Lost buildings due to NYC's recent skyscraper boom

[STLgasm]

There is a dizzying amount of skyscraper construction occuring throughout Manhattan, and obviously there are many buildings being sacrificed to make way for new developments. I am very interested to see what buildings have been the unfortunate victims of this construction boom.

Please post pics of recently-demolished or soon-to-be-demolished buildings, both significant and forgettable, that are being replaced with new shiny towers.

Thanks!

[STERNyc]

Great thread idea. Unfortunately its pretty hard to find pictures of what was on most of these sites before they were redeveloped.

One Bryant Park:















Source WNY.

Looking at these pictures it really brings me back to when this was the Wild West of New York and how gentrification swiftly took over, with Conde Nast, Reuters, Ernst and Young, Times Square Tower, and the final hold-out of the old gritty Times Square was finally won over and is now being replaced by One Bryant Park. Of architectural interest is the old sliver building, on the 42nd Street side, it was gilded with gold and was very ornate, I've found it impossible to find any pictures of its front facing side. Also the Henry Miller Theatre which has been preserved at the base of One Bryant Park at 43rd Street.

[NYguy]

99 Church Street. Soon to be demolished by Larry Silverstein as he constructs a 60-story tower on the site...

__

[NYguy]

Madison Square Garden, 2 Penn Plaza....both will be demolished to make way
for the redevelopment of Penn Station (which sits underneath). Replacement
will include 2 (or more) towers, at 90 (or so) stories...

[NYguy]

Hotel Pennsylvania. Soon to be closed and demolished for a 2.5 msf office tower...

[NYguy]

130 Liberty St (Deutsche Bank building ). Unfortunate victim of the 9/11 attack. Currently being demolished, potential site 0f 5th WTC tower, new JP Morgan headquarters, 50 or more stories...

[SpinoC66]

Originally Posted by NYguy

Madison Square Garden, 2 Penn Plaza....both will be demolished to make way
for the redevelopment of Penn Station (which sits underneath). Replacement
will include 2 (or more) towers, at 90 (or so) stories...

why are they getting rid of Madison Square? Is it not historic? Are they going to make it Madison Cube?

[sbarn]

^^ Its not historic... they're planning on moving Madison Square Garden into the western half of the Farley Post Office across 8th Ave. Then the Garden and current stubby tower will be replaced with two enormous towers (estimated ~1000 to 1300 ft tall) and new Penn Station complex.

[STERNyc]

Originally Posted by SpinoC66

why are they getting rid of Madison Square? Is it not historic?

My laugh out loud moment of the day.

[STLgasm]

Thanks guys. Have any tall buildings been threatened or demolished recently to make way for new development? I'm talking about buildings taller than 15 stories (which of course is not tall for NYC).

[STLgasm]

Thanks a lot, NYguy. It makes me a little sad to see buildings go that actually have an impact on the city skyline.

[Aleks]

Good thing Penn Plaza is bein Demolished its hidious in my opinion and the next one better be good lookin

[LostInTheZone]

people seem to have this mistaken impression that Manhattan is nothing but skyscrapers. There are TONS of 1 or 2 story commercial buildings and 4-5 story run-down tenements with no redeeming architectural or historical value that beg to be torn down. There's also a lot more surface parking lots than you would think, in a lot of places.

Which is why demolishing something like the Hotel Pennsylvania, one of the higher-quality structures in an area with no shortage of crappy tenements and short commericial buildings, offends my preservationist sensibilities all that much more.

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by LostInTheZone

people seem to have this mistaken impression that Manhattan is nothing but skyscrapers. There are TONS of 1 or 2 story commercial buildings and 4-5 story run-down tenements with no redeeming architectural or historical value that beg to be torn down. There's also a lot more surface parking lots than you would think, in a lot of places.

None of which are located in the prime business districts. There's the far west side of course, but that's years down the road from actually becoming an alternative. Got to get that subway built first.

[LSyd]

Originally Posted by LostInTheZone

people seem to have this mistaken impression that Manhattan is nothing but skyscrapers. There are TONS of 1 or 2 story commercial buildings and 4-5 story run-down tenements with no redeeming architectural or historical value that beg to be torn down. There's also a lot more surface parking lots than you would think, in a lot of places.

Which is why demolishing something like the Hotel Pennsylvania, one of the higher-quality structures in an area with no shortage of crappy tenements and short commericial buildings, offends my preservationist sensibilities all that much more.

i totally agree. so, is this going to increase hotel rates even more?

-

[Daquan13]

I think New York City is becoming a lot like Las Vegas. Old buildings are constantly being demolished to make way for new ones.

[oldpainless]

Originally Posted by Daquan13

I think New York City is becoming a lot like Las Vegas. Old buildings are constantly being demolished to make way for new ones.

Right, but thats what enables NYC to be a world competitor. You can't rest on your laurels alone if you want to lead. Change is essential to adapt and grow. The way New York constantly redefines itself and never rests is essential if its going to be a world leader in arts, finance, insurance, media, etc.

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by oldpainless

You can't rest on your laurels alone if you want to lead. Change is essential to adapt and grow. The way New York constantly redefines itself and never rests is essential if its going to be a world leader in arts, finance, insurance, media, etc.

That's true. While it doesn't mean that everything needs to be ripped down, we can't remain trapped in the past. Imagine if 1oo years ago nobody could build anything because people wanted to preserve every structure. I'm of the opinion that the builders of today have every right to leave their mark on the City as the builders of yesterday. The only time I'm stuck in is the present. Let the people 100 years from now look back on what was created when I walked the earth. Whether critical or positive, it won't change the status of the stamp of our time.

[fountainhead]

Originally Posted by NYguy

That's true. While it doesn't mean that everything needs to be ripped down, we can't remain trapped in the past. Imagine if 1oo years ago nobody could build anything because people wanted to preserve every structure. I'm of the opinion that the builders of today have every right to leave their mark on the City as the builders of yesterday. The only time I'm stuck in is the present. Let the people 100 years from now look back on what was created when I walked the earth. Whether critical or positive, it won't change the status of the stamp of our time.

I don't look at it that way. It's not an issue of being trapped in the past. It's an issue of a building's or neighbrohood's continued successful functionality. I think only when it's obvious that these two entities have outlived their usefulness can we consider replacing them.

I am also disheartened to see the Hotel Pennsylvania go. It's a handsome, solid building and the area will be left that much poorer with fewer hotels adjacent to Penn Station.

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by fountainhead

It's an issue of a building's or neighbrohood's continued successful functionality. I think only when it's obvious that these two entities have outlived their usefulness can we consider replacing them.

I am also disheartened to see the Hotel Pennsylvania go. It's a handsome, solid building and the area will be left that much poorer with fewer hotels adjacent to Penn Station.

It's exactly for the reasons you stated that these buildings are demolished. There's a reason so many older buildings in NY have been converted to residential, and it's not the housing shortage. As far as outliving usefulness, anything can be used for something. The building replacing the hotel may include a hotel itself. (Likewise, the area and the rest of the City is experiencing a hotel boom - new and modern rooms that won't result in lawsuits for its owner). Penn Station is the busiest transportation terminal in the country, the most accessible and centrally located terminal in the tri-state area. It should have been a solid commercial core for the City years ago, but things are just now starting to change. The Pennsylvania Hotel that stands now is not the same hotel of years ago. Preservationists don't even care to save it.

If you want old for old's sake, just walk around Manhattan. The older buildings outnumber the new to the point there's no comparison.