housing projects are totally safe- I never saw police there, probably because they're only for senior citizens. There's Butterfield's kitchen on 92 and 1st, which was delicious. The neighborhood has tons of kids- definitely a family neighborhood. And although I think the Azure is overpriced, it looks like a very nice building with great views, and I'd definitely recommend the neighborhood.

Eli's is half a block away and C town is two blocks away. No need to walk very far for groceries (and we all have Fresh Direct!)......in terms of the area, Brooks2, you yourself noted when you recounted the story of your roommate getting mugged late at night that it was a long time ago and you admitted that maybe the neighborhood has changed (as has most of NYC from a safety perspective over the last twenty years). This is a very safe neighborhood. I've lived here nearly two years and I'm speaking from on the ground experience.

Brooks2, come on, mugged? Did you lose all of your military training?

There are currently 7 doctors in residence at Azure. These doctors practice at Mt. Sinai, Montefiori, Sloan Kettering, Lennox Hill and New York Hospital. The following testimonials are provided to give prospective purchasers accurate information from additional owners at Azure about some of the topics discussed on this blog. Given the sometime inhospitable and discourteous comments some participating bloggers have made I have decided to remove their names. Those purchasers interested will be provided details at the Azure Sales Office. Please note several home owners have offered to speak with prospective purchasers as well. Azure has indeed become a very supportive and welcoming community.

“For my wife and me, Azure had everything we were looking for in a home. I am a cardiologist at Mt. Sinai and I love being able to walk to work – my commute is so easy, especially compared to years of commuting from New Jersey. We also love how quiet our floor is – our last building had 17 apartments on one floor, and we love that there are only four on our floor now. It’s one of my favorite things about the building. The Upper East Side is an incredible place to live – everything you need can be found within a few blocks.”

-- Dr. xxx

“I am a general internist primary care doctor, and have been in practice for over 25 years. When I was looking to move back to the Upper East Side to be closer to my office, I was instantly drawn to Azure. Not only can I easily walk to work, but Azure perfectly complements my needs in other ways too. I combined two units and love all the space I have. I was actually one of the first people to move in – there were probably only 15 others living here at the time. June will mark 2 years at Azure for me, and I couldn’t be happier.”

-- Dr. yyy

I take it that Dr. Zizmor doesn't live there, otherwise you would have provided his testimonial.

Come to the sales office as stated above and purchasers will receive that information. It is specifically because of comments such as yours that I did not provide their names.

Hmm, so maybe Dr. Zizmor does live there.

Brooks - definition of shill: One who poses as a satisfied customer or an enthusiastic gambler to dupe bystanders into participating in a swindle

Mattonegroup is hardly hiding his identity.

For those who are reading this board for information, there are no shortage of residents who are happy to provide testimonials, myself included. None of this is "shillin'" as Brooks2 continually suggests, and the fact that people's testimonials don't include their names in no ways invalidates them. I think the sponsor made it clear why he removed the names. Frankly, I don't see a lot of names being proffered around here, anyway

StreetEasy really needs a "like" button. Still chuckling at Greensdale's Dr Z. comment - can't believe it's been 3 years since the thread started - I drove past yesterday and saw the big poster saying "Over 75% Sold", so I guess it's really getting there in terms of occupancy, it just took the pretty route.

>StreetEasy really needs a "like" button. Still chuckling at Greensdale's Dr Z. comment

Thank you. I don't think that Mattonegroup understood though.

Sponsors are very pleased to announce the sale of 27A, a 1,810 SF 3 Bedroom, 3 Bath residence with unobstructed Northwestern views and 28CD, the 2,952 SF, 4 Bedroom, 4.5 Bath residence with unobstructed Southern, East River and Central Park views. Both residences have 10’ ceilings. The contract on 28CD was signed Feb 22nd. The customized construction was completed within 90 days.

Both of these transactions evidence the continued price appreciation of residences at Azure. Wells Fargo, Chase, Citibank, HSBC PNC and Republic Bank, among others, continue to provide acquisition financing to Azure purchasers supported by ever increasing appraisals. Please note in the last week interest rates have begun to climb.

Future asset appreciation is also supported by the media reports of the completion of blasting for the 72nd street station for the Second Avenue subway.

http://gothamist.com/2013/05/16/photos_deep_inside_the_second_avenu.php#photo-1

Azure’s remaining inventory, based on recently signed contracts and the above referenced closings all above the 21st floor, continues to diminish. This results in new purchasers having fewer available purchase options. This is particularly evident in our lowest price 2 Bedroom B line apartments and the 3,000 SF 4 Bedroom CD and AB combinations. All B line units have been sold below the 23rd floor. There are now 13 combination 4 BR residences at Azure. Sponsors are currently in active negotiation for an additional two.
Given that the Upper East Side supply of premium new construction 2, 3 and 4 BR reasonably price residences continues to diminish in the second quarter of 2013 and interest rates on mortgages are rising, it is recommended interested purchasers should take advantage of the remaining purchasing opportunities at Azure as soon as possible.

Finally the sponsors of Azure would like to thank all 200 brokers and guest speakers that participated in our 75% sold summer soirée, the Douglas Elliman new broker training seminar and the Foreign National legal, tax and financing training seminar sponsored by Titlevest, Citibank, HSBC and Azure.

>Future asset appreciation is also supported by the media reports of the completion of blasting for the 72nd street station for the Second Avenue subway.

Oh good, I thought the blasting was going to go on forever, so that's unexpected and the building will definitely increase.

How is the waste transfer facility not going to be a huge deterrent for the neighborhood? Hundreds of garbage trucks driving through daily, air pollution, etc. I find it hard to believe that this will not drive owners out of the neighborhood. What am I missing?

buyer.....I live in the Azure, and for what it's worth, here are my thoughts: 1) The MTS isn't a done deal by any stretch, not from a legal, political or financial perspective. You are probably aware that there is a very active fight going on against the project. 2) in a sense you answered your own question because every potential buyer in this area is aware of the MTS and it is being factored into people's decisions right not, so it's not exactly going to be a bolt out of the blue for local valuations. 3) the City has already disclosed its plan of operating the facility if it's actually built; from the narrow perspective of the Azure, none of the garbage trucks will pass by the building at any point; the facility is to be negatively pressurized to keep odors in and the garbage is to be loaded on airtight containers; trucks will not be allowed to idle on York Ave as they did in the past when the facility was operational; so while I think this would be real issue for the apartment buildings on York, it won't be an issue for the Azure; 4) on the flip side, the second ave subway is going to be a huge positive for the area, so we could all debate the battling influences of the MTS versus 2nd Ave Subway on local real estate values. My greatest personal concern is simply that Asphalt Green is going to be the most affected facility in the area, and that's a worry because my daughters use the facility. But I really don't think the MTS in and of itself is going to reverse the very strong value trends in this area, and particularly for those of us who bought in the Azure early.

so the trash facility is already priced in, while the 2nd avenue subway is not?

I lived in the neighborhood when the previous MTS was operational. My children attended swimming classes at Asphalt Green. The most objectionable aspect of the MTS operation back in 1983 was the stacking up of trucks along York Avenue. That has been addressed in the approved environmental impact statement and plan of operation of the new facility, if it is ever completed. Trucks can only idle on the access ramp to the facility which under the revised updated plan extends out into the East River. The majority of the idling trucks will be approximately three blocks away from Azure.

With regard to the impact of a train line becoming operational and its positive impact on real estate values, look no further for an example than the dramatic impact of the new rail line #7, pending completion in 2014, on the Hudson Yards development on the far West Side. Due to the pending completion of the rail line real estate land values for new development have skyrocketed over the last two years to an extent that they are now comparable to the real estate development sites available in Chelsea and the Upper East and West Sides. In my opinion, based on 30 years in real estate development, the 2nd Avenue transportation network, which will link the Azure neighborhood to all of Manhattan, will have a far greater impact on future real estate values in the Azure submarket market.

I would also note, though emotions run high, that there has been no trend evidenced in the industry sales reports of people desiring to vacate the area or decreases in closed prices or appraisal values. The opposite is in fact the case. Sales prices of all new developments in this submarket have increased over the last 2 years including the last quarter. Land development sites values have increased, retail rents on First Avenue above 86th street have increased. New Yorkers continue to gravitate to the Upper East Side for many reasons. The area has the best public and private educational institutions. It has easy access to Asphalt Green, Carl Schulz the Park, The 92nd Street Y and the ample family friendly entertainment and retail opportunities.

What the previous blogger buyer 2891 is missing is that there is over $500,000,000 in investments currently being made in the neighborhood by Sacred Heart, Trevor Day and Spence. Future New Development of over $800,000,000 for 1,000 residential units is being planned by NYC for a development site on the north side of 96th street between First and Second Avenues. Actual investments and actual progress on the Second Avenue subway have had a more tangible positive economic impact in the neighborhood based my review of all appraisals of Azure residences. This impact is far more than any perceived potential future impact of the MTS. Remember at the time the MTS was operational in 1983 parts of this Upper East Side submarket had the highest residential values in NYC.

As I have noted previously at Azure, sales values have continued to rise. Actual buyers have full knowledge of the pros and cons of the neighborhood and its opportunity for asset appreciation. I do believe most buyers however purchase at Azure not only because they like the value but they love the building amenities, kitchen and bath finishes and views. They like the welcoming friendly community Azure has become. It is an enjoyable place to live. Several friends of purchasers have recently become new owners at Azure. Several friends of purchasers have recently become owners at Azure.

PS I am absolutely certain the full benefit of the Second Avenue subway is not reflected in current prices at Azure.

JButton....I think both the subway and the MTS are things people consider when looking at the area. The MTS has many hurdles to cross to ever be completed and it may ultimately fall on a political, legal or budgetary sword. On the other hand, the subway construction is very real (the blasting sounds around 86th/2nd Ave can be heard here like distant claps of thunder). So I think the subway is more positive because 1) it is the real deal and will be completed while the MTS is still uncertain; and 2) even if both are completed, the positive impact of the subway will be much greater on the entire area than the negative impact of the MTS over on a stretch of York Ave.

unfortunately, construction has started on the MTS. I just checked it today. gonna be a serious longshot to stop it now

Marco....it's not construction. They've begun demolishing the old MTS facility, which had already been budgeted, approved, and is not subject to any of the pending litigation. The construction, if approved and budgeted, will not begin until April 2014 at the earliest. So, the MTS still has a lot of hurdles to cross before stopping it becomes a serious "long shot" as you describe.