NEW YORK | 1 Manhattan West | 995 FT | 71 FLOORS

[Swede]

1. I love the renderings, 'cept for the plaza. Not a fan of plazas, tho the new pedestrian bit in the middle (32nd street) is a nice touch.

2. it's not 4 towers and 4.7M sqft anymore, is it? so what should the thread title read? 1,216ft / 935ft | 66s / 60s ?

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by Swede

it's not 4 towers and 4.7M sqft anymore, is it? so what should the thread title read? 1,216ft / 935ft | 66s / 60s ?

That's correct. The heights may change, but that's what it is now. Manhattan West.

[NYguy]

This is turning into one of my favorite Manhattan developments.

From the Manhattan West website:
http://www.brookfieldpropertiesmanhattanwest.com/

A look at the plaza, and comparison with the Hudson Yards proposal...

__

[CoolCzech]

That new canopy design reminds me of Childs's "Potato Chip" concept for the Moynihan station project...

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by CoolCzech

That new canopy design reminds me of Childs's "Potato Chip" concept for the Moynihan station project...

It does. It also adds an openess to an area where there isn't any (the site is in between 2 superblocks) and the plaza has a more natural feel to it because its where the street would be if the grid continued there. The alternative would be another enclosed wintergarden (WFC) or Time Warner Center. Not good for a site that lacks pedestrian circulation. This (pedestrian plaza) was also mandated by Hudson Yards zoning, and for good reason.

[NYguy]

Brookfield is out at Hudson Yards...

curbed.com

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Brookfield Out at Hudson Yards

YARDSMANIA—The MTA just sent out a statement regarding the revised bids for the West Side Rail Yards: "In January, the MTA asked each of the five development teams that submitted proposals for the Hudson Yards to submit revised proposals adhering to a deal structure preferred by the MTA. The deadline for responses was today. We received revised proposals from four teams, which we are reviewing. Brookfield Properties did not submit a revised proposal. The MTA continues to adhere to the existing schedule." This is not surprising, given Brookfield's new money-sucking mini-Hudson Yards just to the east. Relive the good ol' days by checking out Brookfield's bid. R.I.P.

[Scruffy]

curses. now it'll be like having an awesome pair of shoes and i half goes missing

[gttx]

Neither of those buildings has any doors on the ground floor. Seems like a big thing to just ignore in the renderings...

[Lecom]

Those are clearly just crude massings, though very well rendered. Putting a pretty reflection on a render is much easier than going into detail with the actual model.

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by gttx

Neither of those buildings has any doors on the ground floor. Seems like a big thing to just ignore in the renderings...

The finished product will be more detailed. We're probably a year or more away from even that, because a tenant has to sign on. Which reminds me, the NBA once considered moving to a tower over the site. Situated directly accross the street from the new Madison Square Garden, the site would seem a pefect location. Maybe the Dolans need that scrutiny.

[CGII]

Methinks the fact that massing models for these buildings (which look quite like Brookfield's proposal for the Hudson Yards) were released relatively shortly before Brookfield dropped out of the Hudson Yards makes me wonder if they had seen the whole thing coming... In fact, I'm willing to bet that the Manhattan West towers will ultimately be the same as their Hudson Yards towers.

[Dac150]

Wow, that is a shame given that they were clearly liked the most in the eye of the public, and would've done the most justice to the skyline. All I can hope for at this point is that Tishman doesn't win the bid. Now my loyalty is to Vornado. Once again, a real shame.

[nygirl1]

If tishman speyer wins then I am convinced that we just want to make the skyline as ugly as we can. I'm sorry to whoever likes Tishman Speyer but it is such a horrid design. The "forum" looks like this lifeless circle in the middle of bland office towers that pale in comparison in all categories to every other plan put up. I hope that Vornado gets chosen also. I kinda like Related but it is taking the back burner until they say Vornado is pulling out because it looks too good in comparison to the other crap.

Eventually I think it will all boil down to Tishman Speyers "atrocity on the hudson"

[Stu]

Monumental and intimidating buildings... hmm... maybe some NIMBYs are motivated by some bizarre skyscraper phobia. If that's the case, there is therapy for those kind of things.

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by CGII

In fact, I'm willing to bet that the Manhattan West towers will ultimately be the same as their Hudson Yards towers.

Probably, though the sizes of the towers are very different. SOM has been working on the Manhattan West site for some time now, even before Brookfield put together its west side bid. Its very possible that the west side plan took on aspects of this one, and much effort went into making that proposal more detailed because of the competition. There's no competition for the 9th Ave site, so they can take their time with normal planning here. Also, keep in mind that this particular development has gone through its own changes, so it could be just the opposite.

[CoolCzech]

Originally Posted by Stu

Monumental and intimidating buildings... hmm... maybe some NIMBYs are motivated by some bizarre skyscraper phobia. If that's the case, there is therapy for those kind of things.

I think they call it...

"Moving out of Manhattan, to the Mid West."

[CGII]

Originally Posted by CoolCzech

I think they call it...

"Moving out of Manhattan, to the Mid West."

Meanwhile, a 2000' architectural masterpiece gets built in Chicago...

[CoolCzech]

Oy vey!! Obviously I meant, the Great Plains... as in, wide open spaces. Non-urban empty spaces. PRAIRIES. Big Sky Country.

[Busy Bee]

Big Sky Country NOT The City of Big Shoulders

Hog Butcher for the World,
Tool Maker, Stacker of Wheat,
Player with Railroads and the Nation's Freight Handler;
Stormy, husky, brawling,
City of the Big Shoulders:

They tell me you are wicked and I believe them, for I
have seen your painted women under the gas lamps
luring the farm boys.
And they tell me you are crooked and I answer: Yes, it
is true I have seen the gunman kill and go free to
kill again.
And they tell me you are brutal and my reply is: On the
faces of women and children I have seen the marks
of wanton hunger.
And having answered so I turn once more to those who
sneer at this my city, and I give them back the sneer
and say to them:
Come and show me another city with lifted head singing
so proud to be alive and coarse and strong and cunning.
Flinging magnetic curses amid the toil of piling job on
job, here is a tall bold slugger set vivid against the
little soft cities;

Fierce as a dog with tongue lapping for action, cunning
as a savage pitted against the wilderness,
Bareheaded,
Shoveling,
Wrecking,
Planning,
Building, breaking, rebuilding,
Under the smoke, dust all over his mouth, laughing with
white teeth,
Under the terrible burden of destiny laughing as a young
man laughs,
Laughing even as an ignorant fighter laughs who has
never lost a battle,
Bragging and laughing that under his wrist is the pulse.
and under his ribs the heart of the people,
Laughing!
Laughing the stormy, husky, brawling laughter of
Youth, half-naked, sweating, proud to be Hog
Butcher, Tool Maker, Stacker of Wheat, Player with
Railroads and Freight Handler to the Nation.

Carl Sandburg

[CGII]

Originally Posted by CoolCzech

Oy vey!! Obviously I meant, the Great Plains... as in, wide open spaces. Non-urban empty spaces. PRAIRIES. Big Sky Country.

I figured, but us Midwesterners are pretty militant when East or West Coasters use 'Midwest' to describe something boring and empty. That's what 'Omaha' is for.

By the way, I can't help but note that Carl Sandburg worked as Emil Seidel's secretary, the first socialist mayor in Milwaukee. Represent.

But enough of my nativist ramblings.