NEW YORK | 15 Penn Plaza (Hotel Penn) | 1,050 FT / 315 M | 52 FLOORS

[Crawford]

Looks spectacular. Yes, please!

What is that, like 1,500 ft? I'll certainly take it.

[rgarri4]

Eh...did they go back to the drawing board with the design?

[DrNest]

Originally Posted by NYguy

That rendering...

What the heck is that above the Hotel Penn site?! It looks hideous. What an abomination to be built so close to the ESB. I prefer the previous design.
As someone who's long vocalised to keep the Hotel Penn, (at least the shell anyway) I find this design of disjointed boxes ugly, impractical, and nothing short of a massive eyesore. I truly hope something far better is actually put forth as a serious proposal.

[Zapatan]

That looks beyond awful, I liked the original design far better.

It's a great place for a 1,200+ foot skyscraper but at least have it look halfway decent.

[NYguy]

I don't have a very good render to look at. But it's basically the elements of where modern office development is headed in New York. We see it a lot now. But I don't think the location, so close to the ESB is right for this particular design.

I stayed at the Hotel Penn a couple of nights this past summer for convenience, and its a horror show. I didn't expect much from the place, and got much less in return. They're obviously just biding their time until they can raze it.

[Zerton]

Looks like a placeholder. That design makes no sense for a commercial building.

[Zapatan]

Originally Posted by Zerton

Looks like a placeholder. That design makes no sense for a commercial building.

That makes sense. I sure as hell hope so

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by Zerton

Looks like a placeholder. That design makes no sense for a commercial building.

Doubt it's just a placeholder when they already have two fully designed versions they could have used. Doesn't mean that design is final, but we already knew there was a different plan floating around, and new drawings given to the planning department. This is just the first we've seen it. BTW, they could in fact have other versions. But this design has all the elements that the modern and upgraded office buildings in New York either have or want. I wouldn't be surprised to see some elements of this in the new Chase tower, just not as extreme.





Notice that earlier this year, the CB wasn't in favor, but it was approved.

[jackster99]

I need some more angles and close up details of the tower to make a final call, but for right now I don't get the hate for this design.

It looks pretty damn cool and futuristic. And better than just another all glass tower like the first version imo

[Zapatan]

Originally Posted by NYguy

Doubt it's just a placeholder when they already have two fully designed versions they could have used. Doesn't mean that design is final, but we already knew there was a different plan floating around, and new drawings given to the planning department. This is just the first we've seen it. BTW, they could in fact have other versions. But this design has all the elements that the modern and upgraded office buildings in New York either have or want. I wouldn't be surprised to see some elements of this in the new Chase tower, just not as extreme.

If they smoothed the edges and the open spaces were a little less over the top it would look a lot nicer. That crown could use some work too.

I really liked Pelli's tower, hopefully that's still a contender. At least whatever goes there will likely be tall?

[Zapatan]

Originally Posted by jackster99

I need some more angles and close up details of the tower to make a final call, but for right now I don't get the hate for this design.

It looks pretty damn cool and futuristic. And better than just another all glass tower like the first version imo

Part of it is the top I think, it doesn't go with the rest of the building. I agree that the open air gardens are super cool, but there are too many IMO.

Maybe I'll warm up to it though.

[Eidolon]

Looks really futuristic and with 2.8msf spread over what looks like more than 1400ft in height, it would be a true giant in midtown. Shame they are keeping 2 Penn though, in an ideal world it would be demolished to make way for Penn Station improvements and the air rights would be transferred here.

[chris08876]

Originally Posted by Crawford

Looks spectacular. Yes, please!

What is that, like 1,500 ft? I'll certainly take it.

I surely hope that rendering is accurate. As comparison, 1 Penn is 751 ft. I mean, if that rendering is accurate, holy jesus! Surely looks like 1350 ft.

[chris08876]

Originally Posted by Zerton

Looks like a placeholder. That design makes no sense for a commercial building.

Gives us an idea of what 2.8 mil-sqft can yield. This will be bulky in nature due to the site parameters. Hopefully it'll be in the 1300-1400 ft range. One thing would be a crown. Hopefully its not a big box or a cheese-with-holes type of box. But what we know is that the location is prime. Hot hot hot!

[NYguy]

Hard to tell from this rendering how many sections there are, but I"m guessing maybe 6. Could be more. But what you can see is sort of what the idea is behind the redesign of 2 WTC.

If you take one of the sections, and place it at street level as an individual building, you get exactly the type of building that is becoming very desirable around the city, with the large floorplates, the outdoor space, etc. But what Vornado has done is take a group of these and stack them on top of each other. I don't think this is a design for the 1 msf+ tenant, but probably more for tenants looking around the 250k sf mark or so. It could be used for a larger tenant, but it looks like a group of individual buildings. Looking at it that way, it makes more sense.

I still don't think it's the right location for this design, but if it's what gets a tenant, Vornado will go for it. The backup plan was for an "entertainment hotel", whatever that is.






A look at some other similar type buildings going up or planned around town...






https://tribecacitizen.com/2018/10/02/in-the-news-big-new-office-building-on-west-street/




https://www.builtinnyc.com/2016/10/03/brooklyn-navy-yards-tech-company




https://newyorkyimby.com/2015/05/claddin...manhattan-west-450-west-33rd-street.html




https://www.behance.net/gallery/52781671/The-Wheeler







https://www.cityrealty.com/nyc/market-in...9s-creative-office-development-lic/12622




https://www.wsj.com/articles/developers-bet-big-on-brooklyn-office-demand-1472431773



From that last CB meeting, at about the 1:15 mark, just a reminder that Vornado has renewed its special permit for the last time, so they need to get this tower built in the next 3 years or so.



• Video Link

[gramsjdg]

The building itself isn't bad, but the crown is terrible, like when in the 50's and 60's they covered up all the facades of downtown department stores with big flat panels. At the very least it should repeat the layered glass sections below it.

[Sky88]

A best image of the tower from cityrealty.







http://www.cityrealty.com

[Sky88]

This tower reminds me of the 425 Park Avenue project of Rogers Stirk Harbour Partners.







http://ny.curbed.com/

[Camstonisland]

Originally Posted by Sky88

PENN15

Is that seriously what they're branding it as?

[Zapatan]

Originally Posted by gramsjdg

The building itself isn't bad, but the crown is terrible, like when in the 50's and 60's they covered up all the facades of downtown department stores with big flat panels. At the very least it should repeat the layered glass sections below it.

Yea I think that's what's turning me off, that and the un-smooth edges.

The open gardens are really cool though, it's kind of amazing they can afford so much unoccupied/empty space in the building.

While I strongly preferred the older design I'm still looking forward to seeing new renderings/some design tweaks perhaps?