Manhattan crackles with activity.

BIG-Designed Project with Twisting Towers Moves Forward

The Eleventh, a Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG)-designed project described by developer HFZ Capital as a “micro neighborhood” along the High Line in West Chelsea (ELEVATOR WORLD, December 2016) is progressing nicely, with completion anticipated by the end of 2019, The Architect’s Newspaper reported. Including pavilions under the High Line and a park that extends to street level, The Eleventh is distinguished by a pair of 36- and 26-story travertine-clad towers that twist to maximize views for residents and guests of a Six Senses hotel. Also involving landscape and interior designers from Paris, Switzerland and New York, the development will include the tallest buildings in West Chelsea.

Margaritaville Resort Hotel Coming to Times Square

The city’s first Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville is coming to a vacant site at 560 Seventh Avenue in Times Square, New York YIMBY reported. Being developed by Soho Properties in partnership with Chip, Andrew Weiss, and MHP Real Estate Services, the development promises to provide tourists and locals alike a laid-back experience in the heart of bustling Times Square. On the drawing boards are a 29-story, 234-room hotel, three-story restaurant, pool and rooftop bar. The US$300-million Margaritaville Resort Hotel is expected to open in late 2020. Margaritaville CEO John Cohlan described it as “the perfect complement to the exciting, fast-paced energy of Times Square.”

ADA Subway Elevators Greenlit in Manhattan Despite Concern

The City Planning Commission granted a special permit that will allow the developer of an 80-story condominium tower at 45 Broad Street in the Financial District (EW, October 2016) to include a pair of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-compliant subway elevators as part of its project, CityLand, a publication of the New York Law School, reported. Madison 45 Broad Development LLC worked with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and New York City Transit on the plan, which will entail new elevators for the Broad and Wall street subway stations, one on the northbound platform in a 4-ft.-wide curb bumpout at the northeast corner of Exchange Place and Broad Street and another on the southbound, terminal platform in a 12-ft.-wide curb bumpout on the southwest corner. The commission said the elevators will “significantly” improve accessibility into downtown Manhattan and countered concerns the units could encourage terrorist attacks (EW, March 2018) with a report from a private security group.

Fresh Perspectives From a New Vantage Point

As part of a tour in May of six of the city’s tallest developments under construction or recently completed, New York YIMBY visited the Jean Nouvel-designed, 1,050-ft.-tall 53 West 53rd Street (53W53), bringing readers a fresh look at the rising skyline from a new vantage point. Scheduled for completion by early 2019, 53W53 (EW, November 2017) will house condominiums, galleries, a restaurant and a US$450-million expansion of the Museum of Modern Art. Perspectives from 53W53’s upper floors include sweeping city views and work underway at other notable skyscrapers, such as 220 Central Park South (EW, May 2018).

SOM Residential Tower Planned in Brooklyn

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) has filed plans with the New York City Department of Buildings for a 40-story residential tower in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, suggesting the firm will be its architect, Curbed New York reported. The site, at 18 India Street, was first eyed by developers RedSky Capital and JZ Capital three years ago, with a later rendering showing a pair of towers with retail. The latest filings indicate there will be no retail and 470 apartments, including affordable units.

Renderings Reveal Upper East Side Residential Elegance

New York YIMBY revealed the renderings of 40 East End, a 20-story condominium tower on the Upper East Side designed by Gerner Kronick + Valcarel Architects to reflect the “local lexicon,” with charcoal and gray bricks and casement-style windows. With interiors designed by Deborah Berke Partners, 29 condominiums averaging more than 2,700 sq. ft. range from US$3 million-$25 million apiece, according to The New York Times. Its interior entrance boasts a sculptural white staircase accented in marble and bronze. Lightstone is the developer and Corcoran Sunshine is handling sales.