Demolition Wraps Up for KPF-Designed Office Skyscraper at 343 Madison Avenue in Midtown East, Manhattan

The former supertall designed of 343 Madison Avenue. Designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox

Demolition is nearly complete at 343 Madison Avenue, the site of a 49-story commercial skyscraper in Midtown East, Manhattan. Designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox and developed by Boston Properties, the 844-foot-tall structure will yield 750,400 square feet of office space, ground-floor retail, and multiple cellar levels. Titan Industrial Services is the demolition contractor for the property, which is bound by East 45th Street to the north, East 44th Street to the south, and Madison Avenue to the west.

The remainder of the former 15-story headquarters of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority has been razed since our last update in December, and only a small steel-framed section remains standing at the northern end of the plot. The site has been largely cleared of debris, and several excavators are stationed on the property awaiting the start of excavation.

343 Madison Avenue. Photo by Michael Young

343 Madison Avenue. Photo by Michael Young

343 Madison Avenue. Photo by Michael Young

343 Madison Avenue. Photo by Michael Young

343 Madison Avenue. Photo by Michael Young

343 Madison Avenue. Photo by Michael Young

343 Madison Avenue. Photo by Michael Young

343 Madison Avenue. Photo by Michael Young

343 Madison Avenue. Photo by Michael Young

343 Madison Avenue. Photo by Michael Young

343 Madison Avenue. Photo by Michael Young

343 Madison Avenue. Photo by Michael Young

The renderings of 343 Madison Avenue depict the previous iteration of the skyscraper, when it was planned to stand 1,050 feet tall. However, it’s likely that the scaled-down version will retain the same general design, which features a glass curtain wall and several tree-topped setbacks.

343 Madison Avenue Designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox

343 Madison Avenue Designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox

The site is located within close proximity of Grand Central Terminal, with access to the 4, 5, 6, 7, and Shuttle trains, as well as the Metro-North commuter rail lines and the recently opened Grand Central Madison concourse.

343 Madison Avenue is anticipated to be finished by 2026.

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29 Comments on "Demolition Wraps Up for KPF-Designed Office Skyscraper at 343 Madison Avenue in Midtown East, Manhattan"

  1. Rest in peace Eugene Kohn.

  2. one of the worst examples of an iconic stone building made at the turn of the century being demolished for an out of context glass cube
    This building could have been easily been reused/readapted into the new building and saved.
    Instead because of greed they demolished it to the heaps of a landfill .
    So sad

    • “Greed” is not an underlying rationale for what to do with an existing structure on a particular site. In most cases, an existing structure will be too old and/or unsuitable to be retained for the new structure. In some cases (like the Dime Bank in Brooklyn), an existing structure can be incorporated – in whole or in part – into the new one. But for most old buildings, it simply would cost too much to retro-fit/convert, to the point of being economically untenable.

      • BLSHT
        The only reason the Dime Savings Bank wasn’t demolished was because it was LANDMARKED, otherwise it would be in the landfill.
        “an existing structure will be too old and/or unsuitable to be retained for the new structure”
        More BLSHT, it’s all about the $$$$$$$$ for these millionaire developers.
        They don’t care about anything but lining their pockets with more millions. How many hundreds of millions does a person need, to satisfy their greed?

    • The new building will not be out of context – glass is the new context. Look around – the new JPMorgan Chase headquarters, One Vanderbilt and the proposed 175 Park Avenue are all glass supertalls. The full-block Roosevelt Hotel (at the rear in the fifth photo) has been closed for three years and will doubtless be replaced with glass.

      • Just because these millionaire developers are too cheap to build every building like Isaac Stern doesn’t mean generic glass cubes are in context with the surrounding buildings and neighborhood.
        It’s all about the $$$$$$$$

        • Steve Ackerman | March 14, 2023 at 9:34 pm | Reply

          Isaac Stern? Well I guess we all know which architectural firm you got beef with. And they’re even the worst offenders of architecture unlike other companies (cough, cough, Gene Kaufman)

      • I agree with you Jim, don’t feel intimated by this Guesser fellow trying to pick a fight with you. Just ignore his negativity and have a nice day!

    • And how exactly did you figure it would be structurally safe and financially more feasible to save the building instead of tearing it down and starting from scratch? Were you part of the structural survey and managing the cost estimates for the developer and engineers? Were you part of the design team to pass judgement for this development and the other “crappy” new construction projects in the city? No you weren’t, so unless you chain yourself to the site and protest in person, there’s no reason to keep pestering people Guesser…

      • Matthew
        BULSHT!
        These developers don’t give a sht about anything but $$$$$$. Obviously the building is structurally safe, it’s been standing and in use
        for over 100 years. I don’t need am engineering degree to know that.
        So they just demolish buildings that can be saved.
        Look how they moved the old theater in times square and saved it from demolition because it was LANDMARKED.
        With the technology and savvy we have, these century old, stone buildings can be reused/readapted into the new building.
        It’s all about the profit margin for these millionaire developers.How many hundreds of millions do these greedy developers need?
        If you don’t want to be pestered then DON’T READ THE COMMENTS, SIMPLE AS THAT.

        • Tyler Rodriguez | March 14, 2023 at 6:45 pm | Reply

          It’s not just Matthew you’re pestering and annoying, it’s the entire Yimby community of people who read this every day who have to put up with your loud rants that he’s trying to point out. Whatever happened to civilized manners and speaking nicely to people…

        • Scott Preston | March 14, 2023 at 6:53 pm | Reply

          It’s people and comments like you that make this site that talks about the latest in architecture and construction into a verbal shouting match with an adult crybaby. Please show a little decency and some self control for someone your age for the rest of us readers and architectural enthusiasts

          • guesser is like a vegan in a steakhouse…. We all know why he’s here, and it’s not for the beef!

          • Tyler I didn’t realize that you were the spokesperson for the ” entire YIMBY community”.
            My opinions aren’t loud rants, just my opinions and i’m totally civilized and speak nicely to anyone that criticizes my opinions in a civilized manner and speaks nicely to me.
            If you don’t like my opinions then don’t read them. SIMPLE AS THAT

            “architectural enthusiasts”
            I can’t stop laughing at that one.
            How about someone pecking at a keyboard , who has an opinion?
            YIMBYS can’t deal with someone that has another opinion, so you guys like Tyler Rodriguez call it pestering and annoying.
            I’m just stating my opinion and you guys are flipping out behind your keyboards because I have a different opinion.
            Wow

        • To Guesser… You are NOT sharing opinions, you are blasting accusations based on ignorant assumptions and that’s all.

    • Guesser, instead of screaming and shouting here, why don’t you take your voice to the streets and protest in front of the construction site? As well as every other site that’s going to put up a “crappy” new building. Just a thought

      • Kevin,
        why don’t you not read my comments?
        Just a thought

        • That’s because for the longest time Guessers, you don’t reply back in a respectable way. You come off as loud, aggressive and insulting when people try to correct you. No wonder I haven’t seen anyone respond back without feeling like wanting to spit in your face.

        • To Guesser,

          So Dgold calmly provided a well laid out response to your first comment, but you drop the word BULLSH I T at him twice. One of your later responses to Tyler is, “ I’m totally civilized and speak nicely to anyone that criticizes my opinions in a civilized manner and speaks nicely to me,” but that completely goes against another one of your responses to Matthew who rightfully called you out for pestering him as you said, “If you don’t want to be pestered…”

          Denying your actions to one person, but admitting and telling another person to ignore what you do, and continuing to do it, is totally hypocritical and forever makes it hard to believe we will ever get a “nice” response from you…

  3. David in Bushwick | March 13, 2023 at 2:36 pm | Reply

    Stupid City

  4. David : Sent From Heaven. | March 14, 2023 at 3:22 am | Reply

    A glass curtain wall and several tree-topped setbacks, which are prominent design completed to view all around the big city. Where the skyscraper is located within its new landmark, this identity is beautiful that nice structured be bright with light I love it. My comment is closed down: Thanks to Michael Young.

  5. It’s about time midtown East started getting some new skyscrapers like this! Been stale and boring on the east side for a long time and is now finally getting some cool projects and reaching for the sky 🙌

    • please explain how NYC is stale and boring because not every building is a skyscraper?

      How exactly do skyscrapers make NYC not boring and stale?
      Would love to know.
      Thanks

      • Ok first of all, is it really necessary to ask the same question twice in your comment?

        Second, I never said only new construction of anything that’s not a skyscraper is boring or stale. You assumed so and made it sound like that. Skyscrapers are just one example of many new projects coming to Midtown East, which had largely been left out of any new development until the last several years.

        Yimby just featured 126 East 57th Street this morning. That’s not a skyscraper. And that small little building that got remodeled that they wrote an article on at 604 Fifth Ave. That’s not a skyscraper right? I even ride the train to and from the new Grand Central Madison Concourse from my apartment to get to work. It’s safe to say that’s also not a skyscraper. Or that new green space in Sutton Place coming up on the east river that’ll make new walking and bike paths for the neighborhood. That’s not a skyscraper. And Lever House is being renovated and upgraded. That’s not a skyscraper as well, but is still exciting to see getting work done on it.

        I hope that answers your repeated question

        • Well said dude and I agree. Although Grand Central Madison was way overdue, it’s nice to finally see it open and being out to use

  6. This will nicely fill in the gap between One Vanderbilt and 270 park avenue 👍 can’t wait to see this baby rise!!!

  7. Jimbo Jones 3rd 2.0 | September 27, 2023 at 5:46 pm | Reply

    Better architecture needed, is it me or does KPFs best work done abroad not within it’s own City?!

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