Construction has topped out on 319-321 West 38th Street, a 26-story Best Western Hotel in Midtown, Manhattan. Designed by Gene Kaufman Architect and developed by 319 West 38th Steel LP, the 250-foot-tall structure will span 44,200 square feet with an undisclosed number of hotel rooms and a collection of amenities. The property stands on two adjoining interior plots between Eighth and Ninth Avenues.
The entire reinforced concrete superstructure was built since our last update in early February, when crews were still working below street level behind the façades of the two low-rise residential buildings that were incorporated into the podium of the tower. Recent photos show metal frame studs in the process of lining the edges of the floor plates ahead of the start of façade installation, which could begin later this summer.
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Restoration work has yet to commence on the restoration of the repurposed brick façades.
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
The below Google Street View image details the look of the low-rise occupants of the property before work began.
Image via Google Maps
The main rendering depicts the new tower rising even with the roof levels of its abutting neighbors. The bulk of the structure will be clad in red brick, matching the look of the original façades at street level, with a four-story section of gray metallic paneling in between. The fenestration is made up of wide industrial-style windows with black mullions. Though absent in the rendering, there is a cantilevering concrete platform just below the parapet that will likely serve as a balcony for an upper amenity space.
319-321 West 38th Street’s anticipated completion date is slated for summer 2025, as noted on site.
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Another “architecturally inspiring” design by Kaufman!
Looks like it was “shoe horned” into that site? 😠
Work is in progress which is viewed from the outside now, there is no need to hire a security guard: Thanks to Michael Young.
Award winning firm!
Much nicer than anticipated… Love seeing the adaptive reuse of the existing buildings. Time to give Kaufman a little credit to encourage more like this.
That’s a hell of a lot of work that need to do to fix that old facade. It’s curious why they didn’t just start over and re-create the old facade with better materials and construction.
At least the NIMBYs must be satisfied and celebrating the decrepit brick facade being saved instead of it being torn down and suffering a “historical loss” lol
I like to offer Mr. Kaufman praise whenever possible. It’s not bad. One thing his buildings always seem to have is solid structural engineering. The modern icon of limestone delights has some objectionable load transfers and poor pours in most projects, but Gene does well with this part of design.
I’m wondering how much the developers paid the abutting owners of the office buildings in exchange for completely blocking the windows in their buildings.
I’m actually pleasantly shocked the historic facades were retained at the base. This is how you keep New York as New York while expanding it.
Roy Warner: No, it’s the exact opposite. The developer did not have to compensate the abutting owners at all; lot line windows can be blocked by an adjacent property owner as of right. The developer here has the right to build their new building up to this lot’s zoning envelope and building code. On the contrary, if the abutting owners wanted to prevent the blockage of their lot line windows, it is they who would have to compensate the owner of the development lot (such as via purchasing a light-and-air easement).
Not every old building is worth saving and I an astonished these two were.
Excuse me, but when did a semi-important city show the most basic of renderings. First Year Architects can make a better image.
Love the sarcasm, not so much the delusion. NYC is a little more than semi-important. You clearly haven’t been to many first-year design studios. I recall being shocked at the junk I saw even with senior year students at fairly well known schools. The bar was set quite low.
If you consider NYC “semi-important”, what places would you call ‘fully important’?