Construction Update: 56 Leonard

56 Leonard56 Leonard

56 Leonard is racing upwards once more, after the tower passed a mechanical level earlier this month. The skyscraper is nearly at the point where ceiling heights see a dramatic increase, and when those floors begin, the structure’s apparent height will soar even faster, topping-out by early next year.

56 Leonard

56 Leonard and the World Trade Center, with 30 Park Place also climbing at rear

Currently, the building stands 36 floors and approximately 500 feet above the streets below, roughly 2/3rds of the way to its final height of 821 feet and 60 stories. Conveniently, floor numbers have recently been posted to the side of the external elevator shaft.

56 Leonard

56 Leonard

The tower’s position on the Lower Manhattan skyline continues to evolve, and it is approximately the same height as the unsightly tower at 33 Thomas, one block to the southeast. While Herzog & de Meuron’s signature Manhattan project will not stand as tall as One World Trade Center or even 30 Park Place, its position at the edge of the Financial District’s urban forest will lend it ample distinction.

56 Leonard

56 Leonard’s balconies

Glass is also beginning to cover more of the building, and the simplicity of the middle floors is now evident; the windows follow a simple rectangular envelope above the cantilevered levels of the lower base, with the mass broken up by dozens upon dozens of cast-concrete balconies. The overall effect becomes more impressive considering the skyscraper’s scale, and it is increasingly subject to gawking from New Yorkers and tourists alike.

56 Leonard

56 Leonard

Hines and Alexico are developing, and move-ins are expected next year. Sales are nearly complete, with only two penthouses — priced at $34.5 and $17.75 million — remaining on the market.

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