Building Tour: The American Copper Buildings
East facade of the towers from the East River.
Construction has wrapped up at JDS Development Group's American Copper Buildings, the twin residential rental towers at 626 First Avenue on the East River waterfront in Manhattan. Designed by SHoP Architects, the sloping 41 and 49-story towers feature copper cladding on their north and south facades that is achieved by laminating a thin sheet of copper to stainless steel, with a gypsum-based composite panel in between. The copper panels will naturally patina with time, transitioning from their initial shine to a more muted tone. East and west facades feature a glass curtain wall that allows for expansive views of the East River waterfront and the Midtown skyline.
Northeast corner of the towers from the East River.
Looking up at the skybridge.
Garden
A garden designed by SCAPE anchors the northeast corner of the site. The landscape architects envisioned the park as both an active civic space and a functional water filtration system. According to SCAPE’s website, the park is designed as “a layered water-collection system that responds to multiple types of inundation.”
Amenities
The two towers are connected by a three-story skybridge at the 27th to the 29th floor that houses amenities such as a fitness center, a 75 foot indoor lap pool, and residents lounge.
Residents lounge.
Residents lounge.
Ceiling detail at the residents lounge.
Fitness center entry.
Juice bar.
Fitness center.
View to the west from the fitness center.
Rock climbing wall in the fitness center.
Fitness center.
Stair detail in the fitness center.
Closeup of the east facade at the skybridge.
Tile wall detail.
Pool floor detail.
Architects: SHoP Architects; Interior Design: K&Co; Developer: JDS Development Group; Program: Residential, Retail, Park; Location: Murray Hill, New York, NY; Completion: 2017.
Tour: House 39
Southwest corner.
Construction has wrapped up at Fisher Brothers' 36-story tower in Murray Hill. Designed by Handel Architects with interiors by Rockwell Group, the 297-unit residential rental tower features a curved southern façade with large glass bays and vertical stripes of shadow box units that create a random pattern. Horizontal and vertical white spandrel panels frame and define these glazing zones throughout the facade.
Looking up at the south facade from East 39th Street.
Residential Entry
Residential entry from East 39th Street.
Residential lobby.
Double helix stair to the residential amenities.
Residential Amenities
Amenities for the residents include a second floor Club Level with personal workstations, conference center, library, catering kitchen, game room, and an outdoor terrace. A fitness center with yoga studio and children's playroom is also available on the ground floor.
Indoor fireplace.
Library.
Conference center.
Demonstration kitchen.
Great lawn.
Looking up at the west façade from the outdoor terrace.
Fitness center entry.
Fitness center.
Yoga studio.
Hammam.
Locker room.
Model Residences
The building's rental units range from studios to three-bedrooms and feature nine-foot high ceilings with floor-to-ceiling windows, graphite oak kitchen cabinetry, and grey stained white oak flooring.
Residential entry.
Kitchen.
Living room.
Bedroom.
Rooftop Amenities
Along with the second floor Club Level, the tower also features a rooftop level of amenities including an indoor swimming pool and hot tub, a party room, and an outdoor terrace with hot tub, fire pit, gas grills, and cabanas.
Party room.
Rooftop terrace.
Outdoor fireplace
View south towards Lower Manhattan from the rooftop terrace.
Architect: Handel Architects; Interiors: Rockwell Group; Developer: Fisher Brothers; Program: Residential, Retail; Location: Murray Hill, New York, NY; Completion: 2017.
Construction Update: The Lindley
Southwest Corner from Third Avenue.
Superstructure has topped out at The Lindley, CBSK Ironstate's 20-story residential condo tower in the Murray Hill neighborhood of Manhattan. Designed by Rawlings Architects, the tower features a façade of brick and over-sized casement windows in keeping with the surrounding context. The project will offer 74 residential units ranging in size from studios to 3-bedrooms. Residents will have access to an array of amenities including a 24/7 concierge service, residents' lounge, fitness center, resident superintendent, bike and resident storage, and a roof garden with skyline views and dining areas.
West façade.
Northwest corner from Third Avenue.
Rendering of the west façade.
View west from the penthouse terrace.
View south from the penthouse terrace.
View south from the penthouse terrace.
Private terrace.
Rendering of a master bedroom with terrace.
Private terrace.
Architect: Rawlings Architects; Developer: CBSK Ironstate; Program: Residential; Location: Murray Hill, New York, NY; Completion: 2018.
Construction Update: 685 First Avenue
Looking up at the southeast corner from East 39th Street.
Progress continues at 685 First Avenue, the 42-story residential tower in Murray Hill from Richard Meier & Partners Architects. The tower, composed of a minimalist extruded rectangular massing, will offer 556 residential rental and condo units in the first black glass clad building. An architectural cut-out spanning the 27th and 28th floors marks the transition from rentals to condos.
Concrete superstructure nears the half-way height of the finished tower and curtain wall installation has begun at the southeast corner.
Close-up of the curtain wall at the southeast corner.
Southeast corner from First Avenue.
East facade from First Avenue.
Close-up of the curtain wall at the east façade.
Northeast corner from First Avenue.
Northwest corner from East 40th Street.
Architect: Richard Meier & Partners Architects; Developer: Sheldon Solow; Program: Residential; Location: Murray Hill, New York, NY; Completion: 2018.
225 East 39th Street
Superstructure has topped out at Fisher Brothers' residential tower in Murray Hill.
Superstructure has topped out and curtain wall installation is ongoing at Fisher Brothers' 36-story tower in Murray Hill. Designed by Handel Architects, the 372-unit residential tower features a curved southern façade with large glass bays and vertical stripes of shadow box units that create a random pattern. Horizontal and vertical white spandrel panels frame and define these glazing zones throughout the facades. Completion looks to be on track for an early 2017 completion.
Architect: Handel Architects; Developer: Fisher Brothers; Program: Residential, Retail; Location: Murray Hill, New York, NY; Completion: 2017.
626 First Avenue
Superstructure has topped out at JDS Development Group and SHoP Architects' two-tower project on the East River waterfront.
Superstructure has topped out at the south tower of 626 First Avenue, the two tower residential development from JDS Development Group and SHoP Architects. This milestone follows the topping out of the north tower in January. The 41 and 49 story residential rental towers slope towards each other with a connecting bridge that will host an indoor lap pool and lounge for the residents. Work continues on the structure for the bridge.
Curtain wall installation continues for the project's signature copper cladding on the north and south facades, surpassing the two-thirds mark. The east and west facades feature a glass curtain wall that allows for expansive views of the East River waterfront and the Midtown skyline.
Construction is slated to wrap up on both towers by 2017.
Architects: SHoP Architects; Developer: JDS Development Group; Program: Residential, Retail, Park; Location: Murray Hill, New York, NY; Completion: 2017.
225 East 39th Street
Curtain wall installation has begun at Fisher Brothers' tower in Murray Hill by Handel Architects.
Curtain wall installation is underway at Fisher Brothers' 36-story tower in Murray Hill. Designed by Handel Architects, the 372-unit residential tower features a curved southern facade. Concrete superstructure has reached the 24th floor and the glass curtain wall trails behind at the seventh floor. The design of the curtain wall features blue glass with vertical stripes of a different shade of blue to create a random pattern. Horizontal and vertical white spandrel panels frame and define these glazing zones throughout the facades. With only a third of the structure left to go, completion looks on track for an early 2017 completion.
Southwest corner.
Looking up at the south facade.
Southeast corner from East 39th Street.
Close-up of the facade at the southwest corner.
Looking up at the southwest corner.
Close-up of the facade at the southwest corner.
Looking up at the west facade.
Northwest corner from East 40th Street.
Close-up of the west facade.
Northeast corner from East 40th Street.
Architect: Handel Architects; Developer: Fisher Brothers; Program: Residential, Retail; Location: Murray Hill, New York, NY; Completion: 2017.
626 First Avenue
The sloping towers of JDS's waterfront development at 626 First Avenue are rising fast and getting their connecting bridge of future residential amenities.
Superstructure is close to topping out at the north tower of 626 First Avenue, the two tower residential development from JDS Development Group and SHoP Architects. The 41 and 49 story residential rental towers slope towards each other with a connecting bridge that will host an indoor lap pool and lounge for the residents. Work has begun on the structure for the bridge as the first of the steel trusses has been erected.
Also marking another project milestone, the exterior envelope for both towers has reached the halfway mark. The project's signature copper cladding is featured on the north and south facades, while a glass curtain wall on the east and west facades allow for expansive views of the East River waterfront and the Midtown skyline.
Construction is slated to wrap up on both towers by 2017.
Looking north on First Avenue at East 34th Street.
Close-up of the skybridge under construction between the north (left) and south (right) towers.
Southwest corner of the site from First Avenue and East 35th Street.
Looking up at the south facade of the north (left) and south (right) towers from East 35th Street.
Looking up at the south facade of the north (left) and south (right) towers from East 35th Street.
Close-up of the south facade of the southeast tower.
Looking up at the south facade of the south tower from East 35th Street.
Southeast corner of the south tower from the East River Esplanade.
Looking north from the East River Esplanade.
East facade of the north (right) and south (left) towers from the East River Ferry terminal at East 35th Street.
Looking up at the north (right) and south (left) towers from the East River ferry terminal.
East facade of the north (right) and south (left) towers from the East River Ferry terminal at East 35th Street.
Northeast corner of the north tower.
Skybridge under construction between the north and south towers.
North facade of the south (left) and north (right) towers.
Northwest corner of the north tower.
West facade of the north tower.
West facade of both towers from
Architects: SHoP Architects; Developer: JDS Development Group; Program: Residential, Retail, Park; Location: Murray Hill, New York, NY; Completion: 2017.
626 First Avenue
Construction progress continues at 626 First Avenue, the two tower residential development from JDS Development Group. Designed by SHoP Architects, the 41 and 49 story towers have almost reached the half way mark for superstructure. As the two towers slope towards each other, a bridge will connect them and host an indoor lap pool and lounge as amenities for the residents. The project's signature building envelope features copper cladding on the north and south facades of both towers, equaling 4.25 million pounds of raw copper according to the newly installed construction signage. A glass curtain wall on the east and west facades allow for expansive views of the East River waterfront and the Midtown skyline. The cladding is furthest along on the northwest tower, with glass and copper surpassing the 11th floor. Construction is slated to wrap up on both towers by 2017.
Architects: SHoP Architects; Developer: JDS Development Group; Program: Residential, Retail, Park; Location: Murray Hill, New York, NY; Completion: 2017.
626 First Avenue
Much progress is being made at 626 First Avenue, a two tower residential development from JDS Development Group. Located in the Murray Hill neighborhood of Manhattan, the SHoP Architects' designed towers will rise 41 and 49 stories and slope towards each other, with a connecting sky bridge. Currently, structure has reached the 20th floor on the north tower, while the south tower lags behind at the sixth floor. Exterior wall installation has also begun on the north tower, with the copper and glass panels reaching the sixth floor. Constructed is slated to finish by early 2017.
Northwest corner of the site from First Avenue.
Closeup view of the copper and glass facade on the northwest corner of the north tower.
Looking up at the copper and glass north facade of the north building.
Northeast corner of the site from East 36th Street with the north (right) and south (left) towers.
Closeup view of the copper and glass facade of the northeast corner of the north tower.
The East River waterfront with 626 First Avenue rising on the far right.
A view of the site from the East River.
A view of the site from the East River.
A view of the site from the East River ferry terminal.
South facade of the south tower from East 35th Street.
Closeup view of the structure of the north (left) and south (right) towers from East 35th Street.
Southwest corner of the south tower from East 35th Street.
Southwest corner of the site with the north tower (left), south tower (right), and PS 281 (center).
Looking north on First Avenue.
Looking up at the west facade of the north tower (left) from First Avenue.
West facade of the north tower.
Closeup of the west facade of the north tower.
The East River waterfront with 626 First Avenue rising on the far left.
Architects: SHoP Architects; Developer: JDS Development Group; Program: Residential, Retail; Location: Murray Hill, New York, NY; Completion: 2017.