NEW YORK | 625 Madison Ave | ~800 FT | 34 FLOORS

[ChiND]

Originally Posted by NYguy

Did they though? Any direct quotes? The filings for what’s going on at the site tell the story, not rumors and speculation. Follow actions, not words.

Visser is a very high-ranking leader at Related, and his comments are from a few weeks ago. I suspect that the residential tower that we’ve seen won’t rise. I’m not getting unnecessarily excited. It’s entirely possible that something as lame at 343 Madison, Related's own 70 HY, or 570 Fifth could rise here. Similarly, I cringe at the thought of a vanilla glass box that Gary might build on Park. Regardless, it seems that an office tower will rise here. This makes sense since Related is building a condo nearby at the Prada site. Further, while there is strong demand, many high-end condos are planned and, thus, there will be a lot of competition:

1. 800 Fifth (which has the best site);
2. 41 W 57th;
3. 655 Madison;
4. The ABC site;
5. Possibly 10 W 57th (Soloviev said that he might build offices there);
6. Possibly 36 CPS, which, if built, will be unparalleled.
7. The Wellington I believe will be rentals and hotel -- not condo.

[NYguy]

If they want to put the project on ice for a while, I could see it. I’ve said the office proposal could be attractive. But that also involves a lengthy ULURP process, unless they want to build a much smaller office project, which is much less attractive. And remember, this isn’t Related’s project alone. The price they paid for that site calls fir something extraordinary.

Now jointly owned by the New York developer and the Saudi government fund, the 625 Madison Ave. site — just a block from Central Park — was acquired last year for more than $600 million.

[ChiND]

I guess we’ll know soon enough. I’m not too keen on what appears to be another 1,250 foot rectangular stick on the skyline. I’d rather have an 800 foot box that’s largely hidden by the GM Building (though an iconic office design would be nice).

[NYguy]

^ I’m sure they don’t care, but an office tower would be much if the same.


I wonder if this is indeed a Stern designed building, maybe amongst some if the last while he was still alive, if that would factor, even if just a little bit, into the marketing….


https://nypost.com/2025/12/16/real-estate/15-central-park-west-sees-a-flurry-of-20m-deals/

Star power and scarcity drive twin $25M deals at 15 Central Park West following the death of its famed architect

By Mary K. Jacob
Dec. 16, 2025

Two ultra-luxury contracts at Manhattan’s storied 15 Central Park West — the neo-classical limestone tower designed by the late architect Robert A.M. Stern — were the most expensive homes to go into contract across the city last week. Most of all, the deals were inked in the wake of Stern’s death at age 86 on Thanksgiving day.

The eight-figure deals mark a rare double play for the iconic building, where buyers have long been drawn to Stern’s signature blend of prewar elegance and modern luxury.

Jonathan Miller, CEO of appraisal firm Miller Samuel, said Stern’s death may not have created an immediate price surge, but his legacy remains deeply tied to the building’s sustained value.

“Having two sales in the same building gets the building greater attention in the market for future listings,” he told The Post.

“But I don’t see the death of Stern as pushing values in his building up overnight,” Miller said.

“The lack of future Stern projects will help sustain the premium they already achieve but probably won’t make them more valuable outside of existing market conditions,” he added. “I suspect we will see greater price growth at the top of the housing market and his buildings are an important part of that submarket.”

Stern was renowned for his ability to blend historical references with contemporary livability.

A former dean of Yale’s School of Architecture, he designed some of the most successful — and expensive — residential buildings in Manhattan, including 220 Central Park South, 520 Park Ave., and 70 Vestry. His projects routinely set price-per-square-foot records and shaped the city’s modern luxury skyline.

[ChiND]

I know that an office tower would probably be lame. Related isn't exactly reaching for the stars at 70 HY. That's a pretty boring box.

Unless the facade details on the "renderings" were purposefully omitted, the residential proposal does not look like a Stern. It seems sleeker and more modern than a Stern. It appears to have a stone facade sans adornments and a lot more glass than RAMSA typically incorporates.

If we're getting something banal, whether office or residential, the advantage of the former is that it will be much shorter and obscured by the GM Building. To have two, very tall quotidian boxes at 625 and 655 Madison would be disappointing.

[ChiND]

According to the sign posted at the site, this will be an office tower designed by Foster and Gensler.

[The New York Lion]

Originally Posted by ChiND

According to the sign posted at the site, this will be an office tower designed by Foster.

Potentially lame.

Let's hope we get a Foster showstopper.

At least 1,000 feet tall. 845,000 sq feet is a lot on this footprint.

[Zapatan]

Originally Posted by The New York Lion

Potentially lame.

Let's hope we get a Foster showstopper.

At least 1,000 feet tall. 845,000 sq feet is a lot on this footprint.

The lot looks fairly normal in size, unless the tower won't use the whole area.

I wonder if 845k includes mechanical space.

I feel like this won't break 1k at all, more like 8-900 feet, another misleading thread title overselling height due to allowable envelope.

Still excited to see it nonetheless, Foster is kind of hit or miss though.

[The New York Lion]

Originally Posted by Zapatan

The lot looks fairly normal in size, unless the tower won't use the whole area.

I wonder if 845k includes mechanical space.

I feel like this won't break 1k at all, more like 8-900 feet, another misleading thread title overselling height due to allowable envelope.

Still excited to see it nonetheless, Foster is kind of hit or miss though.

You would they want maximum height to capitalize on CP views.

[DCReid]

Originally Posted by The New York Lion

You would they want maximum height to capitalize on CP views.

I believe that CP views are less important than large floor plates or amenities for an office building, if the rumor is correct that this will be an office building. If the rumor is for residential or perhaps mixed use, then yes for CP views.

[Crawford]

In the Plaza District, at least, CP views are extremely important. The GM Building and 9 West 57, both towers more than 50 years old, get crazy high rents for the park-view spaces.

If it's a Foster office tower overlooking CP, with a 1,300 ft. approved envelope height, I suspect it will be pretty tall.

[ChiND]

As noted, pursuant to the sign at the site, an office tower designed by Foster and Gensler will rise here.

A 900 foot version of this at 625 Madison would be very nice. (I seem to be the only person who loves this design, though I’d prefer to see a new MSG on the 15 Penn site.)


Foster

[ChiND]

I’m prepared for a box, but something like this Foster tower in Dubai would be nice.


Foster

[The New York Lion]

We need The Good Lord to deliver here.

With premium office rents reaching or surpassing $300 psf at 425 Park Avenue, it makes sense why a firm would use him.

Hong Kong was going gaga over the Jane Street lease earlier last year at $137 psf.

We are so blessed to live in the time of NEW YORK.

[ChiND]

Originally Posted by The New York Lion

We need The Good Lord to deliver here.

With premium office rents reaching or surpassing $300 psf at 425 Park Avenue, it makes sense why a firm would use him.

Hong Kong was going gaga over the Jane Street lease earlier last year at $137 psf.

We are so blessed to live in the time of NEW YORK.

I agree. Happy New Year, Lion!

[Zapatan]

Originally Posted by Crawford

If it's a Foster office tower overlooking CP, with a 1,300 ft. approved envelope height, I suspect it will be pretty tall.

Approved envelope doesn't mean much, it isn't always financially worth it to build to the max.

[NYguy]

Interesting. I've been out of town, and it's also been freezing out, so I haven't been by the site. But if Related is planning an office tower at the site, don't expect anything to happen anytime soon. Unless they are building a smaller, boutique like building (not the full build as shown by Vornado), maybe, but that wouldn't make sense. The need for approvals to build the larger tower is time consuming.

In the meantime, they are continuing with filings for the mixed-use tower. This was refiled just a few weeks ago in December...

[ChiND]

It's interesting that Related stresses the lack of a height limit on this tower. It clearly will be an office tower, but I wonder how tall it will be.

The 35,146-square-foot site offers an opportunity for a high-density, mixed-use development, with no height restrictions and sweeping 360-degree views of Central Park and the New York City skyline.

https://www.related.com/our-company/properties/625-madison-avenue

[The New York Lion]

Originally Posted by ChiND

It's interesting that Related stresses the lack of a height limit on this tower. It clearly will be an office tower, but I wonder how tall it will be.



https://www.related.com/our-company/properties/625-madison-avenue

There have been 2 non-NYC office towers over 1,000+' built in America since 9/11.

1 in Philly (Comcast) and 1 in San Francisco (Salesforce)

A 1,000+' office tower here would command rents of $300+ psf, which are unheard of in the rest of the developed world.

"Premium" towers like the Transamerica Pyramid retain rents at $100+ psf.

As a matter of fact, by the time this tower tops out in the 2030-2032 range, if it has sweeping views of Central Park 1,000+' into the sky, I would wager this would set the record.

May see $350-400 psf.

Every hedge fund in the world would want a piece of this tower, as opposed to the (still excellent) 50 year-old stock at Solow or the GM Building.

New York!

[ChiND]