NEW YORK | ABC Headquarters redevelopment | (1,250 - 420) FT | 86 & 25 FLOORS

[MAC123]

I just don't see why Extell wouldn't build those extremely tall residentials towers on this site. They spent well over a decade putting together Central Park Tower and then they just buy this site which has as of right zoning for something even more grand.

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by MAC123

I just don't see why Extell wouldn't build those extremely tall residentials towers on this site. They spent well over a decade putting together Central Park Tower and then they just buy this site which has as of right zoning for something even more grand.

That's why I say stay tuned. The rezoning for the height restrictions haven't been approved yet, though I don't rule that out. The current filings are for a small portion of the sites, and even they are subject to a change at any time.

[Crawford]

Originally Posted by MAC123

I just don't see why Extell wouldn't build those extremely tall residentials towers on this site. They spent well over a decade putting together Central Park Tower and then they just buy this site which has as of right zoning for something even more grand.

While I have no clue what's planned, I would seriously enjoy the collective NIMBY meltdown if Gary Barnett builds 1,600 ft. spires. That would be hilarious.

I assume some very tall towers will be built here, but I wouldn't count on that height. Those drawings are just as-of-right possibilities.

[NYguy]

Not to mention, what's left out in the graphics is this new Extell development directly to the south.



https://www.flickr.com/photos/148616146@N07/54117721923/sizes/l/

[NYguy]

https://www.crainsnewyork.com/real-estat...emolition-former-disney-campus-manhattan

Extell plans for more demolition at former Disney campus on the UWS





EDDIE SMALL
February 27, 2025

Extell Development is looking to tear down more of the former Disney/ABC campus on the Upper West Side.

The Gary Barnett-led firm recently filed demolition permits with the Department of Buildings for 77 W. 66th St. and 54 W. 67th St. by Lincoln Square. Both addresses appear to be part of a property between Columbus Avenue and Central Park West that spans about 288,000 square feet and overall stands 22 stories and 292 feet tall, according to the demolition filings and city records.

[NYguy]

Updated demo filings...

[NYguy]

https://www.westsiderag.com/2025/04/17/c...mpus-but-developer-plans-still-uncertain

CB7 Pushes for Affordable Housing at Former UWS ABC Campus, But Developer Plans Still Uncertain





April 17, 2025
By Scott Etkin

Upper West Side Community Board 7’s Housing & Land Use Committee voted Wednesday night to formalize their recommendation that Extell Development should be required to include affordable housing in its building plans for the area that was ABC’s office and broadcasting campus, on West 66th and 67th streets, between Columbus Avenue and Central Park West.

The committee’s resolution called for new zoning that would require Extell to include affordable housing as part of the new construction, with a target of 20% of the site’s floor area allocated to below-market-rate housing (not 20% of the total units).

The full community board is expected to consider the resolution on May 6th.

Currently, the area in question is not covered by the same zoning codes as the surrounding neighborhood, due to an exemption – allowing more flexibility in the land use – that was made decades ago to attract ABC to the Upper West Side in the first place.

Now that ABC is moving its headquarters downtown and the property is in the hands of a private developer, the CB7 committee is trying to persuade the Department of City Planning (DCP) to change the zoning to enforce inclusion of at least some affordable housing at the site.

The committee noted during the meeting that its members decided on language in the resolution that favors the maximization of affordable housing, as opposed to recommending zoning that would prohibit a supertall building.

Extell is the developer behind 50 West 66th Street, the 775-foot luxury residential building that overcame legal opposition to become the tallest on the UWS. Extell has purchased the air rights from two nearby residential buildings, 50 West 67th Street and 40 West 67th Street, indicating that it would again maximize the size of the new construction on the site.

City Councilmember Gale Brewer spoke at the committee meeting about conversations she’s had with Extell founder and chairman Gary Barnett. “I’ve had interactions with him for 30 years,” said Brewer. “The issue is, he always wants tall, he always wants condo, and he always hates affordable.”

Brewer, who supports a zoning change that would require Extell to include affordable housing, said that she has been instructed by the city planning office to try to strike a deal with Barnett on this project. “Any affordable [housing] in his mind would be a separate building […] and be run by a nonprofit,” she said.

A representative from DCP was not in attendance, and the board’s committee members said they have not been informed about what zoning changes, if any, the agency is planning to make for the site.

CB7’s resolutions offer recommendations to DCP, but ultimately any final decisions would be made by the agency. At various points in the meeting, it was noted that CB7 currently doesn’t have much leverage to influence the new construction, in part because supertall buildings with no affordable units would be “as of right,” meaning that they comply with the existing zoning rules due to the exemption made for ABC.

Also, this site does not require a Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP), which is a public review of land use applications.

The board committee estimates that a new tower on this site could be as tall as 1,200 feet. For comparison, the Empire State Building is 1,250 feet.

A handful of local residents provided their opinions about the building site. They offered mixed views about whether the developer should be allowed to build as large a building as possible, and what effect this would have on the neighborhood and Central Park.

[ChiND]

It’s absolutely ridiculous to expect afford housing in one of the most expensive areas of Manhattan. These people should move to a Communist country.

Barnett could have two very tall, very expensive towers under construction simultaneously.

[Busy Bee]

I don't have an issue with an affordable set-aside, especially since it might come attached to a density/height zoning bonus. In a project like this they'd probably all be facing the interior of the lot on the low floors, in other words units that would have been tougher sales at the luxury asking price.

[The New York Lion]

I hope The G-Man delivers to us two hyper-sybaritic 1,400 footers.

He usually doesn't disappoint on height, outside of his IKEA on 5th and the "attraction" on 8th.

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by Busy Bee

I don't have an issue with an affordable set-aside, especially since it might come attached to a density/height zoning bonus. In a project like this they'd probably all be facing the interior of the lot on the low floors, in other words units that would have been tougher sales at the luxury asking price.

But they don’t need a density bonus to build tall. The development as it stands is as-of-right.

[Sky88]

I hope Gary Barnett can build a 92-story and 1,400-foot tower on the site.

[The New York Lion]

Originally Posted by Sky88

I hope Gary Barnett can build a 92-story and 1,400-foot tower on the site.

He can build two.

[Sky88]

Originally Posted by The New York Lion

He can build two.

Well, let's start with one, then we'll see, since builders tend to propose big towers and then start lowering the heights...

[Crawford]

There should be no affordable housing on these sites. Ridiculous. Why would you put taxpayer subsidized housing on some of the most expensive land on the planet?

Thankfully, these towers are as-of-right. I bet they'll get some of the highest sales prices in city history.

[NYguy]

Looks like a 1,200 footer and 300 footer in the works. That sounds fine to me, I wouldn't want anything approaching CPT heights, for skyline purposes. I think the tallest buildings on the skyline should be in Midtown or Downtown.



https://myemail.constantcontact.com/A-BI....html?soid=1102771162711&aid=9h5bXpmzEUc

On May 21, CB7 held a Housing and Land Use Committee Meeting (linked) to discuss the status of the ABC Campus. While largely voicing agreement with our proposal, the Executive Director of the Department of City Planning voiced their concern as follows:

“The resulting mass, the bulk from the proposal was kind of monolithic and while [it] did not have a height limit it would have resulted in buildings of maybe let’s say the 350 to 450 [foot] range. It would have been very imposing…from an urban design and city planning perspective.” *

*City Planning did not concede that a 1200+ foot tower might be monolithic. although ~4x the size of the joint CB7-LW! proposal.

The developer, followed in addressing the Committee and his remarks confirmed our concerns when describing his company’s intention to build a 1200+ foot tower along Columbus Avenue (as well as a 300-350 foot tall structure along West 66th Street).

If realized, the Columbus Avenue structure will be the tallest building on the island of Manhattan north of Billionaire’s Row, on the same block as the National-Register-Listed Artist Colony Block (linked), so designated, mainly in recognition of its design typology, which is based on a specific sensitivity towards light and air.

The developer further added that even though it was not required, they are offering 7 West 66th Street and 30 West 67th Street (both in the Upper West Side/Central Park West Historic District) to be adaptively reused as workforce housing.

THEY DON’T HAVE TO. As they explained:

“We’re doing this voluntarily because I really don’t think that at this point that we have to do it. I think we have to move forward and get our building built before anything can happen that would stop it.”

But that’s not all; the developer also suggested that they could even put the planned West 66th Street 350 ft building on top of the 1,200+ ft building. Because there are no limits on what they can do, they did offer the cold comfort that they weren’t planning to do that, even though, without proactive measures by the Department of City Planning, they could.

As the meeting wound down, the Executive Director of the Department of City Planning, having listened to the developers' suggestions of what it could do, decided that the size and shape of the new buildings could be left to contract negotiations between CB7 and developers! Thus, alleviating DCP from completing the (very similar to our own) Zoning Text Amendment, which would regulate the building’s bulk.

[Crawford]

This is gonna reshape the Manhattan skyline. Cannot wait!

And I have no problem with putting the development rights to the 350 ft. tower on top of the 1200 ft. tower. Fine with me!

[UrbanImpact]

This building is potentially going to have some awesome views.

[ChiND]

Could our metropolis get any better? This and 625 Madison will be two 1,200 foot towers almost across the park from each other. Can you imagine if we also get supertalls at 655 Madison and 800 Fifth also?

[NYguy]

The developer further added that even though it was not required, they are offering 7 West 66th Street and 30 West 67th Street (both in the Upper West Side/Central Park West Historic District) to be adaptively reused as workforce housing.

“We’re doing this voluntarily because I really don’t think that at this point that we have to do it. I think we have to move forward and get our building built before anything can happen that would stop it.”

The NIMBYS are winning, even when they didn't know it. Also, the affordable housing will be 100% for community residents because Extell isn't using any of the affordable housing programs. Everything is being built as-of-right. As City Planning explained at the meeting, only an upzoning would require the mandatory affordable housing units, meaning even larger buildings. The 1,200 footer is lower than what was originally planned Extell said, because they are using some of the space for affordable housing.

But overall, a very productive meeting, as Gary Barnett himself spoke with the community board, and explained things in a way everyone could understand. Of course, Gale Brewer showed up to try and muck things up, but everyone was pleased with this meeting, and will try to hammer down the deal.


Gary Barnett speaks...



• Video Link




View the full CB meeting for City Planning's explanation of why they aren't rezoning the site...



• Video Link