Work Appears to Stall for Possible KPF-Designed Residential Tower at 316 Fifth Avenue, in Koreatown

316 5th Avenue316 5th Avenue at left by KPF. Former extant structures at right by Tectonic

Work has yet to begin on 316 Fifth Avenue, a 539-foot-tall skyscraper from Kohn Pedersen Fox in Koreatown. Developed by Cottonwood Management, permits for the 39-story building were filed in July 2017 and called for 27 condominiums and 6,809 square feet of retail space across the first two floors. The Midtown development, totaling 52,340 square feet of newly created space, will be located at the corner of Fifth Avenue and West 32nd Street.

Tectonic passed by the site, finding it empty and awaiting construction activity and equipment. Scattered bricks and rubble are spread across the cleared-out plot of land.

316 Fifth Avenue. Photo by Tectonic

316 Fifth Avenue. Photo by Tectonic

The podium will house the amenity spaces, with the first set of mechanical levels placed just below the full-floor units that begin on the eighth story. The main rendering shows the northern elevation with a string of what looks like semi-circular balconies and rounded corners on the slender eastern profile that faces Fifth Avenue. Two duplex penthouses will occupy the 33rd through 36th floors, while the uppermost height will feature additional mechanical equipment encased in a white translucent box.

Two historical low-rise buildings had to be demolished and cleared. The future skyscraper will join the skyline with the nearby Empire State Building and a number of other nearby residential properties that are continuing to spring up in the adjacent NoMad district. These include 277 Fifth Avenue by Rafael Vinoly, Madison House at 15 East 30th Street by Handel Architects, 30 East 31st Street by Morris Adjmi Architects, and Rose Hill by CetraRuddy Architecture.

A completion date for 315 Fifth Avenue has yet to be announced.

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22 Comments on "Work Appears to Stall for Possible KPF-Designed Residential Tower at 316 Fifth Avenue, in Koreatown"

  1. David : Sent From Heaven. | May 31, 2020 at 7:12 am | Reply

    I active mostly at twice, progress for populations must go on; with my generally thought: Thanks to Michael Young.

  2. That’s about right. They destroy those two beautiful little buildings and the development falls through. Taliban.

  3. a tragedy to lose two significant, high quality buildings, critical to a sensitive fifth avenue gilded age ensemble.
    it is ludicrous that the landmarks commission persists in denying protection to buildings because of minor alterations, content to see the wholesale obliteration of New York’s historic fabric.

    • Yet they nitpick over materials on landmarks and in landmark districts where the differences is not noticeable. Their priorities are out of sync with policies they are supposed to enforce. I’ve reached the point that I’d say there should be no architects on the commission because architects are trained to see landmarks in a way that is completely out of step with the policy intent of landmarks preservation. It’s not true of all. The AIA Guide, written by architects, is a marvel. But, too many have a rigid view of what should of should not be preserved that makes no real sense.

      • Yeah, it’s akin to artists doing esoteric art theory or criticism completely divorced from how the average layman interprets or experiences art.

    • The rioting you refer to is apparently the work of “Bougaloo bois” and other right wing terrorist groups. As for the virus I do not want to die of it so I support the shutdown. If you want to die of it … Getting back to the subject I too am dismayed at the many fine buildings from the earlier era are being lost.

      • Woodyinnyc ur commenta echo the wealthy or w hite collar worker who can work from home.

        It negates the poor or lower rung worker who huddles in apartment in a gwnteifying neighborhood with 6 roommates.

        The bartender. Waitress.hostess. the faces that appear prosperous but r poor like moat nyc residents.

        A proactive ahutdown uuntil sept or feb would destroy nyc budget and rental market.

        New bustling hoods in bk or qu would wilt.

        Perhaps tothe benefit of native residents. Not the curated view of folks we think have money

    • I doubt many builsing owners want historic designation. It destroys their alteration ir destruction potential.

      Of those who want said designation r nonprofits or financially secure owners who want retain aesthetic appearance. And also negate others from buying.

      And this building seems to be for foreign investors not real tenants. As with many of these other luxury thinfs.

  4. Truly sad that two historic buildings that define the way New York used to be, turned into landfill for something that belongs in either Vancouver or Hong Kong!

    Unfortunately, now construction has stopped, and might fall through, like hundreds of projects, that never happen. We loose so much of our cities historical character for “pipe dreams” and greed. Where do you think inner city parking lots come from?!

    • Agreed to first paragraph.

      But do you think “inner city parking lots” are the sites of failed projects because that is wildly inaccurate.

  5. Between the politically-motivated “virus” shutdown (which will continue much longer) the unwillingness or inability of elected “officials” to stop radical-inspired rioting, as well as a severe financial collapse of both NYC and NYS, compounded by an exodus of taxpaying citizens and a diminished personal and corporate tax base, there’s little doubt that there will be MANY “stalled” projects in NYC, as developers of a certain age will recognize this combination as very similar to what has been described as the “War Years” of the 1970s in NYC under John Lindsay and Abe Beame.

    • Fox News Alert

    • Developers will by necessity be knocking on the doors of every supportive or social or disabled agenxy. The tax benefits will allow them to build 70 percent market 30 percent affordable with a community cnetwr at the basemwnt.

      Ultra rixh ppl r now turned off to buyin 7 million dollar 1 3 bedrooms. Unless they r cher or kanye west and can hold on for asset parking.

      The poor is the new rich.

      The older coop and condo owners will be thinking about selling. Then move to larchmont or rye.

      Thats where the real money will be. In train accessible or uber ready suburbs.

      And if ur mocing to ryw or larchmont u certainly own a car and the trainswill be too costly for riff raff to be in ur company.

      Porr is the new rich.

      Buy property where it stinks most and wait. Many developers that bought 5 acre plots off a ramp in weatchestwr will profit.

  6. Michael D. Skelly | May 31, 2020 at 6:09 pm | Reply

    new york is a big town for big buildings since ww1 ended the city has done nothing but build higher and higher look at the hudson yards and all along 58 st and central park south thats what its about if small buildings are you style your in the wrong town, and if you think the landmarks commission will do any thing you are really wrong they havent done any thing since jackie o was the head !!!!

    • Yrue. U need scale cause land cost too much. U cant get a 4 atory home below 86th st for less than 5 million. Its too much. And those owning rhem r wealthly seniors and their mistresses.

      This illusion that living below 135th street for less than 2500 is fake. Unless u know someone. Or r grandfathered in.

      The dynamics of this city will force yuppies and hipstwrs who called the bronx a burning pile of crap

      To move en masse there. And queens. Ans the ocxupants of those areas r not the cohorts we think of in midtown manhattan with 1500 dollar satchels.

      Legacy owners r better to hold on a pass along their shabby 4 story homes.

      Or there will be upzonings in 2022 ans so on that nake it tenable for developers to build ugly m30 story monsteositys in:
      Gowanus
      Boropark
      Mott haven
      Kingsbridge
      Rego park
      Etc

  7. At least should have saved the one on the corner.

    • Why save those two buildings? The owner weere legacy hand me down ppl. Those who assumed rights.

      Or speculators who kept the 85 yr old great granny with a leaky rood upstaira ao they could rent retail for 12000 a month to a gourmet avocado sandwixh shop.

      These owners dont care they wanna sell and boot old ppl. Or the yuppie who vribed the super for the vacant spot.

  8. Tragic, the whole thing. Who is protecting NYC from this BS?

    • No one, clearly. Like the MTA, maybe we need to bring in a Brit to run it competantly.

    • Thwre is no one to protect these buildings. A number of these spacea were bought in portfolios or owned by some old world multigenwrational european family operating through an llc.

      Or some spexulating bad leader from abroad.

      Real ppl per se dont own these buildings. Many of the owners dont know their tenants. Nor care.

      Its a line on thwir ledgers.

      Sad but true. If they cared there would be a 3.00 dollar breakfast sandwich spot there. Not artisinal parisian dough for 6.50

      Hell they can cover property tax at 5000 a month rathwr than 20000 foe gourmet joe.

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