Buildings come down, others rise in the country’s largest city.

Largest Demolition Moving Along

The largest demolition in NYC is moving along at 270 Park Avenue (ELEVATOR WORLD, January 2019 and May 2018). New scaffolding and netting have been installed on the exterior of the 52-story, 1.5-million-ft2 building. This will be the tallest intentionally demolished structure in history. An exterior mechanical hoist has also been placed on the northern corner of the tower and two wrap-around walkways are mounted at different heights on the edge of the curtain wall. In place of the current tower, developer JPMorgan Chase plans to build a 1,322-ft-tall, 57-story supertall. The Foster+Partners-designed building will include 1,871,767 ft2 of office space. Demolition is expected to be mostly complete in 2020, and construction on the new tower is set to begin in early 2021.

Construction Elevators Coming Down Marks Hudson Yards Progress

The dismantling in July of construction elevators at 15, 30 and 35 Hudson Yards in Related Cos.’ US$25-billion Hudson Yards megadevelopment in Midtown NYC reflects how quickly the project is taking shape. The last sections of the curtain wall will go up as the hoists go down. The development involves an array of international architects, including Diller Scofidio + Renfro for 15 Hudson Yards, Kohn Pedersen Fox for 30 Hudson Yards and Skidmore Owings & Merrill for 35 Hudson Yards. July also marked the grand opening of the Rockwell Group-designed Equinox Hotel on the 24th through 38th floors of 35 Hudson Yards. Its 212 rooms range from US$700-$8,000 per night. The last skyscraper in the first phase of the megadevelopment is 50 Hudson Yards, designed by Norman Foster + Partners and expected to be complete by 2022.

Story Hudson Square Tower Tops Out

The concrete structure of a 27-story residential project in Hudson Square, NYC, topped out in July. The tower, designed by S9 Architecture, will include 100 affordable and market-rate apartments, as well as ground-floor retail space. The project will not be classified as a skyscraper, but the façade of floor-to-ceiling windows and geometrically shaped steel frames will make it eye-catching. In addition to the residences, the building will include a 15-car parking garage, bicycle storage, a lounge, a laundry room and a roof terrace for all residents. The completion date posted on the construction fence says fall 2020.

Queens Skyscraper Rising Quickly

The Skyline Tower is rising quickly in Long Island City and will soon be the tallest building in NYC outside of Manhattan. The 67-story residential tower is designed by Hill West Architects and Whitehall Interiors. The building will include 208 residences that range in price from US$500,000 to US$4 million. The 1-million-ft2 building will be covered in 358,538 ft2 of glass and will offer numerous amenities, including an indoor swimming pool, private yoga and Pilates classes, pet care service, move-in assistance, in-home chefs and house office technical support. There will also be a business center, a landscaped outdoor terrace, private parking and storage. The tower will be the first Queens project to cost more than US$1 billion. The building is set to be completed next year.

Redevelopment of Victoria Theatre in Harlem Tops Out

The redevelopment and upward expansion of the historic Victoria Theatre in Harlem, NYC, officially topped out in July. The project, developed by Exact Capital Group and designed by Aufgang Architects, includes a 26-story Marriott Renaissance Hotel and a 27-story apartment tower. Half of the 191 residential units will be classified as “affordable housing.” The lower levels of the complex will also have 25,000 ft2 of retail space, a 5,000-ft2 ballroom and an arts center with two performance venues. The redeveloped building was able to maintain some of its historic elements, including the original 1917 terracotta façade and the main lobby with grand staircase and ornate ceiling.

Raleigh Mall Requests Rezoning to Build Tower

Owners of the Crabtree Valley Mall in Raleigh, North Carolina, filed a rezoning request to transform a portion of the mall into a large tower, News Observer reports. The 47-year-old mall revealed plans to ask the city to rezone a section of its land to allow for a 30-story tower that would add office space and a hotel. The portion of the mall in question, along with the 3.3 acres around it, was owned by Sears until the mall purchased it in 2018 for nearly US$20 million. The current zoning laws would allow for a 12-story building. The mall estimates the project would cost US$290 million.