What exactly would be possible on this site on the site of the old Pfizer Building? 1000 feet or taller? Is there a site in Midtown East that would allow a high-end supertall? FAR and air rights
I canāt speak to whatās happening on the Pfizer site but as for the high end supertall bit, uhh yeah. lol Weāve seen several proposals already. Like 175 Park Avenue, 350 Park and Tower Fifth
Yes these are nice projects with corresponding heights but where could it go above 1700 feet?
For such discussions I originally created the topic, not only for low buildings but also for over 1700 ft.
(I just made a post discussing this on the 175 Park Avenue Thread) But with how it is zoned, the possibilities of a supertall on the high-end are very low, it may even end up just being a tall skyscraper (below 300m) if not a low-end supertall.
I would be fine with something in the range of 900ā to āroofā or ātop floorā, though maybe with a decorative spire inspired by the Chrysler building (bringing it into a supertall). It would be an interesting line of buildings going from One Vanderbilt to this site. One Vanderbilt, 175 Park Avenue, The Chrysler Building, the one directly to the East, and this site.
Above 1,700 ft is a tall order. 175 Parkās original height maybe could have stretched to that height if the plan was modified slightly, but thatās the only one I know of.
There are still several potential sites in the Midtown East area that could support a 1700ā supertall, but I concur with your view that 175 Park Ave still could have been a contender to reach that height if it were not for itās stubby stature.
Oh interesting. What sites would those be?
Considering 175 Park Avenue, wouldāve been the āmostā likely contender due to the added sqft-age from GCT, the next probable site would be unfortunately the nice little gem that is 450 Lexington Ave, as the site is actually slightly bigger than 175ās with the same FAR of 27 and zoned area of 1.64 million sqft.
Another though seemingly unlikely in the present day would be the Metlife Building site, which boasts 4.07 million sqft of zoning. Though I believe some of that area has been taken away due to air rights being bought from it. But it is still a relatively large site with a listed 3.08 million sqft of area in the current building and podium.
300 Madison could also be redeveloped, but maybe not to a 1700ā figure, more likely closer to One Vanderbilt as well as the 2 lots to the immediate west of OV if they were to be merged.
If the Lincoln Building (One Grand Central Place) lot to the south of One Vanderbilt was merged into one singular developed it would allow for a 2.16 million sqft development, but fragmented I wouldnāt find it possible.
Some sites lining the north end of Park Ave that take up a single lot such as 270 Park Ave could also possibly support a higher end supertall, such as the lot to the east of 270 and the lot in between the Lever House and Citigroup Center.
Idk about 450 Lexington, thatās a pretty nice building so probably donāt want to demolish that one.
I would definitely support a new tower where Metlife is right now, though like you said unlikely.
Would love to see 300 Madison and the 2 others redeveloped.
Itāll be interesting to see if those lots get combined.
Quite questionably, the GC Post Office building at the base of 450 Lexington Ave is not landmarked. Even though I would not want to see 450 be demolished, nor the Post Office, if it is to be redeveloped Iād hope that the PO building is some how integrated into a new development. It would be a travesty to destroy the PO building as itās practically, on the exterior, the sibling of GCT.
The MetLife Building is actually on the table to be landmarked and has been so since 1988 when Robert AM Stern suggested it be landmarked. So whether it is ever landmarked will determine if itās ever redeveloped unless one happens before the other.
Yeah just looked at it, that base is pretty nice. I like 450 as well. I wonder if thereās someway to transfer its potential to another site nearby?
As for Metlife, no thank you. Iād prefer that it doesnāt get landmarked and is redeveloped. Though itās so large and just underwent renovations that I doubt that happens for a while if at all.
Iād say itās possible that RXR could purchase (or transfer as they own 450 Lex) air-rights from it to add to 237 Park Ave to the north of it, that would effectively make 237 much larger than itās currently zoned for 1.27 million sqft but already has added air-rights from the Helmsley building which it also owns. Iād think itād push it over 2 million sqft. Really, RXR owns a lot of property in GC Terminal City.
I donāt hate the MetLife Building, nor do I ālikeā it, but in the definition of the word, it is a landmark in itās own right.
I was wondering about the situation of 237 Park Avenue. Iāve heard that there were plans to redevelop that site into a high-end supertall a while ago.
Manhattan in the future
The right side of Brooklyn Tower definitely needs more high rises to fill in the gaps.
589 Fulton St should fill in the space to the right of Brooklyn Tower, and then thereās several others down the road like 80 and 100 Flatbrush. 625 Fulton St should also make some sort of impact even at 500ā. The Paxton is also cut right out of view so thereās that.
Iād love to see One State Street Plaza or One Battery Park Plaza (the boxes on either side of 17 State Street) redeveloped with a sleek supertall to create a new pinnacle for the southern tip of Manhattan. Maybe a mixed-use tower with upgraded office and a 5-star hotel above. I know the luxury residential market Downtown is relatively soft, but I expect a hotel with unobstructed harbor and Downtown views, and good access to subways, ferries, the Battery tunnel and FDR would do great business. And give me a skybar/restaurant on the top floor while weāre at it.
Give me a miesian redesign of the 42nd street library and turn Bryant Park into a large plaza. Something like the following designā¦
Blasphemy. But I suppose thatās what this thread is for.
