Two Manhattan West’s Glass Façade Rising with Steel Superstructure in Midtown West

Two Manhattan West. Photo by Michael Young

Construction is continuing to rise on Two Manhattan West, a 935-foot-tall commercial skyscraper in Midtown West. Designed by Skidmore Owings & Merrill and developed by Brookfield, the 58-story office tower stands at the corner of West 31st Street and Ninth Avenue, directly to the south of One Manhattan West, its 996-foot-tall architecturally identical sibling. The building will yield 2 million square feet and is expected to cost $2 billion.

Recent photos from along Ninth Avenue show the sunlight and blue sky reflecting off the sleek glass panels. The safety cocoon component was also recently put into place, and more sections of it were seen on West 31st Street waiting to be lifted upward and attached to the edges of the steel perimeter. Like One Manhattan West, the lower levels of Two Manhattan West will have the largest floor plates in terms of square footage and will gradually reduce in size as the skyscraper nears its pinnacle. The main differences between the two buildings is a slightly shorter architectural height and a 90-degree counterclockwise orientation of Two Manhattan West’s footprint. We can expect the majority of the steel structure to be put together throughout 2021, perhaps even getting close to topping out by the end of the year or early 2022.

Two Manhattan West. Photo by Michael Young

Two Manhattan West. Photo by Michael Young

Two Manhattan West. Photo by Michael Young

Two Manhattan West. Photo by Michael Young

Two Manhattan West. Photo by Michael Young

Two Manhattan West. Photo by Michael Young

Two Manhattan West. Photo by Michael Young

The scale of the fireproofed core and its huge steel columns, beams, and diagonal frames gives a good impression of the impressive engineering and scope of the massive skyscraper.

Two Manhattan West. Photo by Michael Young

Two Manhattan West. Photo by Michael Young

We also spotted crews hanging and inserting glass panels in action.

Two Manhattan West. Photo by Michael Young

Two Manhattan West. Photo by Michael Young

Two Manhattan West. Photo by Michael Young

The curved corners are a nice clean and elegant touch.

Two Manhattan West. Photo by Michael Young

Two Manhattan West. Photo by Michael Young

Two Manhattan West. Photo by Michael Young

Two Manhattan West. Photo by Michael Young

Two Manhattan West. Photo by Michael Young

Two Manhattan West is the final element in the five-building Manhattan West complex. The only other tower not fully completed is the Pendry Hotel at Four Manhattan West. Plaza work around the main entrance and leading to the central public outdoor space is currently underway and the hotel was last reported to be on schedule to open for business by this summer. The other buildings in the master plan include the Eugene, a 730-foot-tall residential skyscraper at Three Manhattan West and the renovated Five Manhattan West, which features a new Whole Foods Market. The nearest subways include the A, C, and E trains to the east underneath Pennsylvania Station and the 7 train to the west at Hudson Yards.

The Eugene (left), ne Manhattan West (center), and Two Manhattan West (right(). Photo by Michael Young

It was last reported that Two Manhattan West is slated to be finished in 2023.

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8 Comments on "Two Manhattan West’s Glass Façade Rising with Steel Superstructure in Midtown West"

  1. Curvelicious

  2. This is one of my favorite projects in the city right now. Graceful, elegant. I love the rounded edges.

  3. David : Sent From Heaven. | April 6, 2021 at 9:23 am | Reply

    The curvature that I have seen, it is the head of the entire design of the building. I’m not talking about the crane that is currently standing: Thanks to Michael Young.

  4. Cheesemaster200 | April 6, 2021 at 9:35 am | Reply

    I really want to see how this whole area will pan out once the Manhattan West complex is completed and the 9th avenue passageway from the Moynihan train hall is complete.

    Right now everything west of 9th is a construction disaster and lacks any cohesion. I don’t know if that will continue or if this will pan out.

  5. Are we sure the height is935? I have seen 850 also listed in places.

  6. I love the elegant curvature and the shiny glass. What a beauty. The quality of the Manhattan West complex is just unparalleled. But as for the main towers, if the end result of Two Manhattan West is anything like One Manhattan West, these two are going to look superior.

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