UPDATE: A rep for SL Green sent along word that the design continues to be revised, and the images included here are not final.
A fresh set of renderings for SL Green’s One Vanderbilt have appeared online, giving two new pedestrian-level perspectives of the development, designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox.
The base will resolve in an Apple Cube-like entryway, integrated into the tower’s footprint, which will also allow for direct subway access. Earlier this month, Curbed covered the plans to connect One Vanderbilt into the broader network of tunnels and passageways that make up Grand Central Terminal, giving commuters seamless access to their offices without needing to walk above ground.
Transit improvements associated with One Vanderbilt will total $200 million, paid for entirely by developer SL Green. While the cost is steep, the location is one of the best in the world for office development, and the premium companies are willing to pay for a Midtown East address — especially one with easy access to Grand Central Terminal — more than justifies the up-front cost.
One Vanderbilt, image by SL Green/Kohn Pedersen Fox
In terms of design, the renderings illustrate some of the intricacies of the base, which will include several levels of open outdoor spaces. This aspect is important when considering another goal of the Midtown East rezoning, which is improving and pedestrianizing Vanderbilt Avenue. The narrow corridor will soon emerge as one of New York’s more attractive urban canyons, the result of efforts to enhance both the street itself, and the buildings that surround it.
One Vanderbilt will feature a minor cantilever over one of its cut-outs on the southern facade, which will define the building’s appearance for pedestrians along 42nd Street. Like 217 West 57th Street — another skyline-altering project with a major retail component — the cantilever will not detract from the ground level, and slicing through the exterior envelope will actually open up the tower’s base to light and air, two things that are relatively rare on 42nd Street.
One Vanderbilt rendering, image by Kohn Pedersen Fox
Kohn Pedersen Fox’ creation will stand approximately 1,450 feet to the top of its spire, per scoping documents released earlier this year. Demolition will hopefully begin in 2015.
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