Two Gotham Center, a 21-story mixed use tower in Long Island City has topped out after members of Ironworkers Local 361 raised the final beam of steal to a height of 325 ft.

Photo courtesy of Diane Bondareff

The $316 million, 662,000-sq-ft office tower is being developed by Tishman Speyer on the corner of Queens Plaza and 28th Street. Once it is completed in early 2011, the office portion of the building will be occupied by the New York City Department of Health.

Two Gotham Center, which is replacing the Queens Municipal Parking Garage, will also include approximately 8,000 sq ft of ground-floor retail space and 160 parking spaces. The tower is the first phase of the proposed 3.5 million-sq-ft Gotham Center development and is responsible for the creation of about 1,400 construction jobs.

Designed by Moed De Armas & Shannon of New York, Two Gotham Center will incorporate green building technology and is anticipated to achieve LEED Silver Certification from the U.S. Green Buildings Council for its interiors, as well as LEED Gold Certification for its core and shell. The project team also includes San Francisco- based architect Gensler; construction manager Bovis Lend Lease; structural engineer Cantor Seinuk of New York; and mechanical engineer Jaros, Baum & Bolles, also of New York. The New York City Employees’ Retirement System and the Teachers’ Retirement System are committing up to $9.3 million each towards the project.

Gotham Center is part of a budding rehabilitation effort in Long Island City which has been an area of interest for Mayor Michael Bloomberg.