[NYguy]

http://www.archpaper.com/news/articles.asp?id=7336

Tall and Skinny in Gramercy
Slender skyscraper by KPF coming to Manhattan's 22nd Street.





Henry Melcher
5.22.2014

As the supertall towers of 57th Street climb ever higher, a new glass giant is set to rise 35 blocks south. Renderings have surfaced for 41 East 22nd, which will become the tallest residential building between the Financial District and Midtown. The 60-story tower resembles its neighbors to the north in that it is very thin, very glassy, very tall, and built for the very wealthy. It is designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF) with Goldstein Hill & West serving as the architect of record.

While the Supertalls of 57th stretch the already tall Midtown skyline further, 41 East 22nd towers above its mid-rise neighbors. The base of the glass tower is clad in a multi-story masonry facade, a contextual nod to the surrounding historic urban fabric. From there, the structure angles out 17 feet over the adjoining five-story building. The remainder of the 777-foot elevation, all the way up to its angled crown, is encased in a glass curtain wall.

While significantly taller than anything else in Gramercy, the building will not stand alone in the immediate skyline. One Madison Park, a high-end, high-rise condo tower designed by CetraRuddy, is located just down the block. The building, which has been plagued by financial and legal troubles, has loomed empty over Madison Square Park for years. Soon it will be eclipsed by KPF’s tower, which is 150-feet taller.

While neither this new tower nor One Madison Park are technically “supertall,” they are both priced for the super rich. The new building, which is being developed by Bruce Eichner of Continuum, will contain 81 high-end units.

The local community board is not in favor of this project and others like it. “As with developments along 57th Street, this building is the result of a large transfer of development rights,” said Layla Law-Gisiko, chair of Community Board 5. “It is urgent that our elected officials develop a responsible zoning policy to address the impact of new buildings on our parks and historic resources.”

Can the city just disband CB5 already? I'm sick of their whining.