Field Update: Jerome L. Greene Science Center
The first building in Columbia University's Manhattanville expansion has recently topped out and awaits its sleek, glassy facade. It is slated to open in the fall of 2016 alongside The Lenfest Center for the Arts and the Forum building.
432 Park Avenue
Construction has reached to approximately the 29th story at the site of New York's soon to be tallest tower by roof elevation. Reaching to a height of 1,398 feet, the 84 story Rafael Vinoly designed tower will surpass One World Trade Center's roof height of 1,368 feet. Installation continues in seemingly random order on the 100 square foot windows that puncture the concrete grid of the exterior wall. Now that the tower has surpassed the one third mark for superstructure, it should become far more prevalent in skyline views from the park and around the city this fall.
Field Update: 400 Park Avenue South
Structure has reached the half way point at Portzamparc's 42 story geometrical tower, one of a new crop of towers that draws similarities to the recent Bank of America Tower. The massing combines two main rectangular volumes with more geometrically playful elements on either side and at the corner of the block. Curtain wall has progressed to the seventh floor, helping to reveal the complexity of the project's geometry with the amount of non standard glazing unit shapes.
Manhattan Districts 1/2/5 Garage
SoHo's controversial Department of Sanitation Garage is progressing from structure to exterior envelope as the first layer of its double skin curtain wall begins installation on the southern facade. The first layer of standard, unitized curtain wall will be overlaid with a second layer of custom designed, perforated metal fins to enliven a large infrastructure project with some of the glamour of SoHo and appease the detractors that live nearby. Combined with the green roof that will cap the garage, this project is seeking certification for LEED Gold status.
Field Update: Governors Island
West 8 recently led a weekend hard hat tour of phase one of their transformation of Governors Island into a world class park. This first phase focuses on the southern portion of the island starting from the Liggett Arch which will be the gateway into the Liggett Terrace and Hammock Grove. West 8's guiding principle has been to transform the flat terrain of the southern half of the island, constructed of fill from past subway excavation, through the creation of topography. To highlight this new constructed topography, multi-functioning precast concrete elements have been installed, providing planting edging and seating. Most of those elements have been installed and will soon contain the multitude of plants when the first phase opens sometime in late fall.
Field Update: 500 West 30th Street - Abington House
The exterior envelope of brick precast panels is approximately two thirds installed at Robert Stern's residential condo adjacent to the Hudson Yards megaproject and the High Line. Following a recent trend in residential projects in New York, the tower's exterior design draws inspiration from the city's industrial past with its brick and black metal framed windows with divided lights. When the Hudson Yards district is fully developed this project will provide a much needed material contrast to the dominant glass towers from KPF, David Childs and DS+R across the street.