Rendering of 7 West 57th Street post on construction site (CityRealty)
After a two-decade hiatus, developer Sheldon Solow is flinging up towers in Manhattan once again. Next to his 9 West 57th Street, the crème de la crème of office blocks, the octogenarian billionaire has begun construction on a boutique condo high-rise at 7 West 57th Street. Designed by Hill West Architects with Whitehall Interiors, the 19-floor building will sport a staid glass façade, a mid-height setback and a subtle convex face along the upper stories that will play off 9 W 57’s famously concave elevation.
Google earth aerial with 7 West 57th Street rendered in center (CityRealty)
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At just 32 feet wide and 282 feet tall, the tower will be modest in scale compared to the Billionaires’ Row giants Central Park Tower, 111 West 57th, and 432 Park Avenue. Building applications for 7 West 57th were first submitted in January and indicate there will 16 floor-through residences, many with private terraces. Many of it's mid- to upper-floors will possesviews over Central Park and Grand Army Plaza.
The tower’s first two floors will be reserved for retail, likely a high-end affair considering the project is a door down from department store Bergdorf Goodman. The retail scene along 57th Street has suffered in recent years, with many vacancies putting a damper on foot traffic and construction sites/scaffolding plaguing the streetscape.
The tower’s first two floors will be reserved for retail, likely a high-end affair considering the project is a door down from department store Bergdorf Goodman. The retail scene along 57th Street has suffered in recent years, with many vacancies putting a damper on foot traffic and construction sites/scaffolding plaguing the streetscape.
Approved ZD1 diagram submitted to the NYC DOB
The gap to be filled
The property previously held a five-story townhouse that was demolished several months ago. According to city records, Solow purchased the lot in 2005 for $25.6M. Across 57th street, Solow is busy ramping up plans for a 54-story, mixed-use skyscraper designed by Skidmore Owings & Merrill. That project, spanning 6-22 West 57th Street, will eviscerate a row of stately limestone buildings and their classic storefronts.
Two weeks ago, we reported the topping out of 685 First Avenue, Solow’s comeback skyscraper designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Richard Meier. The 42-floor building will have a mix of condos and rentals and will debut next year.
Recently posted rendering of 7 West 57th Street captured from the project site (CItyRealty)
New Developments Editor
Ondel Hylton
Ondel is a lifelong New Yorker and comprehensive assessor of the city's dynamic urban landscape.
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