Construction is continuing on 126 East 57th Street, a 28-story residential tower on Billionaires’ Row in Midtown East, Manhattan. Designed by ODA Architecture and developed by MRR Development, the 346-foot-tall structure will yield 147 condominium units with an average scope of 1,156 square feet, as well as 5,000 square feet of lower-level retail space. The property is located at the corner of East 56th Street and Lexington Avenue with a narrow panhandle extension to East 57th Street.
Some scaffolding was removed from the corner of the podium since our last update in late February, and crews are now beginning to install railings for the terraces scattered across the height of the reinforced concrete superstructure. Nearly all of the oversized floor-to-ceiling windows were also installed since this past winter. The hoist remains attached to the northern end of the eastern elevation and the sidewalk shed still obscures the ground floor.
126 East 57th Street. Photo by Michael Young.
126 East 57th Street. Photo by Michael Young.
126 East 57th Street. Photo by Michael Young.
126 East 57th Street. Photo by Michael Young.
126 East 57th Street. Photo by Michael Young.
126 East 57th Street. Photo by Michael Young.
126 East 57th Street. Photo by Michael Young.
126 East 57th Street. Photo by Michael Young.
126 East 57th Street. Photo by Michael Young.
126 East 57th Street. Photo by Michael Young.
126 East 57th Street. Photo by Michael Young.
The following images show metal screens now enclosing the mechanical floors beneath the western cantilever.
126 East 57th Street. Photo by Michael Young.
126 East 57th Street. Photo by Michael Young.
Residential amenities at 126 East 57th Street will include a rooftop terrace with an outdoor swimming pool, a fitness center, and a private indoor basketball court.
The ground-up development is located two blocks south of the Lexington Avenue-59th Street subway station, served by the 4, 5, 6, N, R, and W trains, with a connection to the Lexington Avenue-63rd Street station to the north, served by the Q and F trains.
YIMBY expects 126 East 57th Street to finish construction sometime in early 2026.
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The massing and form of this is better than most jengaesque buildings. But the exposed concrete now looks as good as it ever will. Good or bad, the brutalist look will only become more apparent with time.
That ‘aging’ will just give it more character. The renderings though, will stay perfect forever.
Not bad
Of all the “Jenga” buildings this one is the most appealing.
Not more than 2 hours ago I passed this site on 57th St. where a cement truck and crew were preparing to do their duty, as well as some outdoor sidewalk cafe seating for the Palace Restaurant. Lo and behold what looked like neighborhood locals were eating lunch about 20 feet from the spewing and noisy cement truck. As Cindy Adams would say: “Only in New York.”
That’s not going to age well.
Looks like a beautifully constructed machine. Made in America (with many foreign components) this is what it works well here let’s not screw it up.
Legitimate question:
I’m not in the cnstruction industry. Why does it seem like only foreign concrete construction companies can make raw concrete look spectacular? Smooth as silk… Consistent light and “un-mottled” color… Divit and air-pocket free… ???
This concrete looks like it’s poured with about the same level of care as a highway bridge abutment.
I’ve seen foreign projects that the CIP concrete looks nearly as good as precast.
WHAT’S THE EXPLANATION HERE? Is it and time and budget thing, or can American contractors just not do that level of quality. Either way it’s depressing.
The quick answer is budgeting and expertise.
US in general, NYC in particular, doesn’t have plethora of contractors that can excel in exposed concrete craftsmanship which is almost an art-form on its own. Getting the right contractor for this sort of an art-brut facade would mean premiums, needless to say also more time and care. This looks more like typical superstructure construction, hopefully being fixed and waterproofed later to pass somewhat as exposed concrete. A lot of the expertise comes down to project-specific craftsmanship of the forms, which I doubt this project employed.
USA projects of people like Tadao Ando or David Chipperfield, with exposed concrete construction, look much better because they request consultants/contractors likely brought overseas to help execute the project.
Depressing.
Like I thought.
“Setback” zoning, established in 1916, apply to this bldg, and that “informs” some of the design. I actually like this one, because the terraces,(zoned to permit light and air to “reach the streets”), also creates 🌱🌦️🌳TREE🌳space & other space for vegetation to flourish🤷,etc,and even though it’s sorta “up & away”, out of sight, old school builders/architects used to put very intricate details into the “dizzying” heights of a bldg that no “mere mortal” would really SEE🤔🙄, but the terrace space for trees, etc, will eventually help in some small “collectively important” way to help air quality. Plus!, aesthetically you’ll see the greenery eventually draping over the edges, & from various street angles.🌱🌦️🌳👍🌷
Not bad aesthetically. Not too bad.