[NYguy]

A look at the landmark next door, one of the sites that contributed air rights to the development of this tower...


http://www.cityrealty.com/nyc/real-e...th-street/7741

Extell buys air-rights from Art Students League on West 57th Street





February 9, 2006

The Extell Development Group has acquired about 140,000-square feet of unused air rights from the Art Students League at 215 West 57th Street. Ira Goldberg, executive director of the league, told CityRealty.com today that the proceeds from the sale will be used to support its programs. He said he was "not at liberty" to say what the purchase price was of the air-rights.

Criag Evans and Nicola Heryet, both senior managing directors of Colliers ABR, represented the league in the transaction. Mr. Evans told CityRealty.com today that "the negotiations required sensitivity to the unique light and air requirements of the Art Students League," adding that "we were happy to negotiate a sale that addressed the concerns of the League while allowing Extell to move forward with the development in the area."

Extell controls the former Hard Rock building just to the west of the League and property extending through the block to 58th Street. The Hard Rock Cafe was founded in London in 1971 and was located in the base of the 12-story building at 225 West 57th Street where its entrance canopy was a late 1950's black Cadillac converting with rotating wheels. Hard Rock recently relocated to the former Paramount Theater space at 1501 Broadway.

The league's building is an individually designated official city landmark rich in the city's cultural and artistic history. It was completed in 1892 and designed by Henry Jane Hardenbergh, who would become the architect a few years later of the nearby Plaza Hotel.

The air-rights will likely enable Extell to erect a very tall, mid-block, condominium tower on the site of the former Hard Rock building.

(January 1, 2013)











Meanwhile, Extell gets an award from the NY Post...

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/busines...ZT1ew2PZdi4MFI

January 2, 2013
by Lois Weiss

To start the New Year, we present our Golden Bricks to the best and worst of the city slickers:

Grinch Award: Gary Barnett (inset lower right) of Extell Development for convincing Nordstrom to buy into his spot on gritty West 57th Street so he can develop the tallest tower in the US while being the Grinch that continues to tie up the garage under Vornado’s future development that would block some of his tower’s views.