In addition, with a height of 411 m, the new building will be able to boast of superiority over the Empire State Building (unless you take into account the spire of the latter, with which the famous structure reaches 443 m). But no matter how you think, this will not make the 111 West 57th Street skyscraper a New York record holder: this title already belongs to the main tower of the new WTC Freedom Tower (541 m), the construction of which is now nearing completion.
But the main thing in the construction of SHoP architects is its proportions: the ratio of height to width is about 22 to 1. This decision is caused by the urban planning situation: next to it is the neoclassical building of Steinway Hall, built in 1925 as a place of sale of famous grand pianos, and there is almost not.
At the same time, the tower's lobby will be merged with Steinway Hall into a common space where shops and restaurants will be located: the developer JDS has bought this historic building, and Steinway & Sons will move from there shortly. However, the famous interiors will not be affected, as Steinway Hall has the status of an architectural monument.
This purchase was dictated not only by the developer's desire to increase the "base" of his tower: also thanks to it, he received additional "air rights" and was able to agree on a project of such a significant height - while there will be only 100 apartments.
The facades facing 57th and 58th streets will be glazed, while the east and west will be covered with terracotta panels, inspired by the famous skyscrapers of Manhattan - the Empire State Building and Woolworth.
It should be noted that 57th Street is becoming a center of attraction for expensive residential projects: two other slender skyscrapers are already being built there - Rafael Vignoli and Christian de Portzamparc, and at the other end the quaint West 57th complex of BIG bureau is planned.
