Renovation work is ramping up on 245 Park Avenue, a 48-story commercial skyscraper in Midtown East, Manhattan. Developed by SL Green and designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox with Fogarty Finger responsible for the design of the lobby, amenity spaces, roof terrace, the project will overhaul much of the structure’s interiors, replace a portion of the podium’s mid-century façade with a modern envelope, and add a new roof terrace to the parapet. The building was originally designed by Shreve Lamb & Harmon Associated and opened in 1967, and yields 1,754,500 square feet of office space. The property occupies a 2-acre block bounded by East 47th Street to the north, East 46th Street to the south, Lexington Avenue to the east, and Park Avenue to the west.
Scaffolding and construction netting has been assembled across the western face and corners of the multistory podium in preparation for the removal of the envelope. The renderings preview the new façade consisting of bronze-glazed terracotta and intricate relief paneling surrounding the windows. New landscaping and garden beds will also line the sidewalks and perimeter of the nearly 20,000-square-foot redesigned plaza.
245 Park Avenue. Photo by Michael Young.
245 Park Avenue. Photo by Michael Young.
245 Park Avenue. Photo by Michael Young.
245 Park Avenue. Photo by Michael Young.
245 Park Avenue. Photo by Michael Young.
245 Park Avenue. Photo by Michael Young.
245 Park Avenue. Photo by Michael Young.
245 Park Avenue. Photo by Michael Young.
245 Park Avenue. Photo by Michael Young.
245 Park Avenue. Photo by Michael Young.
245 Park Avenue. Photo by Michael Young.
The following renderings offer additional angles of the renovations. The new podium façade will be focused along Park Avenue, while most of the original fenestration will be retained on the other elevations. The below image shows a slightly revised crown with glass railings lining the edges of the parapet for the new roof deck. The remainder of the tower’s glazed brick, glass, and steel exterior will be left untouched.
The new base facade and overall perspective of 245 Park Avenue. Designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox.
The new base facade for 245 Park Avenue. Designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox.
The following three renderings focus on the base of 245 Park Avenue from East 46th and East 47th Streets and show white terracotta used for the envelope. These images may be outdated, however, as they are absent from Kohn Pedersen Fox’s website.
The new cladding for the base of 245 Park Avenue. Designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox.
The new cladding for the base of 245 Park Avenue. Designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox.
The new cladding for the base of 245 Park Avenue. Designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox.
The redesigned lobby will feature white oak, Italian white marble, and bronze detailing.
The new lobby redesign at 245 Park Avenue. Designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox.
The last rendering previews the proposed rooftop terrace looking south at the MetLife Building and KPF’s One Vanderbilt supertall. The terrace will provide ample seating and landscaping surrounding a glass-clad pavilion, which will be among the amenities in the building’s 245 Park Club program.
The rooftop terrace and adjacent glass pavilion structure of 245 Park Avenue. Designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox.
The project will also include infrastructure improvements such as a new elevator and modernized elevator cabs with a destination-dispatch system for greater efficiency. Additional amenities will include a health and wellness center and a full-service restaurant. Cushman & Wakefield is in charge of office leasing.
245 Park Avenue is located within close proximity of Grand Central Terminal for convenient access to the 4, 5, 6, 7, and Shuttle trains, Metro-North Railroad, and the Long Island Rail Road.
The property had a 92.5 percent occupancy rate as of fall 2024, when hedge fund tenant Verition Group announced a plan to lease 72,515 square feet on the 14th and 15th floors for ten years.
An anticipated completion date for 245 Park Avenue’s construction and renovation timeline has not been disclosed.
Subscribe to YIMBY’s daily e-mail
Follow YIMBYgram for real-time photo updates
Like YIMBY on Facebook
Follow YIMBY’s Twitter for the latest in YIMBYnews
Shame they aren’t touching up any of the tower facade – It’s quite literally falling apart. About time this received some TLC – will be great for the Park Ave corridor
agree. come on Landlord – a good start…..but do the whole building.
maybe they are holding off and plan a future tear down ?
its one of the saddest blandest on Park Avenue.
The base will look great, which will only highlight the badness above.
“Lipstick on a pig”
I remember the foundation being poured for the original structure. This revision looks to be a winner.
These old buildings have to keep up with the glamor of the new construction.
What a half-arsed mess. KPF has truly lost their way. Property developers, please shop elsewhere.
KPF is giving SL Green exactly what it wants.
I wish the entire building was reclad and not just the base and part of the top. The new facade design looks fantastic
Why do developers choose architects whose work is the diametric opposition of the style they’re renovating?
Was thinking the same thing.
Since the renovation only entails part of the base on a tower that clearly needs updating, I hope it’s a test run to make a decision on materials and develop techniques before working on the entire tower. The building has little space left to rent so perhaps finding a way to minimize tenant disruption is very important to them?
SLGreen. geabbedct another opportunity and this entire bldg should be redone.
Who will occupy this bldg if jobs are going away. ?
What was in it for SL Green to grab this bldg.?