One Vanderbilt was designed to preserve views of both Chrysler (taper) and GCT (cantilevered base), and I would be shocked if this new tower gets approved without similar design considerations.
It’s obviously possible that just means a stumpy, blocky building, not tall enough to block views of Chrysler’s crown. But I hope we do get something tall that sets back or tapers away from 42nd Street. As the London CBD has proven, view-preservation can lead to some interesting designs, such as the Shard, Scalpel and Cheesegrater.
I wonder if it’s possible that the bulk of this tower could be situated further North /deeper into the superblock, sitting on top of/cantilevered over the Lexington Passage/Grand Central Market hallway in between the Grand Hyatt and the Graybar Building, like this:
I asked this question on SSP a few months ago but I’d like to hear the opinions of the fine folks here at the YIMBY Forums: who would you like to see design this tower?
My top picks are Jean Nouvel and SHoP. With 53W53 and Steinway, these architects have demonstrated that they truly understand the unique character of the NYC skyline. I trust that Nouvel or SHoP would design a building that is both respectful of Chrysler and iconic in its own right.
I would NOT like to see Vinoly, Foster, or KPF design this skyscraper. I have nothing against KPF or Foster but they’ve become way too commonplace. I’d like to see somebody different and unique design this tower.
All of these have been built in the last couple of years. I’d love to see an Art Deco tower rival the ESB the way that the Metropolitan Life North Tower was supposed to.
Robert Stern hasn’t designed too many office buildings and the last office building in New York that passingly resembles his style was David Childs’ One Worldwide Plaza.
What this site needs is some new blood. I vote Ole Scheeren who designed the MahaNakhon Tower in Thailand and The Interlace in Singapore. He’s done a bunch of mixed use projects.
And of course, SHoP and perhaps even Renzo Piano, Zaha Hadid, or AG+GS. BIG could work, they have designed beautiful towers in the past so could be a nice opportunity here.
Edit: I forgot about Rogers Stirk Harbour. It would be great to see them in contrast with One Vanderbilt
OMA strongly seconded! Piano is an intriguing option too. Although I admire almost all his buildings, I only love some of them. But those I love–like the Shard–I really love.
I am a big fan of SHoP, I’m still bitter that their Penn Station plan will never be built, but they have never built and office tower before. However their conceptual “Gotham Spire” Was very nice and if they are chosen I hope they will draw from this.
The Grand Hyatt Hotel in Midtown Manhattan, once owned and reclad by President Trump, is headed for the wrecking ball. A new joint development by TF Cornerstone, RXR Realty, and MDS Capital has been announced in its place and will feature 2 million square feet of office and retail space, as well as a brand new identity for the Grand Hyatt.
Located at 109 East 42nd Street, just southeast of Grand Central Station, the 26-floor structure wasn’t always a Trump hotel. In fact, it’s 100 years old. Built in 1919 by the Bowman-Biltmore Hotels group, the Commodore Hotel was originally a brick-clad building with over 2,000 rooms and a world-renowned lobby. In the late ’70s, the Trump Organization purchased and remodeled the entire structure for $100 million, redoing the facade with its now-signature all-reflective-glass curtain wall. It then reopened in 1980 as the Grand Hyatt New York. AN’s editor in chief Bill Menking wrote that the story behind the hotel revamp and the addition of the sign-slash-restaurant that hovers above the sidewalk on 42nd Street is a prime illustrative tale of negative development in New York.
Construction on the new building is expected to cost $3 billion. It will include 500 rooms for the luxury Grand Hyatt New York and state-of-the-art office space. Major transit upgrades could also come with the development, enhancing the pedestrian experience near Grand Central and offering better circulation and connectivity to the currently congested subway beneath it. A new entrance has also been discussed.
No architect has been chosen for the design project yet, though the development team aims to announce one soon. When complete, the new structure will join a handful of other commercial office towers in the area that have popped up since the 2017 rezoning in Midtown East. Progress on One Vanderbilt by Kohn Pederson Fox, Tower Fifth by Gensler and Adamson Associate Architects, and JP Morgan Chase’s 270 Park Avenue by Foster + Partners is already underway. Trump's Grand Hyatt New York will be demolished, replaced with offices
A beautiful crown, yes – but for my money, the last thing the 42nd Street corridor needs is another spire. Between Chrysler, One Vanderbilt, BofA, 4 Times Square and NYT, it’s already a forest of them.
Eh, at this point, I don’t care.
In fact, I think it might provide a nice symmetry to get an equal number of spires on the east and west sides. Just like 4TS and BofA are a nice pair, 1V and Hyatt can form the east side pair. Chrysler and NYT are smaller and form the flanks, and ESB is in the middle but down south 8 blocks
I really wish it will be Foster who will design the building because he has allready design plans for Hyatt with the India Tower and I think that he could bring back this design for the Hyatt redevelopment because Hyatt said that they wanted to build a new icon in NYC and because it is located just near the Chrysler building.
So a Skyscraper remembering the Chrysler building spire would create a fantastic echo of To this skyscraper and to the 42 snd street colorated spires
