Proposed: One Madison Avenue - by Daniel Libeskind

[londonlawyer]

From NY Magazine's Sep. 20, 2007 edition:

"Have We Found Libeskind's Manhattan Tower at Madison Square Park?"

Some months ago, Daniel Libeskind told us he was designing his first tower in Manhattan. We asked where it was, and he said he couldn't tell us, yet, but he would as soon as all the official folderol allowed. A few days later, someone who knows Libeskind mumbled something to us about "One Madison," then promptly hushed up. For months, Libeskind's people have said only that Israeli developer Elad Properties is Libeskind's client for a project somewhere in Manhattan. Well, today, an Israeli news service is reporting that Elad is developing a 74-story apartment tower at One Madison Avenue. You know, that pretty landmark with the illuminated clock tower? According to the report, they'll be adding many stories to make the new structure one of the tallest residential towers in the world.
Back in June, Libeskind told us his project would be on a "historic site, one of the iconic sites of New York City." And, he added, "I guarantee you'll see the Statue of Liberty from there." Aha! And hmm. It's got to be hard to change any aspect of that building. Elad's venerable publicist, Lloyd Kaplan, says he doesn't know what to make of the Globes story. And we're not in the business of glomming news from publications we've never seen before. But either way, we're excited for all the heated debate about the effect of skyscraper shadows on the iciness of Shake Shack custard in coming months. —Alec Appelbaum

[londonlawyer]

I assume this will be built on the site of the horrible low-rise base, which, sadly, once had a very ornate facade.

[londonlawyer]

The following was posted on Sep. 20, 2007 on the following website of an Israeli newspaper: www.globes.co.il.

"Tshuva to build Manhattan’s tallest residential building:
Yitzhak Tshuva’s project will top the 72-story Trump World Tower."

Ariel Rosenberg 20 Sep 07 19:00

Yitzhak Tshuva’s private real estate arm Elad Properties is planning to build Manhattan’s tallest residential skyscraper, which will be one of the tallest buildings in the world. He is apparently taking to heart the words of the Leonard Cohen song, “I’ll Take Manhattan”.
Elad will invest $450 million in the One Madison Avenue building, fronting Madison Square Park and East 23rd Street, adding floors to the 17-story New York City landmark. The result will be a 74-story skyscraper that will by 900 feet (274 meters) tall. The building will top the 72-story 262 meter Trump World Tower. The 283-meter tall 70-storey Trump Building, an office building on Wall Street, will still be higher than Tshuva’s new development however. Only two residential skyscrapers in Australia - the Q1 Tower in Gold Coast, Queensland, and Melbourne’s Eureka Tower - will top One Madison Avenue.

[czsz]

I'm confused. Does this mean the destruction of the MetLife tower? Or just severe overshadowing of it?

[sfenn1117]

I don't know but I'm very intrigued and want to know more. Besides, isn't the Metlife tower landmarked? Is there a 17 story building in the immediate vicinity anyone knows about?

[londonlawyer]

I don't know but I'm very intrigued and want to know more. Besides, isn't the Metlife tower landmarked? Is there a 17 story building in the immediate vicinity anyone knows about?

I assume it refers to the huge low-rise base just south of the tower that runs from Madison to PAS.

[infoshare]

I'm confused. Does this mean the destruction of the MetLife tower?

The plan is to keep the tower (http://www.skyscraper.org/TALLEST_TOWERS/t_metro.htm) - and perhaps the entire base building - and build onto to it: somewhat similar to the Hearst Tower project.

[czsz]

I can't really imagine anything growing out of the tower...I guess that just means its presence in the skyline is about to get severely supplanted.

[sfenn1117]

Could it be the building to the north will finally get the addition it's been waiting for for decades?
http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=metropolitanlifenorthbuilding-newyorkcity-ny-usa

Then again this all could just be a rumor....but 900 feet in this location will be huge and give the ESB some serious company

[NoyokA]

The original Met-Life Building will not be touched at all, instead the lowrise building fronting it, which people are calling "the base", in reality it was built in the 1950's, it spans from 23rd between Park Avenue and Madison, and it will not be missed if it is to be altered. GREAT NEWS!!!

[infoshare]

I can't really imagine anything growing out of the tower...I guess that just means its presence in the skyline is about to get severely supplanted.

Obviously they will not build on the Tower itself: the base building will probably be removed. But yes - more to your point - the prominance of Tower on the skyline will be no more. Come to think of it: maybe the Villard House (http://www.nyc-architecture.com/MID/MID010.htm) is a better comparison to what will eventually be built there at the MetLife Building. I think a contrasting modern structure - as in the Villard House addition - could come off beautifully.

[londonlawyer]

The original Met-Life Building will not be touched at all, instead the lowrise building fronting it, which people are calling "the base", in reality it was built in the 1950's, it spans from 23rd between Park Avenue and Madison, and it will not be missed if it is to be altered. GREAT NEWS!!!

Yes. The following is, as per Michael Stoler, of the NY Sun:

"In March 2005, SL Green Realty Trust Corporation purchased One Madison Avenue for $918 million. It purchased the building from MetLife. One Madison Avenue consists of two contiguous buildings with about 1.4 million square feet. The 14-story South Building was built in 1956 and consists of about 1.2 million square feet of office space. The South Building was acquired by a joint venture with Gramercy Capital Corporation. Gramercy acquired a 45% interest and SL Green a 55% interest in the building, which is occupied almost entirely by Credit Suisse First Boston. The purchase price of the South Building was about $803 million. The North Tower, completed in 1909, is a landmark building, contains 41 stories of 267,000 square feet of space, and is zoned for residential and office use. Additionally the air rights associated with the property could provide for the development of about 470,000 square feet of additional space. Last week, SL Green announced it had entered a joint venture arrangement with its tenant, Credit Suisse, RFR Holding, and hotelier Ian Schrager for the redevelopment and residential conversion of the North Tower, also known as the Clocktower. Under the terms of the venture, SL Green will retain a 30% interest in the building."

[czsz]

It would be helpful if someone had a photo of the site...even more helpful if someone would be willing to do a massing study in the skyline.

[londonlawyer]

It would be helpful if someone had a photo of the site...even more helpful if someone would be willing to do a massing study in the skyline.

It's the POS to the right. It looks small but is actually quite large as it spans from Madison to PAS.

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2005/03/31/nyregion/31metlife_lg.jpg

[Bob]

I sure hope they're really talking about neither the so-called base, or the tower itself, but rather the north north building which was originally going to be a whopping mega-skyscraper. The foundations are in and can support the addition of about 60 more floors. Now THIS would make the Hearst Tower seem like peanuts.

[londonlawyer]

I sure hope they're really talking about neither the so-called base, or the tower itself, but rather the north north building which was originally going to be a whopping mega-skyscraper. The foundations are in and can support the addition of about 60 more floors. Now THIS would make the Hearst Tower seem like peanuts.

I think the base sucks.

[NoyokA]

It would be helpful if someone had a photo of the site...even more helpful if someone would be willing to do a massing study in the skyline.


Google maps gives a good idea.

[londonlawyer]

While I hate The Link, Elad could join the ranks of good developers (i.e., Durst, Barnett, Rosen) that don't pull a Macklowe and build cheap towers.

[JMGarcia]

My guess is the tower portion will go on the Park Ave. side of the block with the existing base being renovated with the main entrance on Madison facing the park.

[macreator]

Call me a NIMBY, but I'm skeptical about how this will look next to Metlife Tower, especially considering Elad's track-record with glass curtainwall (think Link). Metlife Tower is such an amazing edifice, I sure hope Elad doesn't cheapen it up with some flat-top.

[Derek2k3]

Elad is the developer, Libeskind is the architect.

Regardless of the developer, you don't expect to get a Kondylis looking building or budget if you hire Libeskind.

[lofter1]

... I sure hope Elad doesn't cheapen it up with some flat-top.


Does DL even know how to do "flat top" :cool:

[czsz]

I'd rather have a simple glass wall merely reflecting the MetLife tower than some spastic Liebeskind crystal distracting from it.

[stache]

There goes my Walgreen's!

[krulltime]

This is great news. Hopefully some Hearst looking thing. Well I am thinking too much. LOL. Don't want to get too excited just yet. But this one has to be good looking since it will be a much focal point in the skyline.

[londonlawyer]

YEAH BABY!

Israeli firm plans Manhattan's highest residence
Thu Sep 20, 2007 7:35am EDT

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Real estate company Elad Group, owned by Israeli billionaire Yitzhak Tshuva, plans to build New York's tallest residential building in a $450 million deal, an industry source said on Thursday.

Elad, which also owns New York's Plaza Hotel, plans to construct an additional 75 floors on top of an existing 20-story building, said the source, who asked not to be named.

Elad officials were not immediately available for comment.

The Madison Avenue building will stand 274 meters (899 feet) tall.

Building plans are currently being examined by the New York City municipality and are subject to regulatory approval, Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth said.

[SilentPandaesq]

YEAH BABY!

additional 75 floors on top of an existing 20-story building, said the source

Wait, let me calm down....Does that mean the taller, northern one? The one that should have been 1000 feet to begin with? Calm...down....do not hyperventalate....

[krulltime]

Ok now I am confuse. Which building are we talking about now?

[NoyokA]

Wait, let me calm down....Does that mean the taller, northern one? The one that should have been 1000 feet to begin with? Calm...down....do not hyperventalate....

I don't know the number of storeys of the One Madison Avenue annex, but Met Life North is 32 storeys, I still don't think its that building in question. I'll pass by the annex today and see how many floors it has just to try and confirm it is infact the building in question, which I am almost positive it is.

[lofter1]

Seems now we are talking about the North Building (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metropolitan_Life_Insurance_Company_Tower) at 11 Madison Avenue (between 24th / 25th). However that building is 32 stories -- not the "existing 20-story building" emntioned in the article.

The North Building (below left, from Emporis (http://www.emporis.com/en/il/im/?id=224458)) was constructed in a way that would have allowed it to serve as the base for a 110-story telescoping tower ...

http://www.emporis.com/images/6/2003/10/224458.jpg

Another earlier shot from a German (http://www.arch.tu-dresden.de/ibad/Baugeschichte/bilder/new%20york/metropolitan%20life%20tower%20ansicht.jpg) website ... Die Stadt New York (http://www.arch.tu-dresden.de/ibad/Baugeschichte/Vorlesung_Die_Stadt_New_York.html) :

http://www.arch.tu-dresden.de/ibad/Baugeschichte/bilder/new%20york/metropolitan%20life%20tower%20ansicht.jpg

[lofter1]

Emporis says the 23rd Street base connected to the clock tower is 11 stories.

[lofter1]

Here's a drawing of the 100-story tower that was proposed for the North Building ...

***

[krulltime]

Here is another look of both question buildings http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=117819993&size=o

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/38/117819993_184e8c2d11_o.jpg

[NoyokA]

I don't think its the North Building because that's merely speculation, it hasn't been printed in any news source, or anything to suggest as much. Theres only speculation that it can support a taller structure, which is true, but the same is true of the One Madison Avenue annex. That said I'm not convinced that One Madison Avenue is the site, or that this is a legitimate development, through all my digging Green still owns One Madison, for the sake of speculation Sapir owns 11 Madison Avenue, if Elad bought either of these properties it would conceivably made news, as both properties did when they exchanged hands a couple of years ago. You cant build on what you don't own.

[krulltime]

http://www.arch.tu-dresden.de/ibad/Baugeschichte/bilder/new%20york/metropolitan%20life%20tower%20ansicht.jpg

Why does this pic seems odd to me. The towers facing the park next to the clock tower were all demolished at the same time? Then they build the second part of that '32 floor/base' tower to be extended to the park? I never knew it happen like that. What were the years that this took place?

[kliq6]

Green is owner of record but one of there ex VP is now at Elad

[NoyokA]

Why does this pic seems odd to me. The towers facing the park next to the clock tower were all demolished at the same time? Then they build the second part of that '32 floor/base' tower to be extended to the park? I never knew it happen like that. What were the years that this took place?


That's what it looks like, I never knew that either.

[BrooklynRider]

I don't think its the North Building because that's merely speculation, it hasn't been printed in any news source, or anything to suggest as much. Theres only speculation that it can support a taller structure, which is true, but the same is true of the One Madison Avenue annex. That said I'm not convinced that One Madison Avenue is the site, or that this is a legitimate development, through all my digging Green still owns One Madison, for the sake of speculation Sapir owns 11 Madison Avenue, if Elad bought either of these properties it would conceivably made news, as both properties did when they exchanged hands a couple of years ago. You cant build on what you don't own.

It could be a JV, in which case there does not need to be a sale.

[ManhattanKnight]

Why does this pic seems odd to me. The towers facing the park next to the clock tower were all demolished at the same time? Then they build the second part of that '32 floor/base' tower to be extended to the park? I never knew it happen like that. What were the years that this took place?

The rather bizarre story of this building's design and construction is related by Stern, et al. in their New York 1930 tome (at p. 536). In brief, the eastern half of its base, termed "first unit" in the drawings, was completed in 1933. The "second unit" was built after the buildings on the western portion of the block were demolished. Stern refers to a third part that -- unlike the tower -- was built but doesn't say what it was.

[lofter1]

This 1996 article from the NY TImes says that the 1 Madison base was originally 11 sories but that was demolished and replaced by the current base in the '50s -- and the 11 Madison / North Building is 25-stories ...

For a Brief Moment, the Tallest Building in the World

NY TIMES (http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A00E5DA1139F935A15756C0A9609582 60)
By CHRISTOPHER GRAY
May 26, 1996

Streetscapes / Metropolitan Life at 1 Madison Avenue

THE Metropolitan Life Tower, the tallest in the world when it was built in 1909, defined both Madison Square and New York City. Stripped of its ornament in a curious remodeling in the early 60's, the tower is again undergoing change, this time a multimillion dollar cleaning and stone repair.

In 1893 the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company moved into its first building at the northeast corner of 23d Street and Madison Avenue, an 11-story white marble structure designed by Napoleon LeBrun & Sons.

The company later expanded with successive sections of matching design running down 23d Street and around the block onto 24th Street, for a total of six buildings.

In 1905 Metropolitan Life bought the southeast corner of 24th Street and Madison Avenue and announced plans for a 560-foot tower, designed by the LeBrun firm. One of the architects, probably Pierre LeBrun, told The New York Tribune that it would probably be the tallest in the world. But, he added, the record was "not the object"; the height was purely for "architectural effect."

Perhaps that was the case, but Metropolitan Life was also attempting to catch up to older and more established companies like Home Life and New York Life -- and owning the tallest building couldn't hurt.

By 1907, as the Metropolitan tower was under construction, a new building for the Singer Sewing Machine Company was nearing completion at 140 Broadway; it would rise to 612 feet. In that year Metropolitan Life revised its plans to produce a 700-foot tower -- the tallest in the world.

The completed tower, based on St. Mark's Campanile in Venice, was all white Tuckahoe marble, with a giant four-faced clock and a beacon at the top. From the summit the company calculated that one-sixteenth of all of the nation's homes could be seen. And the white shaft and beacon were clearly visible miles away.

The tower shaft was rather fussy -- the quoins, balconies and colonnades seem tiny spread out over such a giant form.

A critic writing in the magazine Architecture in 1908 agreed, but thought that the diamond pattern on the pyramidal roof was "extremely excellent."

No scholar has yet analyzed the costs, but purely as commercial real estate the tower must have been ridiculous; plans show that its typical floors lost more than 25 percent of their space to common elements such as bathrooms and elevators.

Indeed, for much of its life the highest areas in the tower have been used for storage. But as an advertisement the tower succeeded, even after it was topped by the 792-foot Woolworth Building in 1913.

According to "New York 1930," by Robert A. M. Stern, Gregory Gilmartin and Thomas Mellins, in 1929 the architect Harvey Wiley Corbett proposed a new 100-story building -- meant to be the world's tallest -- for Metropolitan Life just across 24th Street. But the Depression caused the company to scale it back to what is now the 25-story North Building, called 11 Madison Avenue.

In the early 50's Metropolitan Life began a renovation campaign for its headquarters. All of the buildings except the tower were demolished and replaced with a single new, mildly Art Moderne limestone structure. This new structure was much more efficient: it housed half again as many employees, with better lighting, elevators and mechanical services. For the tower, the company mounted a massive renovation campaign from 1960 to 1964 that dealt not with function, but with esthetics.

The outside of the tower was stripped of its the marble quoining, arcades, brackets, balconies and other decorative details.

On the tower itself, only the decorative rim of the clock remained; the pyramidal roof and cupola were rebuilt in a simplified imitation of the original. At a distance, the tower does not appear dramatically changed, but close up it looks like any plain 1960's office building.

According to a 1962 article in The New York Times the company contended that the "ornamental details make the structure look much smaller than its actual height." Other publications indicated a desire to have the tower "match" the modern building on 23d Street.

This occurred when the preservation movement in New York was just forming, and Henry Hope Reed, the classicist and architectural historian, remembers the work as "a disaster -- but the stupidity current at the time."
He says that around the same time the New York Life Insurance Company, two blocks north, ripped out and discarded a sumptuous room designed by McKim, Mead & White.

This summer the scaffolding will go up around the Metropolitan Life Tower again. John Tracy, director of capital projects at Metropolitan Life, says that the tower and its neighboring building will be cleaned, both for esthetic purposes and also to permit a closer inspection and repair of any damaged stonework.

Ray Pepi, president of Building Conservation Associates, which is supervising the preservation of the tower, says that he has specified a new kind of cleaning for the marble sections of the tower. Instead of water, which is difficult to control and can cause internal damage, a powdered mineral product projected at low pressure will be used to loosen the dirt.

The result will be a Metropolitan Life Tower not as first seen by its designers, but as their successors re-imagined it.

Copyright 2007 The New York Times Company

[NoyokA]

The current One Madison annex the one built in the 50's is 14 storeys, Met Life North is 32 storeys. Neither is 20 storeys, perhaps further indication that this is a site nearby.

[krulltime]

What a difference. Those older towers did looked charming though.


http://www.arch.tu-dresden.de/ibad/Baugeschichte/bilder/new%20york/metropolitan%20life%20tower%20ansicht.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1229/1320388975_38e0c2c982_o.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=1320388975&size=o

[ASchwarz]

The bldg. in question is exactly as described in all the articles-the postwar annex to One Madison Avenue, which is located along the west side of Park from 23rd to 24th.

[ManhattanKnight]

What a difference. Those older towers did looked charming though.


While we're digressing, the southernmost of those "older towers" was a Met Life annex (connected to the tower across the street by a skybridge) that was erected on the site of Stanford White's short-lived Madison Square Presbyterian Church of 1906:

http://classicist.blogs.com/weblog/images/Madison_Square_Presbyterian_Church.jpg

[Alonzo-ny]

I really really wish the 110 story tower was completed, the bas as it is today is beautiful when u look up the concave facade. To have that at 110 stories would have been amazing!

[TREPYE]

Streetscapes / Metropolitan Life at 1 Madison Avenue


The outside of the tower was stripped of its the marble quoining, arcades, brackets, balconies and other decorative details.

On the tower itself, only the decorative rim of the clock remained; the pyramidal roof and cupola were rebuilt in a simplified imitation of the original. At a distance, the tower does not appear dramatically changed, but close up it looks like any plain 1960's office building.

According to a 1962 article in The New York Times the company contended that the "ornamental details make the structure look much smaller than its actual height." Other publications indicated a desire to have the tower "match" the modern building on 23d Street.

This occurred when the preservation movement in New York was just forming, and Henry Hope Reed, the classicist and architectural historian, remembers the work as "a disaster -- but the stupidity current at the time." He says that around the same time the New York Life Insurance Company, two blocks north, ripped out and discarded a sumptuous room designed by McKim, Mead & White.

Copyright 2007 The New York Times Company

What a dark/dreary era the 60's was for NYC architecture....so much irreparable damge done. You could write a book of all of the architectural disasters commited in that decade. When you put it all together (Penn Station, Singer, Chase plaza, this, etc, etc...) it its amazing to think about all that went on. :(

[londonlawyer]

1 MAD. AVE. A TALL ORDER
COULD BECOME 900-FOOT TOWER September 26, 2007 -- A new residential tower being considered for 1 Madison Ave. could become the city's tallest apartment building.

We've learned that Elad Properties, which is redeveloping the Plaza Hotel and residences, has an agreement with SL Green Realty Corp. to use SLG's more than 400,000 feet of air rights to construct a 74-story tower on top of the 1.2 million-foot, 14-story building in which investment bank Credit Suisse both has an interest and its offices. Daniel Liebeskind is the architect.

But don't get Elad's development plans confused with the 41-story adjacent building to its north. Though that tower, which is better known as the landmarked Clock Tower, once had the address 1 Madison Ave., it was renamed 5 Madison Ave. after it was sold to Africa-Israel for $200 million, with plans to develop the site into residential units.

We're sure right now that Africa-Israel's Lev Leviev is steaming that his rival, Yitzhak Tshuva, and Tshuva's local boss, Micki Naftali, will be dwarfing his own scheme.

The two buildings, together known as the Met Life Building, comprise 1.93 acres and take up the entire block bounded by 23rd and 24th streets and Madison and Park Avenue South, but the Clock Tower itself takes up just the corner of Madison and 24th Street.

Israeli press reports said that Elad would spend $450 million to create the new 900-foot-tall building overlooking Madison Square Park.

Elad issued a statement clarifying other erroneous reports that claimed city approvals were in place. "Any discussion of a potential development at 1 Madison Avenue is highly premature. It is in its earliest concept phase and no decisions have been made about any aspect of the potential development," the company said in its statement.

[Derek2k3]

I think this proposal is different from the Libeskind tower blurb we heard about months ago. That tower was for Lower Manhattan, with views of the SOL, and seemed further along in the process than what they're hinting at in this article.

[Alonzo-ny]

But don't get Elad's development plans confused with the 41-story adjacent building to its north. Though that tower, which is better known as the landmarked Clock Tower, once had the address 1 Madison Ave., it was renamed 5 Madison Ave. after it was sold to Africa-Israel for $200 million, with plans to develop the site into residential units.



WHAT?! This just confuses me more, isnt credit suiss in the building NORTH of the clock tower?

[lofter1]

Read ^^^ please:




.. the 41-story adjacent building to its north. Though that tower, which is better known as the landmarked Clock Tower ...

[Alonzo-ny]

Ie the building in question is to the south of the clock tower, BUT the building to the north has credit suiss signs in the base so that is what confuses me. Is Credit suiss in the south building and the north with the clock tower in the middle?

[londonlawyer]

.... Is Credit suiss in the south building and the north with the clock tower in the middle?

I believe so.

[Scraperfannyc]

This is really exciting news. A 900 foot residential being designed by a great architect that is planned to be built in an area that appears not to have a whole lot of nimbys.

I can't wait for this and Gerhy in the financial district to get going.

[TREPYE]

This project does not excite me as much as it should. The area around Madison Park should be zoned for low rises. There is no need to drown the historic Metlife building and along with the ESB as it provides one of the most special, dramatic and exciting views of NYC from Brooklyn [Heights], and its bridge. I know its not a good reason but I would really hate to lose this:

http://static.flickr.com/39/122235070_ba8831d8e4_m.jpg

^ One of the few times you will find such a perfect alignment of things that go so beautfully and contextually together; and also so accessible to everyone in NYC to enjoy.

[CHAPINM1]

Nothing I hate worse, there always has to be one to spoil the party... :mad:

"NYC is a city of skyscrapers, a city of towers." ;)

Don't forget that...

[ZippyTheChimp]

I didn't know Trepye lived at Madison Park.

[TREPYE]

Nothing I hate worse, there always has to be one to spoil the party... :mad:

"NYC is a city of skyscrapers, a city of towers." ;)

Don't forget that...

I never did. But is it so terrible to desire a little selectivity on where they are put.


I didn't know Trepye lived at Madison Park.

WHOOSH!!!:eek: There goes that banana peel.:rolleyes:
No, I live in Brooklyn and I visit the Brooklyn Heights promenade and Brooklyn Bridge regularly where I go to enjoy those views.

Again, I never said it was a good reason but nonetheless it is how I feel... also know as an opinion.

[Derek2k3]

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2257/1752473469_f7a5155a6a_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2120/1752473457_9b24f75fed_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2335/1752473407_2be169e632_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2066/1752473439_2cc7261c84_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2092/1752473425_ae5fbe5382_o.jpg

[londonlawyer]

Libeskind's Madison Ave. Tower Revealed: It's a Hover Tube!

Tuesday, December 2, 2008, by Joey
http://curbed.com/uploads/2008_12_libeskindoma.jpg



When it was reported last year that starchitect Daniel Libeskind was planning a massive residential skyscraper for developer Elad Properties on top of 1 Madison Avenue, it set off many worldwide press reports filled with rumors and erroneous information (adding confusion: the Clocktower is actually 3 Madison Avenue; the 60-story skyscraper being built nearby is One Madison Park). A Curbed reader even felt compelled to create that helpful graphic to explain that Libeskind was targeting the 14-story annex building to the landmark Clocktower. Amidst all the speculation, Libeskind never ponied up the goods, instead speaking of the tower only in elliptical references. This week's New York magazine finally reveals a glimpse of Libeskind's Madison Avenue design, and though the credit crunch has sapped some interest in the project, holy crap look at that thing! The 54-story condo—built on columns and hovering over the existing building—would top out at over 900 feet (the Clocktower is 700' tall, One Madison Park is just over 600'). Oh, and it's totally tubular.

The glass-curtained tube has cutaways spiraling up and around the facade, which are filled with sky gardens and private balconies. According to Libeskind, "We've taken space away [from the apartments] to create the gardens. It's as if nature has come back into the city." Very expensive and exclusive nature, of course—just like Mother Earth intended! This will most likely never get built, but according to an Elad spokesman, "The assumption is that by the time construction starts, we're going to be looking at a different economy." They just need to hope that all those Russians and top celebrities aren't tapped out by then. Apparently there's more information and diagrams in Libeskind's new book Counterpoint, so if anyone has it in their possession (we don't make hardcover money) send us a scan or two at tips@curbed.com.
· Green Dreams on Madison Square [NYM]
· LibeskindWatch: Views Safe, Developers Snippy [Curbed]
· Elad Has Deal for One Madison's Air Rights? [Curbed]

[JSsocal]

that...is pretty cool

[Hamilton]

hand cream and so forth and so on.

[Alonzo-ny]

Holy crap!

[econ_tim]

Green Dreams on Madison Square



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<LI class=by>By Justin Davidson (http://nymag.com/nymag/justin-davidson)
Published Nov 26, 2008


http://images.nymag.com/news/intelligencer/libeskind%20081201_4_250.jpg
(Photo: DBox)


Six years after Daniel Libeskind alighted in the middle of the World Trade Center circus, bearing images of glass towers dripping with sky gardens, the architect has unveiled a proposal for his first New York building: a glass tower dripping with sky gardens. Libeskind’s One Madison Avenue would swoop up next to, and past, the 700-foot Met Life tower. One diagram in Libeskind’s new book, Counterpoint, suggests that the 54-story condo, hovering on columns over an existing building, could top out just shy of 937 feet (Rem Koolhaas’s proposed 23 East 22nd Street is a block away.) Initial designs show a glass-curtained tube with cutaways spiraling up and around the façade to reveal segments of terraced verdure, like cultivated patches on the side of a steep alpine slope. “We didn’t just fill up the tower,” the architect says. “We’ve taken space away [from the apartments] to create the gardens,” which are actually balconies tucked within the envelope. “It’s as if nature has come back into the city,” he says. The whole project has an air of fantasy about it, but the developer is betting that the current fiscal misery will end before the approvals process does. “The assumption is that by the time construction starts, we’re going to be looking at a different economy,” Lloyd Kaplan, an Elad spokesman, says.

[meesalikeu]

my god -- that dropped my jaw -- the big boys are really playing a great game of dueling architecture on the SE corner of madison park!

the only downside i can see is that it woiuld hide the southern metlife clock tower face. hmm, maybe if they site it well it can be offset from the clock tower?

i ditto the curbed request -- can anyone post scans of the renderings of it from dannyboy's book?!?!

[Shadly]

http://www.price-club.co.jp/cgi-bin/tkxdoc/goods_img/Vaseline%20368g%20L.jpg

[dtolman]

So when do we get to see the top and the bottom of this sucker? Or will it just be hanging in mid air?

and hey lookie that - 100 posts. See y'all at 200 in 2014.

[NYC4Life]

Amazing, yet again for the city, even through the credit crunch.

[spatulashack]

This looks truly remarkable but its almost too amazing to be true. I'm sure people will complain and moan about it like the MOMA Spire so that it won't be built. We in New York simply hate the thought of future landmarks. Although with 56 Leanard actually being built (still a shocker) I guess there is hope for this building still.

[Antares41]

Amazing, yet again for the city, even through the credit crunch.

Credit cruch is only significant if you got no cash! There is plenty of cash in the world. The trick is to get those that have to part with it in the hopes of making more.

[Antares41]

http://www.price-club.co.jp/cgi-bin/tkxdoc/goods_img/Vaseline%20368g%20L.jpg

Petroleum jelly effective, but, not very green:). We need a green (not color but evironmental friendly) lubricant to be more aligned with the theme of this fantastic proposal.

[Shadly]

Very well...
http://www.currieecology.org.uk/images/quadrangle/plantdiversity/algae.jpg

[NYatKNIGHT]

Must...see...more...

[ZippyTheChimp]

Whoa. Jungle habitat.

Libeskind finally gets his Manhattan rainforest canopy.

[Jasonik]

http://images.nymag.com/news/intelligencer/libeskind%20081201_4_250.jpg

Architecture has almost evolved to the point of convergence between my three favorite modernist NYC works (http://wirednewyork.com/forum/showthread.php?p=95154#post95154).

Presently I find that 56 Leonard (http://wirednewyork.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9831) is my contemporary favorite and meshes quite nicely with the overall theme. Should the diagrid/mesh-frame of the MOMA Spire (http://wirednewyork.com/forum/showthread.php?t=17405) come to fruition it will surely make the cut. And I think that the Metal Shutter Houses (http://wirednewyork.com/forum/showthread.php?t=14927) is my third... for now.

Raw concrete, Corten steel, glass, and greenery with an interior of danish modern teak (http://www.archidose.org/Oct08/06/dose-image05.html)... what dreams are made of.

[BenM]

The section we've seen is fantastic, however, if it weren't right next to the Clocktower, I'd like it a whole lot more.

[tone99loc]

This is awesome. Build it.

[NoyokA]

This looks like a skyscraper of dreams and fantasies. Beekman, Tower Verre, 56 Leonard, this, NYC is at the forefront of the world in new skyscraper design.

[NoyokA]

And the posters at curbed are unreadable, those whiners are actually complaining about the design. Its nice to have some sensibility here.

[JSsocal]

and at 900 feet this aint no baby tower:D

[Stroika]

The revealed section is breathtaking. I can't really imagine what the rest of the building will look like, though -- will there be any other surprises, or will it be fairly uniform aside from the hanging gardens in the midsection?

[lofter1]

CURBED (http://curbed.com/archives/2008/12/03/madison_mania_libeskind_shows_you_how_his_gardens_ grow.php) has the news ...

Madison Mania: Libeskind Shows You How His Gardens Grow

Wednesday, December 3, 2008
by Joey

http://curbednetwork.com/cache/gallery/3238/3079181131_8397e8c032_o.jpg
Rendering: dbox (http://dbox.com/index2.html).

The Architect's Newspaper Blog (http://archpaper.com/e-board_rev.asp?News_ID=3002) has scanned and posted the renderings of
Daniel Libeskind's Madison Square skyscraper, the 54-story hover tube
the starchitect has designed to sit on top of 1 Madison Avenue. The long
rumored "New York Tower," as Libeskind calls it, appears in his new book
Counterpoint and was finally revealed to the masses (http://curbed.com/archives/2008/12/02/libeskinds_madison_ave_tower_revealed_its_a_hover_ tube.php) this week. AN also
chatted with Libeskind (http://blog.archpaper.com/wordpress/2008/12/02/one-for-the-books/) about the 900-foot-tall spiral of sky gardens and
luxury apartments, and he said, "This is not a building about a shape or
a facade. It's really a building about how New York goes forward, how to
build and live in a high-density Manhattan." Alrighty then. The New York
Tower would rise over the Park Avenue side of the 14-story building, so as
not to completely overwhelm Madison Square Park and the Clocktower.
Now, the disclaimer. According to a spokesman for developer Elad Properties,
the images "were made at least a year ago, for publication purposes, and
no longer reflect the current state of the project." Which of course is
code for, "the Chinese marble (http://curbed.com/archives/2008/12/02/vanity_fairs_plaza_expos_cheap_tactics_cheaper_mat erials.php) is still held up at customs."

· One For the Books (http://blog.archpaper.com/wordpress/2008/12/02/one-for-the-books/) [Architect's Newspaper Blog]
· Libeskind's Green Dream (http://archpaper.com/e-board_rev.asp?News_ID=3002) [Architect's Newspaper]
· Libeskind's Madison Ave. Tower Revealed: It's a Hover Tube! (http://curbed.com/archives/2008/12/02/libeskinds_madison_ave_tower_revealed_its_a_hover_ tube.php) [Curbed]

***

The Real SCOOP from the Architects Newspaper Blog (http://blog.archpaper.com/wordpress/2008/12/02/one-for-the-books/) ...

One For the Books

Posted by Matt Chaban
December 2nd, 2008

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3052/3077764375_d2eb543b1b_o.jpg

In this age of blogs and 24-hour cable news, rarely does breaking news
come from an old-fashioned hardcover book. But that is exactly what
happened with Studio Daniel Libeskind’s New York Tower, which can be
seen above (and which we also talked to the architect about (http://archpaper.com/e-board_rev.asp?News_ID=3002) earlier today).

Ever since the project leaked (http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2007/09/have_we_found_libeskinds_manha_1.html) onto the Internet last year, the real estate
blogosphere has been following every rumor and murmur about the
project. But it took the November 18 publication of Counterpoint,
Libeskind’s latest monograph, for the world to get its first look. Indeed it
wasn’t until last week, when New York architecture critic Justin Davidson
pointed out (http://nymag.com/news/intelligencer/52569/) the project’s publication therein, that people started to take
notice. Fortunately for us, we happened to have a review copy lying
around the office, from which these images were taken.

But before we go, one caveat. The developer refused to release any of
these images–except for the one we posted of the terrace gardens–when
we requested them. “They were made at least a year ago, for publication
purposes, and no longer reflect the current state of the project,” Lloyd
Kaplan, spokesperson for developer Elad Properties, told us. Still, they
provide the most complete picture of the project yet. And, even if it does
change, as long as it looks half this good, we think everyone will be
happy.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3294/3077763661_9927905d07_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3231/3077764873_0a8e3fb7b8_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3054/3077764767_f7316e3494_o.jpg

*

[Alonzo-ny]

Looks great but the one gripe I have is that it isnt slender enough. Especially right next to the clock tower which makes this building look stocky. That said I really like it.

[dtolman]

Now THATS an f'ing tower. Why couldn't he have proposed something like this for the FT way-back-when?

Hopefully the current version still looks similar. I like the citicorp'ish slanting roof to top the tower.

[Shadly]

Gasp!

I wish it was winter so we could freeze it and skate on in, then in the spring it would melt and we could drink it.

[lbjefferies]

I am not hopeful that what is rendered will be built, but I think it is a beautiful vision.

[Alonzo-ny]

I'm a tad pissed that Libeskind couldn't propose this at WTC.

[TREPYE]

http://archpaper.com/images/anp_logos/anplogo.gif

12.02.2008
Libeskind's Green Dream
Architect discusses vision for Madison Square Park tower

Matt Chaban

Daniel Libeskind is renowned for his way with words. His orations have charmed competition juries, and in a 2003 profile (http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2003/09/15/030915fa_fact), critic Paul Goldberger wrote, “For an architect who loves to talk, Libeskind says very little about his buildings that could be considered analytical.”

Not so for the project he simply calls his “New York tower,” a colossus that would reach more than 900 feet above Madison Square Park. “There is no spiel,” he said in a telephone interview this afternoon. “This is not a building about a shape or a facade. It’s really a building about how New York goes forward, how to build and live in a high-density Manhattan.”

The tower, which would be the city’s tallest residential structure, would rise adjacent to the iconic clock tower of the old Met Life building. In a city with dwindling room to build—and a growing need for green amenities—Libeskind said the project offers a park-in-the-sky model for the future, with its bands of leafy terraces that ascend the building.

Before the designs were even revealed—they are still technically under wraps, even though a number of renderings appear in the architect’s new monograph, a selection of which are posted on the AN blog (http://blog.archpaper.com/wordpress/2008/12/02/one-for-the-books)—considerable debate surrounded the building’s relationship to the clock tower. Libeskind said the cut-outs for the terraces, along with the building’s overall massing and location, would pay special deference to the structure’s historic neighbor.

Set back from Madison Avenue, the Libeskind building actually rises atop the back half of the Met Life Building Annex, a 14-story structure next to the clock tower that would remain in use as a commercial building. Unlike the clock tower, the annex is not a city landmark, so is not subject to review by the Landmarks Preservation Commission. Libeskind added that the project is being designed as-of-right, and will not need any special zoning changes.

While the architect said he was happy to be building in a dynamic part of the city (see: Cetra/Ruddy and OMA’s One Madison Park (http://archpaper.com/e-board_rev.asp?News_ID=2773)), it was the neighborhood’s grand past that inspired the tower, with its rounded edges nodding to the nearby Flatiron Building, and the terraces serving as an extension of the park below. “That is the real context,” he said. “It is about creating a 21st-century park.”

“This is a building for the city’s future,” Libeskind added, shrugging off concerns about working in these recessionary times. “We have a long way to go still, but we think this contributes in a whole new way.”

Copyright © 2003-2008 | The Architect's Newspaper, LLC

[Antares41]

A beautiful haven for migrating birds and a possible mess for curious sight -seers (i.e. bring your umbrella). And of course the native flying rats-aka pigeons would love it.

My only sort of negative view of this proposal otherwise, build it! The world needs this type of development.

[Jasonik]

What condo board would dare to question Ghost Dog about his carrier pigeons?

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j27/brownsugartan/ghost_dog_04.jpg

[Shadly]

I'll be hosting a NIMBY's meeting tomorrow around 12:00. Topic of which is, "Birds and pretty buildings: Why they're no good for New York."

http://www.stiknstein.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/when_birds_attack_2.jpg

[Alonzo-ny]

Unlike the clock tower, the annex is not a city landmark, so is not subject to review by the Landmarks Preservation Commission. Libeskind added that the project is being designed as-of-right, and will not need any special zoning changes.

Sweetest words.

[Pinkie]

Considering these renderings are all over the airwaves, and Elad has stated that they don't reflect the current state of the project (heart breaks a little each time I remember that)... When do you think they'll release updated renderings? Anybody have Libeskind's phone number? LOL

I hope Elad hasn't patched this one up too much.

[JSsocal]

let's just consider a couple of things. 1. They haven't said this is a placeholder, or the design has changed. (they kind of danced around it) But they may have only changed a small portion of the design, like the disk on top of the Freedom tower 2. the renderings are only being released now, to think they would post them, with no intent to keep the design sounds kinda stupid :rolleyes: 3. as the article mentioned earlier, the site is zoned correctly, and the building isn't landmarked either.

I'm pretty optimistic about this one:)

[tmac9wr]

Absolutely gorgeous. This building, MoMA, 50 West, and 56 Leonard are all great examples of the next generation of landmark towers in NYC.

[futurecity]

How can all these towers be built with the looming recession/depression and rising vacancies/slowing hotel demand?

[Stroika]

How did 50 West squeeze into that one? It could be any faceless Houston/Shanghai building.

[NYC4Life]

Keep in mind these renderings are a year old and only now have they become public. Hopefully, the final renderings will keep much of the architecture we see now.

[lofter1]

Considering these renderings are all over the airwaves, and Elad has stated that they don't reflect the current state of the project (heart breaks a little each time I remember that)... When do you think they'll release updated renderings?


The release of these Libeskind renderings by Elad is no doubt a PR effort in the hope of steering attention away from the debacle they've made over at The Plaza (http://wirednewyork.com/forum/showpost.php?p=263395&postcount=130).

[TREPYE]

http://archpaper.com/images/anp_logos/anplogo.gif

12.02.2008
Libeskind's Green Dream
Architect discusses vision for Madison Square Park tower

Matt Chaban

Libeskind said the cut-outs for the terraces, along with the building’s overall massing and location, would pay special deference to the structure’s historic neighbor.
Copyright © 2003-2008 | The Architect's Newspaper, LLC

:confused: It is??

Looks like our buddy libeskind tried to fit something shaped like a triangle into a hole that is shaped like a circle.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3294/3077763661_9927905d07_o.jpg

I dont see much context to the Metlife, in fact it contrasts it with its bulky apperance. Not necessarily a bad thing if done right but in this case it does not go well with its neighbor. It is an interesting building and all but the shape of it and it somewhat pudgy apperance minimize the effect its height should have. The irregularly placed facade gaps/gardens have to provoke more green than the renderings show or else it is just going to look like a building that is partially demolished; in other words sloppy. It would be nice if he gave these gaps some symmetry and consistency in their location to give it a bit more of an elegant effect. The article points out that the building is still undergoing revisions so I think that these gardens may take a hit anyways.

Quintissential NYC locations, like MSqP, deserves architecture is going to complement the special buildings it already has. This doesn't.

Can we move it to Hudson yards?

[futurecity]

Although you make excellent points and it seems you have design knowledge and experience to back it up, I for one love the juxtaposition of the classical with the new eco-futurism architecture of the 21st century -- it just highlights how far we've come and it makes NYC a more dynamic city when you have this mélange occuring.

[lofter1]

The square footage of each floor plate seems to be pretty large. By the looks of it the new tower would be about twice the width & breadth of the clocktower (and 4 x the sf / floor) and take up ~ 1/3 of the base building at 320 Park Avenue South (see MAP (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=320+Park+Ave+S,+New+York,+New+York,+New+York+100 10&sll=40.758684,-73.974144&sspn=0.007428,0.013561&g=320+park+avenue,+new+york,+ny&ie=UTF8&cd=1&geocode=FVKobQIdXgyX-w&ll=40.740807,-73.986845&spn=0.001857,0.00339&t=h&z=18)).

[ItstheBeat]

Another view from archinect.com


me likey! I call this daringly modern.

[Shadly]

The best part of it is that it doesn't remove the existing building. If you are a fan of dichotomy. Wish they'd do more of this, considering the podium of new buildings tends to be the most uninteresting part.

[Jasonik]

Look into 'parasitic architecture.' Lebbeus Woods is a good place to start.

[Shadly]

He's nice, but he's going head long into deconstructivism. I like, but some of the more conservative buildings look just fine when they are built on something else (Hearst tower).

I don't know why this isn't more of an option to developers. Is it cost? Seems like a lot of nice looking buildings went under the wrecking ball to make way for a rectangle, when they could have at least made an interesting entry way to said rectangle.

[Pinkie]

If I'm not mistaken didn't these renderings get scanned out of Libeskind's new book?

... and that's truly upsetting to hear how Elad handled the Plaza.

[Jasonik]

Shadly, you need to expand your understanding of what a building site is, has been, and could be. This proposal by Libeskind foretells a possible future where development is directed in vertically graduated increments.

It's about deconstruction only in a very formal sense.

Would this (http://www.riverpartners.org/assets/img/photos/birds%20nest.JPG) be more visually pleasing without the tree, a different type of tree? Would it be more or less functional?

[NYatKNIGHT]

Straight, vertical tower - softly curved corners. This is a side Of Libeskind I'm not used to.

[Jasonik]

It still has wounds.

[Shadly]

This proposal by Libeskind foretells a possible future where development is directed in vertically graduated increments.

I'm not knocking Libeskind's design, I was commenting on Woods designs from your post. Although I love that stuff, and not enough of it is built, it scares away a lot of would be developers. I'm all for reevaluating how we approach development, it's long overdo in most urban areas - namely Manhattan.

Also, the bird's nest picture is a good illustration. Makes a nice point. Somehow I have this image in my head though of you running outside and taking that picture just to prove your point. Haha. ;)

[Pinkie]

Has anyone else noticed the homage to the original WTC's tridents in Libeskind's design :rolleyes:

If it was done on purpose then bravo Libeskind! If done for design then fantastic as well.

[tmac9wr]

How did 50 West squeeze into that one? It could be any faceless Houston/Shanghai building.


I suppose you're right...I still think it looks great though.

P.S. I just realized I didn't include Gehry's tower on the list of the "new landmarks"

[Nordikon]

Not on Madison . . . at least according to this (probably outdated) rendering.http://www.tropolism.com/gardentower3.jpg

[TREPYE]

^A tree bark with 4 ax hacks.

[Ebola]

Paul Bunyan is a novice lumberjack.

[ablarc]

Ugh.

[Bob]

Go to post 113, above, and check out the (unfinished) north Met Life building. Wanna talk tower? Wanna talk awesome architecture? How 'bout we get THAT building completed to its full height instead of having this wacky Libeskind "tower" built? OK, so I'm dreaming!

[Daquan13]

I'm not so enthused about Libeskind's designs for office towers because they always look like shards of glass. That's just me.

[Alonzo-ny]

This tower is residential.

[kz1000ps]

And there's no shards in sight. Rather, it's an odd mixture of planes and curves that IMO don't work together well (the flat sides destroy the drama created by the curved corners and cutouts), and the slim Italian next door makes it look top-heavy and overbearing.

http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/4880/nycmad1ar4modelcm9.jpg

I'm hoping for a heavy horizontal emphasis in the facade so to give as much human scale to it as possible. Otherwise, I doubt its aloof sculptural qualities would mesh with the Met Life's genteel scale.

[stache]

This new building would spend more time talking to 1 Madison than the Metlife building.

[spyguy999]

23rd Street station - Libeskind
http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/5112/78791628.jpg
http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/9016/23654454.jpghttp://img42.imageshack.us/img42/6940/73975709.jpg
http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/5584/18483827.jpg

[stache]

Yay my Walgreens is still there!

[londonlawyer]

I don't see this being built any time soon -- if at all. Isn't the developer basically bankrupt?

[ASchwarz]

Owner is Elad. He has some of the deepest pockets anywhere, but I doubt anything will happen until the economy improves quite a bit.

[londonlawyer]

Thanks. I thought that it was Africa Israel. Perhaps they own just the Clocktower next door.