1709 Surf Avenue
Handel Architects · Coney Island · 2021
Southeast corner from Surf Avenue.
Construction is nearing completion at BFC Partners, L+M Development Partners, and Taconic Investment Partners’ fully affordable residential development at 1709 Surf Avenue in Coney Island, Brooklyn. Designed by Handel Architects, the 446-unit development features a low rise base clad in red brick with blue metal panel accents and punch windows. Two 17-story towers clad in a white concrete block with recycled glass and blue accent brick anchor the northeast and southwest corners of the site.
Southeast corner from Surf Avenue.
Southeast corner of the east tower.
Looking up at the east tower from West 19th Street.
Close-up of the west facade of the west tower.
Close-up of the west facade of the east tower.
Southwest corner from Surf Avenue.
Southwest corner from Surf Avenue.
Northwest corner from Mermaid Avenue.
Architect: Handel Architects; Developer: BFC Partners, L+M Development Partners, and Taconic Investment Partners; Program: Residential Rental, Retail, Office; Location: Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY; Completion: 2021.
SUMMIT at One Vanderbilt
KPF · Midtown East · 2021
SUMMIT observation deck.
Construction has wrapped up at One Vanderbilt, SL Green's 77-story future supertall tower on a site adjacent to New York's Grand Central Terminal. The 1,401 foot tall tower is designed by KPF and features a three story observation deck known as SUMMIT at the tower’s first setback at the 1,000 foot mark. Designed by Snohetta, SUMMIT occupies the 57th, 58th, and 59th floors. The main levels of the observation deck feature the mind-bending art installation Air by Kenzo Digital. Mirrors wrap the three sides of the space framing the views out to the skyline, leading to views with the sky on the floor and the city’s skyscrapers hovering over you on the ceiling . Two glass skyboxes, known as Levitation, on the west facade give visitors a look down on Midtown from 1,063 feet above Madison Avenue. At the top, two all glass elevators, known as Ascent, travel up the south facade to give visitors a view from over 1,200 feet, the highest observation point in Midtown Manhattan. Tickets for the observation deck, which officially opens on October 21, go on sale today.
Looking north from Levitation, the glass skyboxes at the west façade.
Looking down onto Madison Avenue from the sky boxes 1,063 feet above the street.
View off Bryant Park from the sky boxes.
Looking east towards the Queens and Brooklyn waterfront from the observation deck.
Looking south towards the Downtown Brooklyn skyline from the observation deck.
Looking south towards Midtown and Lower Manhattan from the observation deck.
Looking up at the tracks for the Ascent glass elevators.
View from Ascent, the all glass elevator that travels up the south facade of the crown.
View south towards Midtown and Lower Manhattan at sunset from ASCENT.
Looking down from inside the ASCENT elevator.
One Vanderbilt (center) on the Midtown East skyline.
East facade of One Vanderbilt (right) and the Chrysler Building (left).
The design of the facade features floor to ceiling glass and diagonal terracotta spandrels. Installation is also underway on the terra-cotta panels that clad the underside of the tower at the podium and the ceiling of the lobby.
East facade of One Vanderbilt (center), 685 First Avenue (left), and the Chrysler Building (right).
One Vanderbilt lit blue for the 20th anniversary of 9/11.
Architect: KPF; Developer: SL Green Realty Corporation; Development Manager: Hines; Construction: Tishman Construction; Interiors: Gensler; MEP Engineers: Jaros Baum & Bolles; Structural Engineers: Severud Associates; Program: Mixed Use, Office, Retail; Location: Midtown East, New York, NY; Completion: 2020.
Construction Update: St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine
Northeast corner from Greenwich Street.
Facade installation is nearing completion at the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church at the eastern end of Liberty Park at the World Trade Center site. Designed by Santiago Calatrava, architect for the nearby World Trade Center Transportation Hub, the new structure replaces the church’s previous home in a row house that was destroyed on 9/11. The church is located on a 4 foot thick concrete mat slab twenty-five feet above street level, with the World Trade Center Vehicle Security Center directly below. The reinforced concrete structure is clad in panels of white translucent marble encased in laminated glass, which will glow at night from a light source behind the panels. A dome made of 40 steel ribs spanning 55 feet caps the church’s structure.
North facade from Liberty Street.
Architect: Santiago Calatrava; Structural Engineer: Thornton Tomasetti; Program: Church; Location: Lower Manhattan, New York, NY; Completion: 2021.
Construction Tour: 1 Wall Street
Construction is ongoing at the conversion of One Wall Street, the landmark fifty-story limestone Art Deco tower located on an entire block at the intersection of Broadway and Wall Street in the Financial District. Developer Macklowe Properties is converting the Ralph Walker designed office tower into residential condo and rental units with retail at the base. The tower was completed in 1931 and then expanded in 1963, bringing its total gross floor area to 1.1 million square feet.
When completed, the project will offer 566 residential condominium units and a range of amenities totaling over 100,000 square feet.
A five story addition at the south side of the tower, which will house additional residential units as well as an indoor swimming pool and rooftop terrace, is nearing completion. The concrete slabs poured for these floors are cobiax slabs that employ voids to reduce the amount of concrete used while maintaining the concrete’s strength. This method also allows for larger spans without beams and reduces the distortion of the ceiling.
At the base of the project, existing masonry has been removed and the floor plate expanded for a 44,000 square foot Whole Foods and two additional retail tenants. This new stepped volume is clad in a glass curtain wall, with a pleated design that mimics the limestone facade of the original tower.
Architect: Robert A.M. Stern Architects (Design Architect), SLCE Architects (Architect of Record); Developer: Macklowe Properties; Program: Residential Condo and Rental, Retail; Location: Financial District, New York, NY; Completion: 2022.
1 Manhattan Square
Adamson Associates · Two Bridge · 2019
Southeast corner.
Construction has wrapped up at Extell's One Manhattan Square, a residential condominium tower on the Lower East Side waterfront. Designed by Adamson Associates, the 800-foot-tall tower replaces a former Pathmark grocery store.
Southwest corner.
One Manhattan Square is part of the recent surge of waterfront development in Lower Manhattan. The city has undertaken a multi-year project to upgrade the East River Esplanade, Pier 17 has recently completed a major retail reconstruction, and construction of residential towers are following. One Manhattan Square is at the forefront of residential development in this neighborhood, with towers by SHoP Architects and Handel Architects also proposed at adjacent waterfront sites.
Northwest corner of the site from Cherry Street.
Design of the exterior curtain wall of the tower includes two different wall types. At the north and south facades, panels are floor to ceiling glass with a bronze metal spandrel at the floor slab. For the east and west facades, flat glass panels are alternated with panels that tilt outward from the floor or the ceiling, adding dimension to the façade and a more dynamic reflection to the glass.
Looking up at the northwest corner of the podium and tower.
Northwest corner from Cherry Street.
Detail of the perforated metal cladding of the podium.
Looking up at the east facade of the tower.
The tower offers 815 residential condo units designed by Meyer Davis with luxury finishes and top of the line appliances from Miele and Subzero. A choice between dark and light kitchen finish packages will be offered to residents for customization of the residence to their tastes. Views from the tower are panoramic, affording views of New York's iconic architecture and waterfront from Lower Manhattan to Midtown to Brooklyn.
Concierge desk.
Lobby lounge.
Residents have access to over 100,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor amenities such as a sports club, spa, entertainment and recreation facilities, and high-end services. Over an acre of outdoor amenity spaces are designed by West 8, the team behind the redevelopment of Governors Island, which is visible from the waterfront views in the tower. The outdoor amenities include gardens, a tree house, tea pavilion, fire pits and courtyards.
Sunken tranquility garden.
75 foot saltwater swimming pool.
Hammam with cold plunge pool.
Culinary lounge.
Culinary lounge.
Cellar bar and lounge.
Billiards room.
Full court basketball.
Tree house.
View of Brooklyn’s Dumbo waterfront from the tree house.
Architect: Adamson Associates; Interiors: Meyer Davis; Landscape Architect: West 8; Developer: Extell Development Company; Program: Residential; Location: Two Bridges, New York, NY; Completion: 2019.
Construction Update: 550 Madison Avenue
Construction is underway on the new glass canopy at the renovation to Philip Johnson’s landmarked 550 Madison office tower in Midtown by The Olayan Group, RXR Realty, Chelsfield, and CBRE. Built in 1984, the postmodern tower is getting a modern update led by Snohetta and Gensler with Rockwell Group overseeing the interiors. The renovation will keep much of the original facade while refreshing key portions of the interiors and ground floor public space. The Garden will almost double the previous public space adjacent to the lobby and feature full size trees, a water feature, artisan food kiosks, and a glass canopy. A newly designed lobby from Gensler will incorporate terrazzo, leather, bronze mesh, and the large windows at the tower’s base that will fill the space with light. The rest of the office floors will feature column free floors with high ceilings and improvements to building systems to pursue LEED Platinum and WELL Gold ratings. Rockwell designed amenities for building tenants will include a wellness and fitness center, conference facilities and lounge areas, grab and go food options, coffee and juice bars, and bike storage. At the top penthouse floors directly below the “Chippendale” roof pediment, a tenant can inhabit the three to four story space with panoramic views.
Architect: Snohetta with Gensler; Interiors: Rockwell Group; Developer: The Olayan Group, RXR Realty, Chelsfield, CBRE; Construction: AECOM Tishman; Program: Office; Location: Midtown East, New York, NY; Completion: 2022.
Construction Update: The Grand LA
Southwest corner from South Grand Avenue.
Facade installation is nearing completion at the Related Companies and China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd.’s two-tower multi-use development The Grand LA in Downtown Los Angeles. Designed by Frank Gehry of Gehry Partners, the development sits across the street from Gehry’s Walt Disney Concert Hall and includes two towers that rise to 45- and 28-stories. The project will offer 400 residences, including 89 units of affordable housing, and a 309-key luxury hotel. Retail will occupy the base of the two towers, with 176,000 square feet of shopping and restaurants on three levels of landscaped open terraces.
Looking up at the south facade of the residential tower.
Looking up at the southwest corner of the residential tower.
Southwest corner of the residential tower (right) and the hotel tower (left) from South Grand Avenue.
West facade of the residential tower.
Close-up of the residential tower.
Close-up of the residential tower.
Southwest corner of the hotel tower from South Grand Avenue.
Close-up of the hotel tower.
Close-up of the hotel tower.
West facades of the residential tower (right) and the hotel tower (left) from the Walt Disney Concert Hall.
Northwest corner of the residential tower from South Grand Avenue.
Looking up at the southeast corner of the residential tower.
Southeast corner of the residential tower (left) and the hotel tower (right) from South Hill Street.
Architect: Gehry Partners, LLP (Design Architect), AECOM (Architect of Record); Interior Design: Ingrao Inc. (Residences), Tara Bernerd & Partners (Hotel), Rockwell Group (Restaurants); Landscape Designer: OJB Landscape Architecture; Developers: Related Companies with China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd.; Program: Residential, Hotel, Retail; Location: Downtown, Los Angeles, CA; Completion: 2022.
Construction Tour: 208 Delancey Street
Southwest corner from Delancey Street.
Construction is underway and sales have launched at New Empire’s residential condo building 208 Delancey on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Designed by ODA New York, the 12-story residential building features a L-shaped massing with rounded corners that afford curved glass interior corners or outdoor terraces for many units. The facade will be clad in ribbons of glass and beige brick that reference the existing buildings of the neighborhood. Residents will have access to a collection of amenities that include a residential lobby with adjacent resident lounge and courtyard, fitness center with an outdoor meditation terrace, and a rooftop terrace with an outdoor kitchen.
Southeast corner from Delancey Street.
Southeast corner.
Looking up at a curved corner of the structure under construction.
Sales Gallery
Residential units will feature a light-toned color palette throughout. Kitchens will offer white jazz marble countertops and backsplashes, soft white lacquer and oak cabinetry, and Miele appliances. Primary bathrooms will feature a custom walnut vanity, mirrors with integrated lighting, walk-in showers, and radiant heated Blue De Savoie marble flooring. Secondary bathrooms will feature a custom white oak vanity, soaking tub, and radiant heated Montpelier Gris marble flooring.
Model Residence - One Bedroom
Model Residence - Studio
Architect: ODA New York; Developer: New Empire; Program: Residential Condo; Location: Lower East Side, New York, NY; Completion: 2022.
Construction Update: Sunset Spectacular
Construction is wrapping up on the three dimensional billboard structure for Orange Barrel Media and the city of West Hollywood in Los Angeles. Designed by Tom Wiscombe Architecture, the structure combines an east and west facing digital billboard with cultural space at the center. The project is clad in recyclable aluminum and includes a solar array to power the billboards. A multi-use public plaza with permeable grounds materials will surround the structure.
Architect: Tom Wiscombe Architecture; Client: Orange Barrel Media and the City of West Hollywood; Program: Advertising, Cultural; Location: West Hollywood, Los Angeles, CA.
Construction Update: Google Charleston East and Bay View Campus
Charleston East Campus
Construction is nearing completion at Google’s Charleston East campus expansion next to the original Googleplex campus in Sunnyvale, California. Designed by Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) and Thomas Heatherwick, the 645,000 square foot campus features a hangar like canopy that allows for flexibility in locating walls and floor below. According to BIG, their strategy for the building was to “create a replicable and scalable building typology that is also adaptable and inclusive” to Google’s other potential expansion sites nearby.
Close-up of the roof with stainless steel edge profile and pv shingle installation underway.
Smile-shaped clerestories of bird-safe glass bring direct, indirect, and diffused natural light into the building.
Bay View Campus
Along with the Charleston East Campus, BIG and Heatherwick have designed three similar structures at the Bay View Campus on the grounds of the NASA Ames Research Center. Like Charleston East, these structures feature the canopy structure clad in pv shingles and clerestory glass.
Close-up of the roof clad with PV shingles.
Architects: Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) with Thomas Heatherwick; Client: Alphabet; Program: Office; Location: Sunnyvale, Santa Clara County, CA; Completion: 2022.
