Do you prefer this?
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Yes. General form factor, overall look? Yes. Scale the overall height up a bit, and you’re golden!
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It may not be to the original intent, but frankly I prefer this one, though maybe a bit more bulker at the bottom.
Though tbh I’d be happy with either.
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I really hope a developer revives this project and builds it 1500 ft+ roof height.
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That’s quite amazing!
This rendering by @rgarri4 perfectly encapsulates the waning dominance of the Empire State Building, and why the MetLife North Building would be the perfect project for the skyline as a whole. Let’s drop the pretense around the Empire State Building and build something that can actually command the skyline as Art-Deco Icon for the next generation. They did it with the Sagrada FamĂlia in Barcelona. Now, let’s do it with the MetLife North Building.
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While I agree with you that a new, much taller landmark tower needs to be built in New York, please only talk about buildings that are real. The MetLife north tower is a dead project from over 80 years ago.
What I mean by discussing a real project is that buildings aren’t built in Art Deco stone anymore much to my dislike. If a developer wanted to finish the tower, it would most likely follow the Hearst tower and build it in steel and glass.
Robert A.M. Stern would care to disagree with your assessment.
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His buildings are beautiful Art Deco designs, but none of them are supertalls. What I am saying is that, unfortunately, large developers haven’t built anything in the Art Deco style since the 1990s in Atlanta, Chicago, Charlotte, etc.
Well then my own principles of parsimony say New York is long overdue for a new one!
That’s very unlikely to happen. Art Deco in its truest form no longer caters to the needs of offices due to the preference of having open layouts with large windows to allow more natural light into workspaces. Is it possible to see offices with Art Deco inspiration? Sure but again I think that’s very unlikely and I would advise you to just move on from that.
Take a look at RAMSA’s office projects. They are either PoMo or all glass.
As far as Robert AM Stern is concerned, he’s developed a few fairly lofty projects in Manhattan; 520 Park Avenue, 220 Central Park South and 30 Park Place. All those are Art-Deco, Neoclassical designs. My point is this; Why not give him something bigger in completing the original design of the MetLife North Building? The ceiling heights in that space are 15 feet high, and while they don’t have floor to ceiling glass, I think that’s plenty high enough to command some fantastic rates. Certainly better than the Empire State Building offers. Plus, you’d have the opportunity to maybe do things a little differently and better than the Empire State Building did, perhaps building a better observation situation and some better retail? Maybe some more authentic experiences that aren’t straight from Sleepless in Seattle? Where the Empire State Building fails, Metropolitan Life North succeeds. Where the Empire State Building succeeds, MetLife North also does pretty well.
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They’ve rebuilt entire historic structures from just blueprints and pictures before…
I’m just saying this things base still exists and stranger things have happened…
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I love this building and hope someone builds it. It needs to be well over 1400 feet roof height.
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This should be 1500 roof height, 2000 spire height. New York City’s new pinnacle for modern era.
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New York City is long overdue for a new, true Art-Deco project such as this. Its location is a bit more eastern than the Empire State Building, but with the West Side really developing much more strongly than anywhere else and the direction of the city’s architecture going more towards modern glass and steel, the East Side and the Art Deco movement both need a shot in the arm. If anything would provide the needed boost to both interests, it’s this one.