Construction junction

7. Beekman Tower
8 Spruce St between Nassau and William Sts

Expected: The lower floors by late 2010; the rest in 2011
What it brings to the neighborhood: The 76-story mixed-use building designed by starchitect Frank Gehry will attract residents and retail to downtown Manhattan. It will also house a public school and an ambulatory-care facility for New York Downtown Hospital. What’s more, the project is being financed with bonds that will generate about $6 million, which is slated to go toward the construction of affordable apartments, according to the city’s Housing Development Corporation.
What it takes away: Peace and quiet during the multiyear construction phase, according to area residents, who say the work often continues into the evening. The building, erected on a former one-acre parking lot, is also accused of making parking even scarcer in the neighborhood.