Just across the street from the Port Authority Bus Terminal sits the best example of Midtown’s ongoing architectural crisis, caused by the proliferation of budget hotels allowed by outdated zoning. The most infamous of these are conjoined triplets spanning the western end of the block, and another two hotels are under construction at 310 West 40th Street and 350 West 40th Street.
And now, applications have been filed for yet another, at 306 West 40th Street. There, developer Jimmy Shao will be building a 30-story hotel measuring 44,234 square feet, with Angelo an Anthony Ng of Architects Studio NY listed as the architects of record.
The structure will stand 283 feet tall, with ceilings averaging under 10 feet per floor, totaling 118 rooms. While the FAR of 17.9 is substantial, the lot is only 25 feet wide.
As projects like 306 West 40th Street continue to sprout in a weed-like manner across the Garment District and Chelsea, the impetus for rethinking the zoning of both neighborhoods has fortunately begun to gain momentum. Earlier this month, Capital New York reported that a solution may be in the works, though specifics have not yet been revealed.
While West 40th Street east of Ninth Avenue may now be a lost cause, that is not the case for blocks to the south, where residential uses could and should be accommodated.
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