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Howard Roark scoffs. A giant skyscraper, dubbed the MoMA Monster, keeps shrinking. Set to go up in the empty lot next to the museum, creators of the proposed 1,250 feet tower continue to fight a cut of 200 feet; WCBS reports that at a city council committee meeting yesterday, the real estate developer and the architect "saw their plans for a soaring Midtown skyscraper crumbling."
Neighbors of the would-be building spoke up at the meeting, saying "This is the time to call a halt to this. This is the time to stop." Another declared, "It's an abomination." Architect Jean Nouvel countered by unveiling a new proposal, which he says would more easily blend into the cityscape. After facing criticism that the design didn't merit such an iconic height (the same height as the Empire State Building, sans antenna), the architect went back to the drawing board and came up with a new design that includes "reflective 'fins' that would be be seen from certain vantage points around the tower, but not others."
By chopping off 200 feet, he argued that 16 stories would be lost, and he may not continue with the project. Even if he does get approval, in order to reach the clouds, the developer needs to purchase air rights from the museum, the nearby University Club and St. Thomas Episcopal Church. MoMA is on board, saying the money is vital because they "do not receive direct support from either the city or the state. We depend entirely on our endowment, admissions and fundraising." Next up the proposal goes in front of the City Council, and if approved developers project it will take four years to build.
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He'll get the air-rights, but the Neighbors are retarded, especially since they do live in a skyscraper district. As long as it compliments the skyline I'm all for it.
"It's a postage stamp. They say they can get it to stand up but it's a postage stamp. It's an abomination,"
I guess Mr Peyser has never heard of the advances of engineering. You don't need an entire city block to build a building taller than 1,000ft now.
I bet the counsil has "hot-air rights"
hahaha i am so the best.
the neighborhood committee against this building are a bunch of self-entitled, deluded cranks. they live in midtown, there are skyscrapers there.
this moma monster as you call it is probably the best modern skyscraper design this city has seen in years.
Being that it is a commercial district, doesn't commercial concerns usually trump those over residents?
Word.
I agree 100%. The complaining locals forget that they're living in one of the most privileged locales on the planet. If I lived there, I'd live there because of the skyscrapers and the MoMA not in spite of them... The MoMA Spire should be built. John_Matrix is right, NYC needs to catch up with some other cities, most of the stuff thrown up recently would be more worthy of outrage.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPHwwRGQNUc
http://www.no2moma.com/Overwhelms_Neighborhood.html
These people live in Midtown, the place where very tall skyscrapers are built. If they don't like it, then they shouldn't have moved to a district where it is legal to sell air rights and thus build taller. Last I checked this city is not getting any smaller and our beautiful art deco skyscrapers could use a few modern friends.
Felix, I fail to see how this is entirely Christine Quinn's fault? The City Council shouldn't be involved in this sort of stuff anyway.
The Council often defers to the local member on land-use decisions, and, in this case, the local is Ms. Quinn.
"The City Council shouldn't be involved in this sort of stuff anyway." -That's their job. I don't understand your statement
Meanwhile, in Hong Kong, a 106 story job is nearing completion; in Shanghai, a 101 story tower is now open; in Dubai, a 162 story tower will be finished next year. The NIMBYS can go live in Topeka they're so worried about high buildings.