This one rates as Architecture with a capital “A” - but barely. Those “porthole” windows are a distinctive and artful flourish that make this one a winner. A winner with a capital “W” that is - 
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Don’t know yet if this gets your big A. The portholes may end up being silly and kitschy. If and when it goes up I’ll take another look.
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I respect your opinion, but I think that the portholes will look ridiculous. My bigger concern is how the 1,000’ cliff of metal will look on 5th. I fear that it will look absurd.
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The renders don’t show it, but unless the overall zoning massing has changed, which were released before renders so it’s possible they have changed, there is a podium on the bottom of the building that is supposed to be ~120’ tall. This would greatly reduce the look of the metal wall. The metal faced core wall facing 29th St seems to be the wall that goes uninterrupted.
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I believe that this old building next door is somehow incorporated into the Tower Of Terror. Might that be the podium you’re referring to?
Based on SLCE’s description, is it possible that glass will be applied on top of the aluminum or the eastern facade along 5th?
Rising 1,011 feet tall, 262 Fifth Avenue is a 60-story tower in Midtown Manhattan designed by Meganom. The building has two signature exterior elements: the eastern façade will be made from aluminum and glass, with porthole-shaped windows, while the northern and southern facade will have an oversized aluminum and triple-glazed glass curtain-wall system. The building also features a unique vertical core, which will hold all of the mechanics of the building (elevators, egress stairs, etc.). This will allow the apartments to have customizable open-floor plans, with expansive, column-free, unobstructed views to the north and south.
The design also fuses the old with the new: the prewar 12-story limestone façade of the neighboring building, 260 Fifth Avenue, forms part of the base of the modern tower of 262 Fifth Avenue.
The top of the tower will feature an arched metal-frame rooftop observation deck for use by residents and their guests.
That building is 207’ according to the zoning diagram, but I also don’t understand how it’s being incorporated either. There is a podium of new construction on the corner of 29th and Fifth Ave.
I assume from their description of the building that when they say aluminum “and” glass that they are just referring to the glass of the porthole windows. The north and south aluminum is referring to the thick spandrel coverings with the large windows in between. I’m pretty sure the core itself will be completely aluminum panels.
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i think key to the aluminum effect will be its quality and level of polish/shine. if we get a nice mirrored look it might become one of my favorite facades of this decade; if we get the bottom of a diet coke can however…
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I see “surprise faces” all the way up the side with the alternating big porthole and two small portholes… 
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It would be nice if they cover the aluminum in glass.
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I have my doubts about this building. Ultra luxury in NYC is extremely soft right now due to added scrutiny of laundered $ going into real estate. With the deregulation of auction houses it looks like the dirty cash has moved to artwork.
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I have my doubts too. I feel like the developer is just building out the foundation and will then put the lot on the market. I could be wrong but a site with a ready to go foundation is probably an easier sell than a dirt lot.
Also, I think this is a developer no one has really heard of before and does not have much of a track record correct? Because if so, I am always skeptical of developers who come out of nowhere and say they are going to build 1000 ft+ tall buildings.
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I will try to take a peek at this over the weekend.
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Hmm. We’ll see. They’re really progressing on this one. We’ll all know it’s a permanent fixture on the skyline once it hits floor five
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Where are the NIMBY’s who nag and exterminate projects? Why didn’t they go after this one? (Pic from @bmosborne)
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I feel like this one could give off cool cyberpunk vibes at night if it has the right lighting, like this
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Any update on my favorite ….yet most hated building?
I think we all agreed that only the foundation was built out so they could take advantage of some tax break. We just need someone to walk by the site and check for sure
That makes no sense. What tax break? 421-A no longer exists, and was (in its later years) only for rental projects. This will be a condo tower.
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