This tower is being built right in the sight-line of the Empire State Building from places like Union Square and Madison Square Park - not something I usually get too twisted up about, but those are really exceptionally iconic and beautiful views. Seems almost tantamount to messing with the view down The Mall in Central Park or of the Statue of Liberty from Battery Park. The tower isn't an exceptionally nice view-blocker, either.
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And yeah, the developers
did bulldoze Bancroft for a cruddy little park. Thumbs down in every department.