NEW YORK | 1 Manhattan West | 995 FT | 71 FLOORS - Page 13

NYguy · #**241** Posted **Oct 23, 2008, 11:30 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lecom

I never truly realized their enormity till I saw those skyline renders.

Those towers are WTC-like in scale, and this development could happen sooner rather than later...

http://www.bisnow.com/res.php?p=1601

ON DECK AT BROOKFIELD
October 2, 2008

Brookfield Properties is chugging along with its gargantuan 5.4M SF Manhattan West mixed-use development, set to rise on one of the last available plots of land in Midtown—one that happens to fall partially over train tracks. But since you can’t exactly build two major office towers and a hotel in the path of locomotives, the firm is working with Amtrak and the LIRR to build a massive deck over the portion of the West Side rail yard adjacent to Farley Post Office (the future Moynihan Station). We went downtown to visit Brookfield US prez Dennis Friedrich for the latest.

The SOM-designed project falls among a slew of announced office space, including the new World Trade Center and neighboring Hudson Yards. But Dennis tells us that if they keep on pace and proceed with the deck, Brookfield can be on track to deliver the space in 2013. That’ll be two or three years ahead of competitors.

Dennis says three key factors give the project a boost: the current real estate cycle, though troubled, features no office overbuilding; built-out Midtown needs this logical extension; and Governor Patterson has voiced support for improving the area’s transportation structure, specifically the Moynihan Station development, which would enhance the Brookfield play. The firm is also in leasing chatter with Condé Nast Publications, which is on the ground with a 1.2-MSF requirement (we imagine the media giant wants to surpass the nouveau-iconic Hearst Tower). Not that Brookfield has a problem with tenancy: it boasts only a 2% vacancy in its entire Manhattan portfolio.

Manhattan West is the largest project for Brookfield’s ever-growing development platform, which includes Toronto’s Bay Adelaide Center, Calgary’s Herald Block and Washington D.C.’s 77 K Street, 1225 Connecticut and Two Reston Crescent. Manhattan West will take its place on Brookfield’s trophy shelf with its best known properties—One, Two, Three, and Four World Financial Center.

NYguy · #**242** Posted **Oct 23, 2008, 11:33 AM**

The other renderings to go with the shiny new one...

Quote:

Originally Posted by NYguy

It looks like some sort of lighting shceme is being planned for the top of the towers:

Another rendering

In the center of other west side developments now in planning:

NYguy · #**243** Posted **Oct 23, 2008, 12:01 PM**

http://www.hayesdavidson.com/

More views, from below and above...

CGII · #**244** Posted **Oct 23, 2008, 12:06 PM**

But God they are SO BORING.

That render in the skyline is very interesting. The West Side really is going to be the new center of skyscraper construction for Midtown, putting the ESB in the place the Chrysler was. That is to say, Chrysler was originally the focal point of the Midtown skyline (albeit briefly) and the construction of ESB seemed to push it into a corner. All these West Side projects will do the same with ESB.

UrbanImpact · #**245** Posted **Oct 23, 2008, 1:32 PM**

The twin towers of Midtown!

NYC4Life · #**246** Posted **Oct 23, 2008, 11:20 PM**

Not at all, that base is hideous.

scalziand · #**247** Posted **Oct 24, 2008, 2:29 AM**

Is it me or are the new exterior renders not as high quality as the older ones?

NYguy · #**248** Posted **Oct 24, 2008, 4:40 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by UrbanImpact

The twin towers of Midtown!

That's what I think of whenever I see renderings of the development, even though they aren't "twins" and are of different heights.

On another note, I'm not sure which duo are closer, these towers, or 3 and 4 WTC. In both cases you get a 1,000 footer very close to a 900 footer.

_

NYguy · #**249** Posted **Oct 24, 2008, 4:14 PM**

WTC tower 3 wins the lobby wars, at least as far as renderings go...

NYC4Life · #**250** Posted **Oct 24, 2008, 7:39 PM**

HyperPower · #**251** Posted **Oct 25, 2008, 12:33 AM**

...I think SOM's proposal for the Hudson Yards show a cleaner look for what could/should be used here at the Manhattan West site. They are almost exactly the same in terms of size and mass.

NYguy · #**252** Posted **Oct 25, 2008, 11:24 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by HyperPower

...I think SOM's proposal for the Hudson Yards show a cleaner look for what could/should be used here at the Manhattan West site. They are almost exactly the same in terms of size and mass.

They are somewhat the same, the main difference is that the Hudson Yards renderings are more detailed. The Manhattan West renderings really aren't, but you get an idea of size and massing. In the Hudson Yards rendering (above) you see an early version of the Manhattan West proposal in block form.

scalziand · #**253** Posted **Oct 25, 2008, 6:15 PM**

Whatever happened to the two smaller buildings that were supposed to be part of MW?

NYguy · #**254** Posted **Oct 25, 2008, 9:31 PM**

^ That original plan has since been scrapped...

Quote:

Originally Posted by NYguy

The size of the development has increased from the original size, and it seems the 4 tower plan has also officially been scrapped:

www.observer.com

Brookfield Says It’s Making Progress With Merrill, West Side Development

by Eliot Brown
February 7, 2008

...It also looks like things have progressed a bit with Brookfield and its plans for an office complex two blocks west of Penn Station. When we last checked in with CEO Ric Clark in December, he told us that the site was likely to have two large office buildings, with about 5 million square feet in full.

Mr. Clark said today construction of a platform over the rail yards on the site would start as early as June, with completion in 2010. The new $600 million complex would be done by 2013

A little more...

Quote:

Originally Posted by NYguy

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/21/ny...on&oref=slogin

Work to Begin on Platform Over Tracks on the West Side

By CHARLES V. BAGLI
February 21, 2008

Brookfield’s architect, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, has designed two towers, a 1.9-million-square-foot building at the northeast corner of the site and a 3.4-million-square-foot building at the southeast corner.

scalziand · #**255** Posted **Oct 26, 2008, 4:32 PM**

Whoops. Can't believe I missed that.

America 117 · #**256** Posted **Oct 26, 2008, 4:49 PM**

I like how they bring modern to midtown, not to say that midtown isn't modern
but they do need some more glass buildings like that.

babybackribs2314 · #**257** Posted **Oct 27, 2008, 11:13 PM**

I'd be extremely upset if (assuming they end up being built) they turn out like they look in the renderings--hideous upside down glass popsicles. I'm sure they're leaving out details, but it would be nice if they tapered towards the top and/or had spires. Manhattan has always been a skyline of spires & it needs to stay that way.

NYguy · #**258** Posted **Oct 27, 2008, 11:21 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by babybackribs2314

I'd be extremely upset if (assuming they end up being built) they turn out like they look in the renderings--hideous upside down glass popsicles. I'm sure they're leaving out details, but it would be nice if they tapered towards the top and/or had spires. Manhattan has always been a skyline of spires & it needs to stay that way.

Both towers taper towards the top, but they don't need spires. The designs are too massive, particularly the taller tower.

Dac150 · #**259** Posted **Oct 28, 2008, 3:33 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by babybackribs2314

I'd be extremely upset if (assuming they end up being built) they turn out like they look in the renderings--hideous upside down glass popsicles. I'm sure they're leaving out details, but it would be nice if they tapered towards the top and/or had spires. Manhattan has always been a skyline of spires & it needs to stay that way.

Keep in mind that to the developer it's more about maximizing space rather than sacrificing it for design. Now overall these aren't bad looking towers, and that's all the developer needs. Priority wise, more space equals more buck.

Personally though I think we've got a good share of spires for now. A few bulky and roof-height supertalls are welcomed in my book.

NYguy · #**260** Posted **Oct 28, 2008, 12:35 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dac150

Keep in mind that to the developer it's more about maximizing space rather than sacrificing it for design. Now overall these aren't bad looking towers, and that's all the developer needs. Priority wise, more space equals more buck.

And that's the difference between office towers and residential towers. Office buildings of today need large floor plates, where residential towers don't require large spaces. The towers could have tapered more dramatically, pushing the height higher, but companies requiring large amounts of space wouldn't want the small floor area. It's also worth noting that the smaller of the MW towers has more space than each of Brookfield's Hudson Yards tower proposals.