YIMBY captured photos of 270 Park Avenue’s exterior LED strips undergoing testing, offering a preview of how JPMorgan Chase’s 1,389-foot-tall Midtown East headquarters will eventually look illuminated at night. Designed by Norman Foster of Foster + Partners and developed by Tishman Speyer, the 60-story supertall skyscraper will yield 2.5 million square feet of office space with a capacity of 15,000 employees, and will become the tallest structure in New York completely powered by hydroelectric energy. Adamson Associates is the architect of record for the project, which occupies a full city block bounded by East 48th Street to the north, East 47th Street to the south, Park Avenue to the east, and Madison Avenue to the west.
The following photos show the white LEDs illuminated along the perimeter columns and signature diagrid pattern on the tower’s third tier, where the amenity levels will be located. The final two tiers remain dark, but will eventually be covered in an assembly of color LEDs that will enable the display of moving visualizations, much like the crown fins of Foster + Partners’ 425 Park Avenue.
Overall, the façade will incorporate some 20,000 LED lights supplied by FSG in collaboration with Montreal-based lighting manufacturer GKV.
The rendering in the main photo shows the final two tiers illuminated in solid white, while the below aerial rendering previews the colorful displays that will be made possible with the LEDs. While the entire diagrid pattern on the eastern and western faces will be lined with lights, the columns on the broad northern and southern faces will only be illuminated on the upper four tiers.
The project is expected to generate over 8,000 jobs by the end of construction, spanning 40 local unions and producing $2.6 billion of economic activity for New York City. JPMorgan Chase is also expected to contribute $29.8 billion annually to the city’s economy and stimulate an additional 40,000 jobs across local industries.
YIMBY estimates 270 Park Avenue will finish construction around the end of this summer.
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
Impressive, but what ever happened to the lights atop Central Park Tower and 111 West 57th, both of which were tested years ago yet the buildings remain dark?
Agreed! Currently CPT has some random lights on and some off. It looks awful. And 111 never has even turned theirs on. That one would look the best with the set backs illuminated.
Hopefully all the lights will come on soon. One of my thoughts was that CPT is waiting to sell the penthouse before they illuminate the crown? If so, it’s going to be awhile… LOL
Can’t wait for the rest of the lights to turn on!
Color temperature too high. Needs more 2700K, please.
Agreed. Id be OK with a warmer 2500K.
In person it’s a lot warmer but the high exposure on the camera desaturates the image.
Uninspiring and unimaginative
Ok Karen. It’s not even fully lit up yet and you’re already passing uninspiring and unimaginative judgement LOL.
Moron
In my defense the whole building is uninspiring and unimaginative, so it fits the theme
Liface,
Agreed 100%
The color is more green and not nearly as bright as the photos, thankfully. But it’s still a bit too obvious and just too much.
LEDs were meant to greatly reduce power usage, yet now I see designers are adding them everywhere at large numbers. So much for improved energy efficiency.
Yes it is that bright. I saw it being tested a couple of months ago from the same place in the first photo. See for yourself if you’re lucky enough to do so
David you should stand on 42nd street in front of Grand Central Terminal to see that the lights DO shine that brightly
Which will get finished off first: the Chase edifice ..or the economy?
Looks GREAT!-Light em up!
I have a 40th floor penthouse on 56 th and first Avenue
And I’ve been enjoying watching this building progress
I can’t wait to see it lit up every night
Very exciting
It’ll be joining the Empire State Building and the Chrysler building that I see lit up every night
Did I read that you’re inviting us all over to check out the views, or was that just in my dream?
self absorbed.. no one cares about your view. ITs the view for millions we care about.
Agree w/ Gardenview. Where are those lights?
Maybe YIMBY could reach out to CPT and 111 for comment on the lights for us. I hate these huge towers not lit up.
Perhaps a GoFundMe is in order. After all, those lights aren’t exactly free. /s