NEW YORK | 20 Times Square - Port Authority Bus Terminal Tower | 855 FT | 42 FLOORS

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by Crawford

the two buildings to the right of the rendering look puny compared to the new tower. The building on the far right is over 600 feet, so (assuming the rendering is somewhat accurate) there's no way the new office tower is only 750 feet.

The McGraw Hill building directly next to this tower is nearly 500 ft. This one reaches 855 easily from that rendering. Now that we have this, I want more detailed renderings, including with the Times Tower and 11 TS, just to get a feel of what the area will look like.

[babybackribs2314]

Originally Posted by HyperPower

I looks WAY OUT OF PLACE, the one thing I hate about Rogers, is his childish and colorful designs that take the class right out of the building. Three WTC escaped this because it needed to be conservative to fill the needs of commercial/business savy tenants.

Eh.

I think it looks ok.

Is it amazing? Obviously not, but it doesn't need to be... it might stick out during/after construction, but it'll be obscured over the next 20 years (assuming it gets built) by the coming explosion of development in the surrounding area. This building is basically filler for the Midtown plateau (I feel like the NYTT is basically filler too, as is the tower getting built next door).

The new "peaks" in the Midtown plateau look to be the Torre Verre (let's hope, at least--it's gorgeous and would look amazing) and several projects around Hudson Yards. It would be nice if everything looked stupendous, but it really isn't necessary--just as long as the filler 400-800' towers aren't hideous, I'll be happy.

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by babybackribs2314

It would be nice if everything looked stupendous, but it really isn't necessary--just as long as the filler 400-800' towers aren't hideous, I'll be happy.

Yeah, every tower doesn't have to be a masterpiece. I don't think this design is terrible either, and its also fitting for what it will sit above. But while it may be considered "filler", it will have the prominence of towers like the Met Life (Pan Am) and GE (RCA) because of its scale. And its another step in bringing that "Grand Central-like" density to New York's major transit centers (hopefully Penn Station will follow).

[Duffstuff129]

I like the building itself, but the base it's on is atrocious! A building (or any building for that matter) like this does not a colorful, gaudy base.

[scalziand]

The base already exists; it is the bus terminal. Currently it is a shade of green that I don't mind terribly and was hoping would remain the same. The colors given in the new renderings however, I find unnecessary, like you do.

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by scalziand

The base already exists; it is the bus terminal. Currently it is a shade of green that I don't mind terribly and was hoping would remain the same. The colors given in the new renderings however, I find unnecessary, like you do.

I wouldn't pay attention to the base at all in that rendering. It's not very detailed, and will most likely be wrapped in some sore of "Times Square" lighting, though the bracing probably will still be exposed.

[NYC4Life]

Interesting to see how the base can support the tower above it.

[Jibba]

Man, the original winning design was so sweet. Still nice in its current form, though, but it would look nicer without knowing its previous iteration. I am assuming that the exterior column of space running the height of the exterior is the elevator/service area? If so, it should make for some fantastic open interior spaces.

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by Jibba

Man, the original winning design was so sweet. Still nice in its current form, though, but it would look nicer without knowing its previous iteration. I am assuming that the exterior column of space running the height of the exterior is the elevator/service area? If so, it should make for some fantastic open interior spaces.

It also runs the length of the southside of the tower...

[Jibba]

Oh, OK. Sorry it's a little hard to tell from just that angle, and there is a building in Chicago with a similar design that has a similar feature only on one side. At any rate, was I correct as to its function, or is it for something else?

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by Jibba

Oh, OK. Sorry it's a little hard to tell from just that angle, and there is a building in Chicago with a similar design that has a similar feature only on one side. At any rate, was I correct as to its function, or is it for something else?

I'm saying it's on both sides, north and south.

[Jibba]

^Yes, I understand that. My reference to that building in Chicago was meant to illustrate that the form of the building that I already know of caused me to assume that this proposal's features were similar. Really my main question was to the function of that space; whether or not it exists on both sides of the building is inconsequential to me, although I do understand what you meant earlier regarding that.

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by Jibba

^Yes, I understand that. My reference to that building in Chicago was meant to illustrate that the form of the building that I already know of caused me to assume that this proposal's features were similar. Really my main question was to the function of that space; whether or not it exists on both sides of the building is inconsequential to me, although I do understand what you meant earlier regarding that.

It wasn't a reference to the building in Chicago, I'm pointing out that it will service both sides of this tower.

[Jibba]

^Yes, I know you were not referencing the Chicago building. I was simply clarifying the fact that in drawing comparisons to the building in Chicago I made assumptions about the building here (in NY) that turned out to not be true, and you helped to clarify the matter.

So, to be clear, and to avoid any further confusion by either of us, I do know that the exterior column of space is on both sides of 20 Times Square. If you or anyone here knows what the function of that space is that would be great, and I would like to know. Sorry about all the confusion.

[Eigenwelt]

ah, what the f...

the elongated trapaziodal framing is what was so sweet about this design. I'm sure the current bracing design is alot more cost-efficient. It's also alot more lame.

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by Eigenwelt

ah, what the f...

the elongated trapaziodal framing is what was so sweet about this design. I'm sure the current bracing design is alot more cost-efficient. It's also alot more lame.

Was discussed in the NY Times:

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/20...sh-are-coming/

At the time, the plan by Lord Rogers’s firm was considerably more expressive visually than the version that was chosen. But the explanation for the modification is more structural than aesthetic. The earlier version depended on eight massive columns that would have extended through the terminal building. (In the model, the first two of these columns can be seen as the lower legs of the vaguely H-shaped structure at the base of the tower.)

As the rendering above shows, the revised version is very likely to have more columns, perhaps as many as 12, but they will be smaller and less intrusive.

[Scruffy]

Its a cool choice. Still liked the older version more. Still this doesn't look to be 855ft tall in that render.

the base is pretty bad but its no worse than the base of the Westin Times SQ Hotel diagonally across the street from this. That base is hideous. It is Times Sq after all, even if its the fringe of it

[CoolCzech]

That design tweak makes the tower look less obnoxiously unconventional. A good thing, IMO. I realize the color scheme for the base on that new render is just an artist's conception of what it might look like, but I do hope those Miami Pastels don't actually resemble the final product...

[NYC4Life]

Not much work can be done to the base, which itself right now already is atrocious.

[Theoryg]

I think NYC has gone to far and should leave the West Side open from such big buildings so someone can get some air. I think NY has enough buildings by far for now. I mean couldnt the city use the funds in another way especially now.
I hope it doesnt get built-