One Vanderbilt has reached a huge milestone as construction has topped out on the supertall commercial skyscraper’s tiered steel crown. Workers will soon begin assembly of the 100-foot-tall architectural spire, which will bring the project’s total height to 1,401 feet. Designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox and developed by SL Green, the 77-story Midtown East tower will have a three-story indoor and outdoor public observatory situated at 1,020 feet above street level. Construction of the spire could conceivably finish before the end of the week, given the tremendous speed with which One Vanderbilt has shot upward into the sky.
New photos from street level and from above show the sheer height and presence of One Vanderbilt. Click here for YIMBY’s previous article that shows views from the outdoor section of the observatory.
One Vanderbilt seen from Bryant Park. Photo by Michael Young
The crown of One Vanderbilt. Photo by Michael Young
A steel beam being lifted in place. Photo by Michael Young
One Vanderbilt dwarfs the Chrysler Building and MetLife Building. Photo by Michael Young
Looking at the western profile of One Vanderbilt’s crown. Photo by Michael Young
A close-up of the crown. Photo by Michael Young
The Chrysler Building in comparison with the size of One Vanderbilt. Photo by Michael Young
The north side of One Vanderbilt. Photo by Michael Young
The curtain wall is quickly approaching the first setback where the observatory will be located. Previous renderings of One Vanderbilt show the façade of the crown portion made up of glass that highlights the dense array of diagonally sloped steel beams. Upward-projecting lights will illuminate the crown and architectural spire.
One Vanderbilt. Rendering by Visualhouse
One Vanderbilt at night. Rendering by Visualhouse
Completion of One Vanderbilt is expected next year.
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Save for height, forgettable.
I miss my Modell’s that once was on this corner, progress..oy.
Beautiful, and so perfectly New York.
I am happy that it has a crown but its asymmetrical look has always bothered me. That last image shows why, as the top looks “crooked.”
I agree. If the step backs were in some way meant to evoque the Chrysler building, the asymmetry is jarring especially when looked at side by side. That said, it looks 100% better than the grotesque 383 Madison with its super bright halo that screams “look at me” but delivers nothing when you do.
Manages to trivialize both Chrysler and MetLife buildings. No small feat.
Another tall glass shard poking up temporarily higher from the other glass shards. It’s only redemption (at the moment) is height, which manages to block out the architecturally interesting buildings.
Compared to the beauty, grace and elegance of the Chrysler Building’s distinguished lighted crown,
One Vanderbilt’s crown looks like the failed & off-centered lego block experiment of a four year old child.
Not to mention the ridiculous jumble of slanted diagonals and tasteless columns at the building’s base,
a base which looks even worse next to the staid and well-proportioned architecture of its neighbor,
Grand Central Station.
From top to bottom this hulking behemoth does not add to the fabric of our City.
Instead, like a coarse & crude knife plunged into the heart of mid-town, it tears and scars it.
Sad.
Now, we of course can’t fairly judge the buildings appearance until it is actually completed. That said, the night-time rendering offers a clue.
If you relax your eyes on that last night-time image you can see the “jumbled” crown resembles a clasped hand, with the spire a torch. this recalls the statue of liberty and the way the hand seems to push the torch higher through momentum. We’ll see how it looks when they’re finished but I bet you like it.
just another glass tower ho-hum. No one will come to New York to see it but they may come upon it on their way to marvel at the Chrysler Building or Grand Central Station.