A rooftop forest has sprung roots at 101 Warren St.

For residents of 101 Warren Street, the urban jungle has arrived. This month, builders for developer Edward J. Minskoff are installing 101 mature white pine trees on the tower's 35,000-square-foot third-floor roof. The trees are rooted in about six feet of topsoil that was delivered in November, along with riverbed stone and about 300 shrubs.

The green roof was a design decision that brings a glimpse of nature to what otherwise may have been a plain paved roof. Residents with terraces and loggias get to overlook the planted area, which also increases the building's energy conservation. The pines were chosen because they will stay green all year. These particular trees, some as tall as 25 feet, were domestically grown to insure their ability to withstand northeast weather conditions.

Designed by Skidmore Owings and Merrill, the new $450 million residential building has been under construction since December 2005. It is comprised of three buildings that fill the block between West, Greenwich, Murray, and Warren Streets. The structure includes a 32-story condominium tower (101 Warren Street), an eight-story loft/duplex condominium structure (99 Warren Street), and an L-shaped rental residential building on the southeast side (89 Murray Street). The fourth address, 270 Greenwich Street, is being used primarily by new retail businesses lining the east side and Warren Street.

Construction will conclude in late spring 2008, which is also when the new Whole Foods Market is expected to open at the site.