New York City has been trying to step up its green quotient for a long while now. Be it through the construction of environment-friendly LEED certified buildings, or through the creation of more parks and green spaces like the High Line in Chelsea, New Yorkers have been seeing a lot of green. But while these measures are to be applauded, New York is still lagging behind in terms of its recycling prowess—only 15% of residential trash in the city is recycled. But this number could soon change thanks to new building mandates that are designed to bolster recycling efforts.

Related Companies and Oxford Property Group broke ground yesterday at Hudson Yards, their Far West Side development. 6 years of planning has led to this, and it may be Mayor Bloomberg’s greatest legacy in the final moments of his third term. The public/private development is set to rise on 26 acres over the next 12 years beginning with the Hudson Yards South Tower. The South Tower will be the 47-story home of the luxury retailer Coach, located at the northeast corner of Tenth avenue and 30th Street. The South Tower will also include 740,000 square feet owned by Coach to be used as a commercial condominium.

December 18th will mark the groundbreaking of the first building in the Atlantic Yards Project. Bruce C. Ratner, chief executive for Forest City Ratner, has big plans for this building. It is set to be the tallest modular building in existence, rising to 32 stories and located at Flatbush Avenue and Dean Street. Currently, the tallest modular building is a 25-story dormitory in Britain. But If Mr. Ratner has “cracked the code”, this could be a huge step forward for affordable housing, unless it means nothing more than more money for developers.

People looking for an apartment in Manhattan often have a long list of features they expect to see in their dream homes. These can range from something simple like wanting a lot of space in their rooms to something more fantastical like wanting a celebrity neighbor! But one of the common things that almost all apartment hunters in the city would like to have is, quite simply, a good view. In a city known for having high-rise buildings standing choc-a-bloc with each other, there is a huge demand from New York’s luxury apartment dwellers for homes that have windows looking out into something more pleasing that another concrete structure.

In a well-documented, yet unofficial competition in Manhattan’s luxury new construction condominium market, developers are locked in an arms race over who can build the tallest and most impressive new condominium. The most eye-catching buildings offer status to residents and fame to the developers and architects behind the project. One aspect of this competition that has received less attention, however, is the realization by some developers that size isn’t everything. Or at least, vertical size. Many new construction condominiums are not only getting taller; they are also getting skinnier, resulting in a more striking skyline and more opportunities to purchase apartments with stunning views.