Tall & Urban News

Demolition has begun on the final building left at 50 West 66th Street, where Extell will soon be adding yet another punctuation mark to the city’s skyline. The site is just six blocks away from Columbus Circle, and down the block from Central Park. Excavation continues apace across the land that has already been cleared. Scaffolding now covers the 11-floor structure at 15 West 65th Street, which will be the last piece of the puzzle to meet the wrecking ball.

The 775-foot (236.2-meter) tall structure, which will become the tallest on the Upper West Side, is designed by Snohetta, which incorporates unique shapes in a restrained fashion to complement the neighborhood, without leaving out any spirit. The building is separated into two distinct sections by a large outdoor terrace on the 16th floor. Above the terrace will be a slenderer portion, with two corners removed for discrete, non-obtrusive balconies.

The base of the structure is designed to be both visually striking, and friendly to pedestrians. As described by Snohetta:

“At street level, the building’s podium is sheathed in hand-set and textured limestone with bronze and glass storefronts, complementing the warm material palette of its surrounding neighbors. The north side residential entrance is clad in burnished bronze and limestone that presents a welcoming face to the street, and a similar treatment identifies the entrance to a synagogue at 65th Street.”

New building permits have not yet been filed to reflect the growth spurt. Completion is expected by 2019.

For more on this story, go to New York YIMBY.