Deals & development · 10/24/2026, 12:04 AM
Lincoln Towers Condop Plans $15 Million Systems Overhaul at 160 West End Ave
The board of 160 West End Ave., a 29-story, 500-unit condop in Lincoln Towers, is running a multi-phase capital plan built with engineering firm En-Power. Work includes replacing 40-year-old chillers, the cooling tower, a heat exchanger, hot water tanks and HVAC risers. The board is using loans rather than assessments and is applying for Con Edison and NYSERDA incentives.
Reported by Habitat MagazineRead the original ↗
What happened
The board of 160 West End Ave., a 29-story, 500-unit condop in the Lincoln Towers complex on the Upper West Side, has launched a multi-phase capital program to replace its cooling system, hot water equipment and heating and cooling risers. Habitat Magazine reported the story online on October 24, 2026, in its November 2026 issue. The full program is expected to cost close to $15 million.
The plan was developed with the engineering firm En-Power. It looks four to five years ahead and weighs operating expenses, energy costs and potential Local Law 97 penalties. In the first phase, the board is replacing two 40-year-old basement chillers with 16 smaller modular electric chillers, a project of roughly $2.2 million. Board president Gerald Ross said the smaller units fit through the service entrance, avoiding basement excavation and saving about $200,000. The modular system is expected to save about $200,000 a year in energy costs. It also provides backup if one unit fails. The 60-year-old rooftop cooling tower is being replaced with a smaller, more efficient model.
The board is also upgrading the heat exchanger that serves the building's Con Edison steam heat, which is prone to corrosion. It is replacing the domestic hot water tanks with an on-demand system. A third phase, which the article says starts next year, will replace the HVAC risers that feed the packaged terminal air conditioners in apartments. An ultrasound study of the original steel pipes, which had developed leaks in recent years, found corrosion inside.
The board prefers borrowing to assessments for major projects. The building includes six ground-floor condo units with medical offices alongside the co-op apartments. Ross said this structure gives the board access to refinancing as well as loans. He said the building refinanced its mortgage 15 years ago and borrowed an additional $5 million a year ago. The board expects to borrow another $5 million in a year or two. It is also applying for Con Edison and NYSERDA incentives.
Key facts
- Address
- 160 West End Ave., part of the Lincoln Towers complex
- Building
- 29-story, 500-unit condop with six ground-floor condo units used as medical offices
- Total program cost
- Close to $15 million
- Chiller project
- 16 modular electric chillers replacing two 40-year-old chillers, roughly $2.2 million
- Expected energy savings
- About $200,000 a year from the modular cooling system
- Engineer
- En-Power
- Financing
- $5 million borrowed a year ago; another $5 million expected in a year or two
- Incentives sought
- Con Edison and NYSERDA
What it means
Buyers and owners
Shareholders at this building are being asked to cover major work through added debt rather than large assessments. Buyers should expect the cost to be spread over time through the building's mortgage. Anyone weighing a purchase in a building with old systems should ask whether a similar long-term capital plan exists.
Landlords
Owners of older buildings can use this example to plan system replacements years ahead. It shows how energy costs, Local Law 97 exposure and the order of the work can be weighed together, so equipment is not torn out twice.
Tenants and voucher holders
The article does not address renters or say how construction will affect residents. Anyone renting in the building would need to ask management about work schedules and any service interruptions.
The highlights
- Board is installing 16 modular electric chillers in a roughly $2.2 million project.
- New chillers are expected to save about $200,000 a year in energy costs.
- Board borrowed $5 million a year ago and expects to borrow $5 million more.
Why it matters Landlords
Shows how a large building plans upgrades around energy costs and Local Law 97 penalties, and funds them with loans instead of assessments.
What to do: Map out a four-to-five-year capital plan before major systems fail.
Not known yet
- How the new borrowing will affect monthly maintenance charges for shareholders
- Exact start and finish dates for each phase, including the riser replacement
- How much the building could face in Local Law 97 penalties without the upgrades
- Whether the Con Edison and NYSERDA incentive applications have been approved and for how much
Background
Local Law 97 sets carbon emissions limits for most New York City buildings over 25,000 square feet, with penalties for buildings that exceed them. Many co-op and condo boards now weigh those limits when deciding when and how to replace heating, cooling and hot water systems. Co-ops typically pay for large projects through their underlying building mortgage, a reserve fund, special assessments charged to shareholders, or a mix of these.
Summary written by Bulwark from Habitat Magazine’s reporting. The original story is at habitatmag.com. This is general information, not legal advice.
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Photo: Andre Carrotflower, CC BY-SA 4.0