We've been considering purchasing apartments at either OHP or the Foundry.

I learned that both apartment complexes are located quite close to a orange/yellowish building that is said to be a vent building for the Queens Midtown Tunnel. 

Was this a concern for those of you who bought (or considered buying) in either building in regards to air quality (i.e. Carbon Monoxide, exhaust pollutants) or noise?  Just wondering if anyone can shed some light on this?

Thanks!

I bought into OHP.

Personally...that building was not that much of a concern to me. Air quality-wise....this is new york city...unless you're comparing that area with a nice countryside in Colorado...I wouldn't think too much of it. There is no stench in the area if that's what you're worried about...and I personally would be more concerned living further up north near the rockrose buildings where the soil is supposedly acidic.

Noise-wise...well...that's a tricky one...again though..that building doesn't add to the noise...if noise is a big concern..I'd say you should be more worried about the LIRR trains across the street. It's been debated quite often on this forum...and I really don't intend to go into it. The humming is rather loud (I'll admit)...and I'd say that at the Foundry..you're a little more protected from the noise, albeit not so much either. Reasons why I still chose OHP despite the noise..is 1) I'm at work during the day in the city, so I'm not going to be home to listen to the noise, 2) The windows are double glassed(however you call it), so you do get some decent noise-insulation there, something the Foundry doesn't have, and 3) The trains don't run at night or the weekends (some people are going to say they do...but i'd say 95% of the time they don't), and that suits me just fine. It's the price to pay for a southern exposure of the Williamsburg Bridge, the East River, and everything below the UN in Manhattan on the east side...which I might mention again...is something that the Foundry lacks.

According to the city's plans, the OHP south views won't be affected for 5-10 years, if not longer.

Will it get built in its current state or even at all? It is wrong to assume either way.

the vent is not an issue ... unless you have an issue with the way it looks, because it is abviously not going anywhere.

The train noise ... agreed, it's only during limmited hours during the weekdays ... but they are diesel trains - so they are quite noisy when they are around and they do sit idling ... although, there is talk of fighting it so that they are not allowed to sit idling.

Air quality ... I agree, no worse than anywhere else in the city.