[sparkling]

New luxury condo is latest to liven Midtown’s NoMad district



Lois Weiss
September 17, 2015

Midtown South’s NoMad district at 30th Street and Fifth Avenue is starting to resemble 57th Street — with plans for three 50-to-70-story towers.

The latest is a new luxury condominium tower designed by Moshe Safdie that could soon rise mid-block between West 29th and West 30th streets on land just west of, and adjacent to, the Marble Collegiate Church.

The nearly 800-foot-tall, 64-story tower will be developed by Ziel Feldman’s HFZ Capital in conjunction with the church, a landmark that was built in 1854. The three church-owned properties — since demolished — were contributed to the joint venture.

HFZ filed with the city late Wednesday to begin the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission approval process, sources said.

The reflective glass skyscraper will have numerous outcroppings designed for interior space as well as shade. The limestone base will host church offices and blend into the historic neighborhood as well as the color of the landmark church.

A tree-filled public park designed by HW White is planned for a setback along West 29th Street next to the church, while the new tower is planned for West 30th Street. Its name and formal address haven’t yet been announced.

Feldman redeveloped numerous new and historical residential projects in the city, including the Chatsworth and the Belnord as well as new ones including a planned High Line project designed by Bjarke Ingels Group.

This will be the first city building for Safdie, a 77-year-old Israeli-born architect, although his design for Boston Properties was a finalist for the site of the current Time Warner Center.

Safdie is known for buildings around the world that include the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial in Israel, the Skirball Cultural Center in LA and the new Marina Sands Bay resort in Singapore.