Construction is nearing the finish line on 600 West 125th Street, a 34-story tower on Columbia University‘s Manhattanville campus. Designed by Renzo Piano Building Workshop and CetraRuddy Architecture and developed by the Trustees of Columbia University, the 403-foot-tall structure will span roughly 182,000 square feet and yield 142 residences for graduate students and faculty, as well as 5,000 square feet of retail space. LERA is the structural engineer, Thornton Tomasetti is the façade consultant, and Pavarini McGovern is the general contractor for the property, which is located at the corner of Broadway and West 125th Street, adjacent to the elevated 125th Street station serviced by the 1 train.
Nearly the entire building has been constructed since our last update in November 2022, when crews were still in the process of forming the foundations below grade. Recent photos show the superstructure built to its pinnacle and almost fully enclosed in its façade of white paneling and tall, narrow windows, with the exception of the upper levels on the southern lot line wall and the rear eastern elevation where the construction hoist remains attached. Work is also nearing completion on the multi-story podium, which will be topped with a terrace.
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
YIMBY last reported that 600 West 125th Street is engineered to achieve LEED Gold certification and will implement sustainable features such as a high-performance façade, a vegetated rooftop space, storm water collection and retention, optimized equipment efficiency, and an enhanced Clean Construction program.
Residential amenities will include a 150-bicycle storage room, storage space, a fitness center, and multiple lounges located on the second and sixth floors with adjoining outdoor terraces. The former McDonald’s restaurant that long operated at the site is reported to be among the tenants for the new ground-floor retail space.
600 West 125th Street is estimated to be finished within the first half of 2024.
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Very nice. Will take pressure off the neighborhood housing.
Not sure why there are so few windows on the southern exposure with great views of Midtown.
That’s true. Same with the core walls on the west side. Would’ve positioned them on the north instead
My first thought also….as if no site visit occurred before the building was designed…..
Lot lines, would be blocked by future development.
LEED Gold inspired construction in order to achieve, as high-performance facade that these photos clearly deserve it: Thanks.
It looks a little shocking to see the contrast with neighboring structures. That aside, architecturally a very nice structure. In terms of use – an excellent addition to the university and area.
Beautiful photos! But yes, I wish there were more windows facing south to take advantage of seeing the skyline
Very nice but I do wish the base would have matched the uniform height of the surrounding blocks. Obviously the DOB sky exposure plane regulation had something to do in preventing that from happening.
Harlem needs more gentrification but this is surely helping!
Truly one of the most unique new designs in the city. It definitely stands out in the neighborhood. It’s almost like a sculpture from the south side. I need to go see this in person.
Wow. I used to worry about being killed, when shopping on 125th. Being mugged was an expected prospect then–and the police wouldn’t come even if you called them from the public phone (that worked)! Look at it now. Geezaloo. I am so glad for 125th, although it did not happen in my time living and studying there…
The most likely reason that the south facades do not have windows is that Columbia most likely owns the adjacent plots of land and has plans to eventually develop towers there, as well.
No nonprofit pays taxes in New York state. That goes for every school, church, museum, cultural institution, college, university, hospital, foundation, etc. CUNY doesn’t pay taxes either. Neither does the Met. Neither does Harvard Yale, MIT. This was to encourage cultural and educational institutions. Otherwise, New York would be a cold wasteland. Columbia supports hundreds of millions of dollars a year in jobs, research, education. They are the research engine and has spurred endless development and income in the area of Upper Manhattan. They give over 500 million per year in financial aid, hundreds of millions per year in health care and hospital services, plus 173- million to Manhattanville in support. This does not include all the endless free programming and educational and online courses and education. The city should not bite the hand that feeds it. Like congestion pricing, New York trying to do a money grab because they can’t balance their budget.