NEW YORK: 1515 Broadway; another makeover? - Page 2

NYguy · #21 Posted **Apr 29, 2007, 6:10 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigKidD

I have never been a big fan of 1515 Broadway, but why is 100 Park Avenue getting a new facade? This has truly gone out of control.

As much as some of you would rather old buildings remain untouched, the fact of the matter is they are not just there for us to look at. They have to remain competitive in today's world. Short of demolishing, and building fresh, this is the other alternative.

Zerton · #22 Posted **Apr 29, 2007, 7:03 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by -GR2NY-

This ones fine by me, I never liked the spikes on 1515. Dont know why, but I really hate them actually.

agreed. I've always despised the spikes. They make the building look unbalanced and unnattractive from all views one would normally see it from. I'm for the recladding.

JManc · #23 Posted **Apr 29, 2007, 8:26 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by NYguy

As much as some of you would rather old buildings remain untouched, the fact of the matter is they are not just there for us to look at. They have to remain competitive in today's world. Short of demolishing, and building fresh, this is the other alternative.

a lot of buildings look "dated" from the exteriors but continue to remain completive without being recladded. it's the lobby and interior space is what matters the most and 1515 broadway is one of the most recognizable buildings in midtown...something that potential tenants do look for, a building that stands out in the crowd.

we're in the big blue building in midtown with the spikes. but now it will be just another the light green building with the glass curtain towards the top

Dac150 · #24 Posted **Apr 29, 2007, 2:55 PM**

I know its disappointing, but we not know yet if Astor is confirmed. Lets just wait and see. I said it before, but one more time is appropriate: this fning sucks!!!!

NYguy · #25 Posted **Apr 29, 2007, 3:34 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by JMancuso

a lot of buildings look "dated" from the exteriors but continue to remain completive without being recladded. it's the lobby and interior space is what matters the most and 1515 broadway is one of the most recognizable buildings in midtown...something that potential tenants do look for, a building that stands out in the crowd.

I think more than not, especially in today's overheated Midtown Manhattan office market, they're looking for the best of the new, class A office space. It goes beyond just the recladding. Just as with the Verizon, there's a lot more that goes into it.

New facade with a sleek, reflective curtain wall design.

-New two-story atrium lobby.

-New elevator cabs with glass and stone accents.

-New insulated windows.

-New HVAC systems providing tenant-controlled temperature and year-round availability.

-8 watts per square foot of electric capacity.

-New emergency generator providing 100% back up to critical life-safety systems.

-New state-of-the-art security system.

_________________________________________

If your an owner, and you want to compete with the new kids on the block, you'd better go all the way if you're gonna do it at all. Like I said, short of demolishing and starting fresh, this is the next alternative.

NYguy · #26 Posted **Apr 29, 2007, 3:38 PM**

In the case of the 1515 Broadway rendering, the appearance goes beyond recladding...

APRIL 28, 2007

Patrick · #27 Posted **Apr 29, 2007, 4:28 PM**

The Fins of the Viacom Building really makes it Stand out from the Rest. Betcha didnt know it is actually the World Headquarters for Vicaom. They film MTV, VH1, Nickelodian and other TV programs here.

Defantly one of my favorites.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JMancuso

a lot of buildings look "dated" from the exteriors but continue to remain completive without being recladded. it's the lobby and interior space is what matters the most and 1515 broadway is one of the most recognizable buildings in midtown...something that potential tenants do look for, a building that stands out in the crowd.

we're in the big blue building in midtown with the spikes. but now it will be just another the light green building with the glass curtain towards the top

You are so right.

Take a look at the building, imagine if the Fins wherent there, many of us wouldnt even know what the name of this building is.

NYguy · #28 Posted **Apr 29, 2007, 5:39 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patrick

The Fins of the Viacom Building really makes it Stand out from the Rest. Betcha didnt know it is actually the World Headquarters for Vicaom.
They film MTV, VH1, Nickelodian and other TV programs here.

Yeah, I'm aware of the media hordes there. They have slowly been leaking out, or planning to anyway.

Sure it has a distinctive roof, but as I've said, the building is not just there for us to look at.
I'm sure there's a reason for changes there as well.

Look at the rendering, there's a complete reconstruction going on up there...

JManc · #29 Posted **Apr 29, 2007, 8:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by NYguy

I think more than not, especially in today's overheated Midtown Manhattan office market, they're looking for the best of the new, class A office space. It goes beyond just the recladding. Just as with the Verizon, there's a lot more that goes into it.

New facade with a sleek, reflective curtain wall design.

-New two-story atrium lobby.

-New elevator cabs with glass and stone accents.

-New insulated windows.

-New HVAC systems providing tenant-controlled temperature and year-round availability.

-8 watts per square foot of electric capacity.

-New emergency generator providing 100% back up to critical life-safety systems.

-New state-of-the-art security system.

_________________________________________

If your an owner, and you want to compete with the new kids on the block, you'd better go all the way if you're gonna do it at all. Like I said, short of demolishing and starting fresh, this is the next alternative.

you can do all of this without destroying the architectural uniqueness of the building. the empire state building has all new windows, the sears tower and westin peachtree has a redesigned lobbies and atriums and many older builings have their elevators and HVAC systems replaced over the years.

Dac150 · #30 Posted **Apr 29, 2007, 9:42 PM**

^Good Point.

All I can say is for those who like this building, enjoy how it is now and don't take it for granted. That should go for any other building. You can blink your eye and they can be doing to astor what they are doing to verizon (something I still can't get over). The recladding of verizon has made me look at these buildings that I like as I walk the streets of NYC more closely, insted of walking past them thinking they'll never change. One thing for sure is that I will look at this building more often and enjoy its looks now before its too late.

texcolo · #31 Posted **Apr 29, 2007, 11:11 PM**

This is a bad trend.

They'll make the Viacom HQ look like a knock off of the new Times Bldg.
And, they might look sleek today, but give them 30 years and everyone will be hating the green glass etc.

Save some history!!!

Scruffy · #32 Posted **Apr 30, 2007, 6:09 AM**

2 story lobby? are they kicking out MTV?

Antares41 · #33 Posted **Apr 30, 2007, 4:50 PM**

^ Your right all this talk of "recladding" is like putting a fresh coat of paint on a house, just a way to improve the bldgs. "curb appeal" ( i.e. attract or retain clients). With the heated NYC office space market everyone doing everthing they can to appease renters and justify the exorbitant $/ sq. ft. they are looking to charge.

-GR2NY- · #34 Posted **Apr 30, 2007, 5:40 PM**

^ NYguy I thought that at first too. Here is a different image/angle, perhaps this one is not stretched where the composite image might be??

http://www.slgreen.com/property.php?id=40

NYguy · #35 Posted **Apr 30, 2007, 8:30 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by JMancuso

you can do all of this without destroying the architectural uniqueness of the building. the empire state building has all new windows, the sears tower and westin peachtree has a redesigned lobbies and atriums and many older builings have their elevators and HVAC systems replaced over the years.

Everything is possible. But what's most "unique" about this building is the roof. If you look at the rendering, you will see that's a completely different structure up there. I'm sure there are reasons for that.

NYguy · #36 Posted **Apr 30, 2007, 8:31 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scruffy

2 story lobby? are they kicking out MTV?

I think you're confusing the two towers. The 2 story lobby would be for 100 Park. But MTV is supposedly on its way out. I think they will eventually move Downtown.

NYguy · #37 Posted **May 1, 2007, 11:24 AM**

http://www.nypost.com/seven/05012007...zzo.htm?page=0

FACELIFT: This rendering of the new façade for 655 Madison Ave. is scheduled to be finished by the end of the year.

The once dowdy office building at 655 Madison Ave. at 60th Street is getting a new skin, new lobby, new systems - and a new lease on life as a prime Plaza District office address.

In recent years the owners of early 1950s-vintage building watched the more glamorous towers in Barneys country fetch rents above $100 a square foot.

Tenants at 655 Madison were paying half that. "It was a Class-B building at a Class-A address," says Andrew Roos, one of several principals of GVA Williams who own the tower. "We were the low-cost providers in the neighborhood, which we didn't want to be.

"We were surrounded by the likes of 667 Madison, buildings much newer or reskinned," Roos said. Recently, "We decided we wanted to be commensurate with our neighbors."

So the owners are spending more than $15 million on improvements, including a new curtain wall designed by Swanke Hayden Connell chief architect Richard Hayden.

When the job is done by the end of the year, 655 Madison will sport a new façade of tinted gray glass above a granite base, replacing what Roos calls the "ugly" former painted gray spandrels and stone.

The GVA partners have about 90,000 square feet available in the 250,000-square-footer, now home to office tenants Loews and Estée Lauder and retail stores DKNY and Anne Klein.

Roos said the "beautiful" result will be attractive to boutique European firms and hedge funds willing to pay "triple-digit" rents.

JManc · #38 Posted **May 1, 2007, 7:42 PM**

^ now that is a good move consider the current facade is hideous.

NYguy · #39 Posted **May 2, 2007, 11:38 AM**

Another reason why this will continue...
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/02/re...=1&oref=slogin

Quote:

Ms. Tighe of CB Richard Ellis....said she believed that New York City needed more speculative development to remain competitive with other cities.

New buildings with a total of almost 3.5 million square feet of space are projected for completion in the New York City area in the next two years, but this may not be enough to meet demand, she said. According to a study done by CB Richard Ellis, by 2010 about 64 percent of all the buildings in Manhattan will be at least 50 years old and technologically obsolete. Not all will be suitable for rehabilitation.

“If rents seem high now, they’re going higher,” unless there is new office tower construction, Ms. Tighe said.

HomeInMyShoes · #40 Posted **May 2, 2007, 2:52 PM**

^I don't think anyone is arguing against updating the HVAC and making the buildings greener and including better amenities for tenants.Reuse of existing structures is great as far as I am concerned.

But, there's something to be said about maintaining the original architectural (from a facade standpoint) integrity of these buildings. I loved the Verizon facade and find the new one bland and uninspiring in comparison to the old. I'll agree that this maybe 1515 Broadway isn't a 1930s Art-Deco masterpiece, but it's an decent structure that has some visual interest and represents a period of time that, for the most part, we sadly neglect.