All renderings credit of Gertler & Wente Architects
Last year, we came across plans for a new hotel development that would sweep away the last bit of Times Square grit at the northwest corner of 42nd Street and Eighth Avenue. The stretch holds a huddle of old-school New York businesses such as the Times Square Arts Center, some souvenir shops, and most notably, Show World, a 22,000-square-foot pornographic supermarket that was run by the late Richard Basciano. The self-acclaimed "Sultan of Smut" passed away last year at the age of 91, putting the future of the emporium, once dubbed "the McDonald’s of the sex industry," into question. The shop is now closed and in recent weeks, scaffolding has been erected along its building at 671 Eighth Avenue and along the L-shaped advertisement-covered property at 303 West 42nd Street.
The L-shaped building at 303 West 42nd Street (September 2018/CityRealty)
Yesterday, the firm Gertler & Wente Architects unveiled images and details of what's in store for the site. According to their page and social media streams, four buildings between 42nd and 43rd Street will be rehabilitated and transformed into a single mixed-use retail and commercial complex.
The firm notes that this is as complicated a building renovation, facade restoration and facade redesign a project can get. They explain, "Key to the design was optimization of retail space and flexible upper-level commercial office space: for the 42nd Street building it was relocating two new elevators and egress stairs, and dropping floor slabs to align with the street; and for the 43rd Street buildings it meant a new building entrance further west, dropping floor slabs, relocating egress stairs, new and enlarged window openings and entirely new MEP infrastructure upgrades."
Looking east down 42nd Street (Gertler & Wente Architects)
Eighth Avenue frontage
43rd Street elevation (Gertler & Wente Architects)
The renderings show small retail stores occupied by imaginary brands that are suggestive of a cafe, salad shop, and fitness studio. The floors above will have open-plan offices, many with beamed ceilings. Given the varying floor and ceiling heights of the different buildings, it appears that the spaces will not be contiguous. Building permits filed by GWA align with what's described and show 303 West 42nd Street LLC as the owner.
The two-story building at the corner of Eighth and 42nd is not part of the assemblage and according to the New York Observer, Duane Reade holds a lease there until December 2021. The building is owned by Jeff Sutton’s Wharton Properties and the owners recently filed an application with the city to erect a large LED sign that would overlook the heavily-trafficked intersection. Just to the west of the buildings is a large, block-through parking lot prime for a new development and air rights transfers.
Google Earth aerial showing location of the site (CityRealty)
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