NEW YORK | Baccarat (20 W 53rd St) | 606 FT |48 FLOORS

[NYguy]

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/15/re...pagewanted=all

Back In Business



From left, renderings of Baccarat Hotel and Residences in Manhattan, 388 Bridge Street in Brooklyn and 56 Leonard in Manhattan.


By C. J. HUGHES
July 12, 2012

Now, in a move that seems to parallel the national housing recovery, the condo sector appears to be clawing its way back, according to brokers, developers and industry analysts. Workers are pouring concrete. Lenders are negotiating loans. And projects once written off as dead are coming back to life, which is stoking hopes that this comeback, unlike previous false starts, has some momentum. “I would call it a swell,” said Stephen Kliegerman, president for new development marketing of Halstead Property. “It’s not a wave yet, but it’s certainly not a drizzle either.”

BACCARAT HOTEL

Living in Midtown Manhattan may not be for everyone, but continued interest from foreign buyers and those looking for pieds-à-terre appears to be firing developers’ enthusiasm. An example is the Baccarat Hotel and Residences New York, a 46-story tower under construction at 20 West 53rd Street, across from the Museum of Modern Art.

Co-developed by Starwood Capital Group, the creator of the W hotel chain, and Tribeca Associates, the $400 million tower will have 114 hotel rooms and 64 condos over 45 stories. The condos will range from one- to three-bedrooms, and there will be a duplex penthouse. The units will have 12- to 16-foot ceilings, and some will have terraces, according to Starwood.

The building, designed by Skidmore Owings & Merrill, will meet feng shui standards, said Barry Sternlicht, Starwood’s chairman.

[NYguy]

http://therealdeal.com/issues_articl...-gone-too-far/

Baccarat New York doesn’t sparkle

August 01, 2012
By James Gardner

Just opposite the Museum of Modern Art, a new hotel and condominium is set to rise over the site of the former (and future) Donnell Library. The project is to be called the Baccarat New York. Following the lead of the Bulgari hotel chain, it seeks to invoke a storied name from luxury retail — in this case, one that has been synonymous with elegant crystal products since before the French Revolution. But the building, judging from a recently released rendering, promises little beyond its name to suggest the beguiling brightness that we associate with crystal.

The hotel will include a bar on a garden terrace that is to be heavily blinged out with crystal as well as an on-site store selling crystal from Baccarat, a brand that Starwood acquired in 2005, according to the Wall Street Journal. But it’s hard to imagine the crystal brand leaving much more of a mark on the project.

The 605-foot-tall building, designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, will rise 46 stories, with interiors by the high-concept French designers Gilles et Boissier, who are responsible for, among others things, the restaurant Buddakan in the Meatpacking District.

The hotel — which will reportedly take up floors four through 12 — will contain 114 rooms and 26 suites. This being Manhattan in the new millennium, there will also be 64 luxury condos in the building. The condos, which will reportedly reside on the floors above the hotel, are scheduled to go on sale at the beginning of 2013. At the base of the new building there will be a four-story public library, the inclusion of which was essential to acquiring the rights to build the Baccarat project.

[sbarn]

I think despite its relatively banal shape - cough, box - with quality finishes, it will actually turn out better than most expect. Kind of like the Willow Hotel, which has exceeded most people's expectations.

[sbarn]

Does anyone have any updated info on this one? Seems like it should be under construction by now. If I have time I'll try to walk by and take a look...

[sbarn]

At the risk of looking like I'm talking to myself, I'll answer my own question. Snapped a couple of photos today. Looks like the footings and foundations are underway, we probably could consider this under construction. There is a significant amount of activity on the site.






(photos by me)

[reencharles]

Nice news (and pics). Thanks for update.

[NewYorkDominates]

Finally!

[jackster99]

I came across these additional renderings of the Baccarat Hotel and Tower from SOM's website. I don't believe they have been posted here before:

http://www.som.com/local/common/modu...7&ImageIndex=1

BTW, does anybody have any recent pictures of construction progress? Its been almost two months since the last update, and based on the progress then and the small site, it could very well be at street level or above by now.

[ThatOneGuy]

Elegant and simple.

[NYguy]

I like it as well. I need to check by the site to see what's going on.

[colemonkee]

Is the SOM tower what's going up here?

[NYguy]

Yes.

Originally Posted by NYguy

[scalziand]

Good to see that the side walls will be sculpted.

[yankeesfan1000]

Tower crane is being assembled, with 53rd between 5th and 6th closed off today. Looks like this is proceeding.

[jackster99]

I know its a particulary big favor to ask, but could anyone potentially snap a few pics of the site? It would be nice to see the current progress as it has been almost 3 months since the last update. Thanks in advance

[babybackribs2314]

Originally Posted by jackster99

I know its a particulary big favor to ask, but could anyone potentially snap a few pics of the site? It would be nice to see the current progress as it has been almost 3 months since the last update. Thanks in advance

Will try to get to the site tomorrow. I want to get photos of the 432 Park crane jump as well.

[jackster99]

Thanks babybackribs, that would be great

[yankeesfan1000]

Tower crane on site. Photo is mine.

[Mike570]

Ahh! A beautiful sight.

[sbarn]

Update from today (not my photos). These photos were posted over on WNY. Doesn't look like its quite out of the ground yet, but getting close!


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