Previous renderings of the Torre Verre had only shown the version originally proposed by Jean Nouvel, which rose to 1,250 feet and was absolutely stunning. Unfortunately not everyone found the building so, and neighborhood NIMBYs managed to find sympathy in Amanda Burden, who reduced the building’s height by 200 feet. This was the result of the design’s non-compliance with zoning, which forced the project to go through New York City’s Urban Land Use and Review Process (ULURP–rundown on that process here).
Nevertheless, the project will soon be going forward at the reduced height. There have been recent rumors that the site is once again active–there have been new vehicles and equipment on site–but as The Real Deal reported, the project is still in the process of securing financing.
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| The Torre Verre, image from Adamson Associates |
Despite the lack of progress on the ground, the re-design appears to have been completed, with the tower retaining a design very similar to the original proposal. The only obvious difference is the height, but at 1,050 feet even the reduced tower will be taller than the recently topped-out One57. The website for Adamson Associates has all the renderings, and the project will still leave a prominent mark on the Manhattan skyline.
Also of note is that the design has kept one of the defining characteristics of the original proposal, which were the tower’s staggered roof peaks. In the architects’ own words, the “design features a faceted exterior that tapers to a set of three distinct asymmetrical crystalline peaks at the apex of the tower–each peak varying in height and shape.” The Torre Verre will be the furthest thing from a glass box, with proportions both soaring and elegant.
Unfortunately the latest renderings don’t show the Torre Verre’s roof in any significant detail, but more images are sure to surface as the tower’s developer (Hines, whose website still has old renderings of the original design) moves closer to securing financing. The below images are of the tower’s base and confirm that despite the height-chop, Jean Nouvel’s genius has mostly been kept intact and will still be extremely iconic, with a striking presence at ground-level.
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| The Torre Verre’s base, image from Adamson Associates |
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| The Torre Verre’s base, image from Adamson Associates |
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Love that this tower is back! The height reduction is unfortunate, but thankfully the original style of the tower was maintained and it will still be tall enough to make a significant impact on the skyline. Can’t wait to see this one rise.
I agree, you took the words right from my keyboard…lol.
Love to is this building rise!