Midtown South 7/03

[Gulcrapek]

This was originally planned as a usual Midtown visit combined with South, timed so I would get AOL/TW at sunset. However, the timing was off, and I got sick trying to catch up to it. Really sick. Didn't get past 57th Street and to hell with the east side. Here are the not so great pictures.

Chelsea Tower - Good break from traditional. A lot more glass and a better form.

(I apologize for the bad shot, but that is glass...
http://galleries.soaringtowers.org/albums/album13/chelsea2.sized.jpg

Back
http://galleries.soaringtowers.org/albums/album13/chelsea1.sized.jpg

Pennmark Tower - looked better in reality, again...
http://galleries.soaringtowers.org/albums/album13/pennjul.sized.jpg

One Penn Plaza
http://galleries.soaringtowers.org/albums/album13/1penn.sized.jpg

800 Sixth Ave - topped out I believe. Not the design we had seen in renderings.
http://galleries.soaringtowers.org/albums/album13/8006jul.sized.jpg

^The other side looks pretty bad, repetition of white brick and dull glass bands.

[Gulcrapek]

I forgot to mention Regent and Hearst - Hearst is covered in mesh, and Regent looks about 20-25 floors. It looks as if that horrible base 'masonry' might be used on the rest of the tower.

[billyblancoNYC]

800 Sixth might be interesting.

[Fabb]

Interesting sample of Midtown buildings.
The older one is still the better.

[Kris]

That ain't hard. The Chelsea highrises look slightly better than the ones in Hell's Kitchen though.

[JACKinNYC]

I love how Pennmark Tower is a new building that looks like it's from the 60's and has a 1920's water tower on top.

[dbhstockton]

All NYC bldgs over 6 stories have that same water tower. *Most are slightly more ingenious in how they disguise it.

[NoyokA]

All NYC bldgs over 6 stories have that same water tower. *Most are slightly more ingenious in how they disguise it.

http://galleries.soaringtowers.org/albums/album13/chelsea1.sized.jpg

The Chelsea Tower for example deserves an *honorable mention, as indistinguishable as its architecture is. More interesting is that another new condo is to the north, and not shown another two across the street.

Anyone know whats behind these latest additions, a breach in zoning maybe?

(Edited by Stern at 4:53 pm on July 30, 2003)

[Fabb]

Quote: from JACKinNYC on 4:27 pm on July 30, 2003
I love how Pennmark Tower is a new building that looks like it's from the 60's and has a 1920's water tower on top.


Right.
And the postmodern ornament in the form of the poles on the roof.
It's a weird building, really.

[dbhstockton]

There was a nig change in the zoning during the Guilianni administration a la 8th ave.

[Derek2k3]

Nice pictures as usual. Too bad about 800 Sixth thing.



(Edited by Derek2k3 at 10:34 pm on July 30, 2003)

[Fabb]

Why ?
Was the early rendering much better ?

[Freedom Tower]

Hey, did the WTC have a water tower on the top? And every skyscraper above 6 stories needs a water tower? Is that to make sure the whole building has enough water pressure? Sorry if its too off topic.

[ZippyTheChimp]

NYC water supply system is gravity fed. On average, the pressure will raise the water level to the height of a six storey building. Above six storeys, water pumps are needed. Rather than have the pump go on and off everytime someone turns on a tap, the water is pumped into rooftop tanks and gravity fed through the building.

The twin towers had water tanks. To save weight on the roof, the cooling system was located in an underground pumping station in Battery Park City, drawing water out of the Hudson.

[matt3303]

The twin towers had water tanks. To save weight on the roof, the cooling system was located in an underground pumping station in Battery Park City, drawing water out of the Hudson. *-ZippyTheChimp
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Then I guess most skyscrapers have them underground?

[Freedom Tower]

Wow, thanks dbh and zippy I had no idea that each building over 6 stories in NYC needed a tank. They must be hidden pretty well, or maybe I just haven't looked hard enough. Sorry to keep digressing but where is the water tank on the ESB? Does it also have an underground pump?

[Derek2k3]

Quote: from Fabb on 4:10 am on July 31, 2003
Why ?
Was the early rendering much better ?



The earlier design was no masterpiece but it was better.
\http://www.orthographics.com/pages/sites/501_Intranet/archives/lowres_pages/800SixthAve.pdf

[Fabb]

Thanks.
The earlier design looked more like a slab.
I must say I'm somewhat seduced by the curves of the building under construction.

[billyblancoNYC]

Nice design. Maybe it'll be built elsewhere. *I do like the curves of the new version, though.

[Gulcrapek]

And those curves aren't clad in anything yet, probably meaning they'll be curtainwall glass. Some relief.

[Fabb]

... or balconies.