YIMBY recently went on a hard-hat tour of Kohn Pedersen Fox’s One Vanderbilt. The topped-out 1,401-foot supertall is currently the tallest skyscraper in Midtown East and the third tallest in the city by architectural height, when measured to the tip of the 100-foot-tall spire. SL Green is the developer of the 77-story commercial office property, which is set to have a three-story indoor and outdoor observatory perched 1,020 feet above the busy Midtown streets. The crown will eventually be covered in a glass curtain wall that should most likely be lighter in appearance than the mixed terracotta and glass assembly that covers the rest of the structure.
Photos from various levels of the open-air steel crown provide an expansive and cloudless vantage point of the city and surrounding metropolitan region under the warm glow of golden hour lighting.
Looking up the northern elevation of the crown. Photo by Michael Young
Inside the steel crown looking southwest. Photo by Michael Young
Looking south through the dense diagonal steel beams. Photo by Michael Young
Looking north with Central Park Tower and 111 West 57th street peeking behind the netting. Photo by Michael Young
Looking at the steel crown. Photo by Michael Young
The supertalls of Billionaires’ Row. Photo by Michael Young
30 Rockefeller Center, 53 West 53rd Street, and the towers of Billionaires’ Row. Photo by Michael Young
Looking north toward 432 Park Avenue. Photo by Michael Young
432 Park Avenue. Photo by Michael Young
The XYZ Buildings on Sixth Avenue. Photo by Michael Young
Citigroup Center. Photo by Michael Young
The Centrale. Photo by Michael Young
Bjarke Ingels’ Via57. Photo by Michael Young
Steven Holl’s Hunters Point Library in Long Island City. Photo by Michael Young
Skyline Tower and One Court Square. Photo by Michael Young
The Chrysler Building. Photo by Michael Young
Norman Foster’s 50 United Nations Plaza. Photo by Michael Young
Looking down at 230 Park Avenue. Photo by Michael Young
Lower Manhattan. Photo by Michael Young
One Manhattan Square. Photo by Michael Young
Downtown Brooklyn. Photo by Michael Young
The sun setting over New Jersey. Photo by Michael Young
One World Trade Center at dusk. Photo by Michael Young
The observatory, though positioned below the vantage point of the photographs, will still offer breathtaking panoramic views of Manhattan. On a clear day, one can see as far north as the Tappan Zee Bridge and as far west as the hills of northern New Jersey. To the south, the Empire State Building still stands mighty and unchallenged among the growing NoMad residential skyscrapers, while 53 West 53rd Street and the slender towers of Billionaires’ Row form an isolated cluster behind Rockefeller Center. To the east, the sprouting neighborhood of Long Island City, with buildings like Skyline Tower and Steven Holl Architect’s new library, can also be easily seen. Further to the south, One World Trade Center’s angled geometry reflects different colors as the sun gets lower on the horizon.
Completion of One Vanderbilt is expected next year.
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Really in a class of its own up there
(TTMY)
All the new skyscrapers look like a bunch of sticks…
These shots are spectacular! Thanks.
1 Vanderbilt
Beautiful Set of Photos, from all angles. Job Well Done! Nicely including many of the New Slender Buildings currently being built as well as many of the Classic Landmarks.
All these new super talls are amazing. We do need to go higher though. We need a second roof in the 1500s. Tower Fifth will likey take care of that. Then we need a few in the 1600s, then a few in the 1700s and then at least one in the 1800s. And eventually a mega tall.
Remember,getting past 2000 feet will literally require an Act of Congress because of aviation regulations.
We definitely need an observation deck in Manhattan taller than Toronto’s 1465′ “Sky Pod” at the CN Tower.
Supertalls trivialize 800’+ tall buildings like 30 Rock..this will take some time to get comfortable with..
Michael Young, you have the best job in the world. Great shots, for the history books.
A job very well done. Amazing views and photos.
IMHO, the Chrysler still reigns supreme.
It’s transcendent.
The Chrysler Building is America’s best skyscraper and always will be.
There’s a reason the newer taller buildings nearby will be able to charge higher rents.
Brilliant pictures — including maybe the best picture ever taken of 432 Park. And that LIC library/UN shot …
This building went up fast, almost as if overnight it seems…
Very refreshing some people can still call out those boring buildings along the west side of 6th ave by their original names back in the day,the X,Y,Z buildings.Great call
Micheal young, what kind of camera were you using for those shots?
those buildings won’t last longer than Micheal young’s Photos
These new skyscrapers and the photos are spectacular. I live in Chicago and every day I view our best and there is no comparison. Our Vista Tower (94, 1,119) isn’t open yet but it does promise much.
Beautiful building!! Hoping to see 150-200 floor buildings in the near future. Or like the proposed The Bend. Taking things farther then the rest of the world..