West Siders To Two Trees: Less Overcrowding in Hell, Plz

With the credit markets choking on a hairball, what's to come of Clinton Park—the 900-unit zig-zagging rental development that Dumbo overlords Two Trees would like to build on a parking lot in Hell's Kitchen? According to the Observer's Eliot Brown, Two Trees has financing for the Mercedes-Benz dealership and service station planned for the base of the Enrique Norten-designed megastructure, but the rest of it, not so much. No matter, Two Trees is moving ahead with the public review process, and the locals are testy. They argue that Clinton Park, between Tenth and Eleventh Avenues and West 53rd and 54th Streets, is too dense for the neighborhood, and members of Community Board 4 have suggested it be reduced to 646 apartments. Jed Walentas, Two Trees' chief sweater enthusiast, does not agree. He told the crowd at the CB4 meeting, "It’s a totally contextual design and project in every sense of the word. Immediately adjacent to it, the AT&T tower is the only building that shares the block with us, and I think it’s 150 feet taller than what we’re proposing." He added that once the public review process is complete, Two Trees will chase down the financing and toss in a large chunk of their Dumbo profits if necessary.
· Walentases vs. Credit Markets in Manhattan Return [NYO]
· Clinton Park coverage [Curbed]For more stories from Curbed, go to curbed.com.