Construction is going vertical on The Torch, a 52-story supertall skyscraper at 740 Eighth Avenue in Midtown, Manhattan. Designed by ODA and developed by Extell, the 1,067-foot-tall structure will span 875,372 square feet and yield an 825-room hotel topped by a public outdoor observation deck with a drop ride attraction in its signature stemlike column. The mixed-use project is also slated to include lower-level retail space, a restaurant on two of the upper floors, a VIP lounge, and a pool deck for hotel guests. SLCE Architects is the architect of record for the development, which is located along Eighth Avenue between West 45th and 46th Streets on the border of Times Square and Hell’s Kitchen.
Below-grade work concluded since our last update in June, when construction had recently ramped back up following a brief stall in progress. The reinforced concrete superstructure has now reached street level with bundles of rebar protruding across the site at the locations of the forthcoming columns and core walls. A dense assembly of metal shoring and wooden formwork has been assembled to guide the formation of the second-story slab, and construction should begin to rise at a steady pace over the coming months.
The Torch. Photo by Michael Young.
The Torch. Photo by Michael Young.
The Torch. Photo by Michael Young.
The Torch. Photo by Michael Young.
The Torch. Photo by Michael Young.
The Torch. Photo by Michael Young.
The Torch. Photo by Michael Young.
The Torch. Photo by Michael Young.
The Torch. Photo by Michael Young.
The Torch. Photo by Michael Young.
A tower crane has yet to be erected. For now, a yellow mobile crane is being used along West 47th Street.
The Torch. Photo by Michael Young.
The below rendering previews The Torch and its prominent position around the midpoint of the Midtown, Manhattan skyline when viewed from across the Hudson River in New Jersey. According to ODA, the upper half of the building’s hallmark 500-foot-tall protrusion is intended to evoke the Statue of Liberty’s torch, hence the project’s name.
The spiraling crown will be clad in a pleated glass curtain wall with angular open-air cutouts. A multi-story green wall is visible within the envelope and through the diagonal void in the northern elevation. Outdoor lights will highlight and accentuate the upper portion of The Torch.
Rendering of The Torch at 740 Eighth Avenue by ODA and SLCE Architects. Photo by Michael Young
The observatory will feature cutout staircases and cantilevering, glass-clad boxes that will allow visitors to look out and down at Midtown and the Hudson River. This section of the building will be located just below the crown.
Rendering of The Torch at 740 Eighth Avenue by ODA and SLCE Architects. Photo by Michael Young
Rendering of The Torch at 740 Eighth Avenue by ODA and SLCE Architects. Photo by Michael Young
Seating will be positioned along the spiraling staircases of the observatory, affording visitors expansive open-air views of the Midtown skyline and Central Park.
The Torch at 740 Eighth Avenue. Rendering courtesy of ODA New York.
The Torch’s signature attraction is an Intamin-designed drop ride in the tower’s stem that will feature 300-foot-tall transparent tubes that riders will traverse over a 90-second experience.
Rendering of The Torch at 740 Eighth Avenue by ODA and SLCE Architects. Photo by Michael Young
A revised construction timeline has yet to be announced.
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This is fantastic! Will absolutely add something to the vibrancy of this part of midtown west. Bravo!
I’m sorry but this looks alarmingly unstable, as I guess was the intention.
We should not just assume the architects and engineers know what they’re doing or the Dept. of Buildings, DCP etc. are “checking” their work.
That’s what people thought about the Citicorp skyscraper until a bright graduate student pointed out to the architect the deficiencies of the center outer pillar vs. four corner pillar design, and an extensive/expensive redesign had to be made. 432 Park Avenue is having problems so severe its multi-million dollar tenants are suing the developers. And 161 Maiden Lane has been suspended mid-construction after leaning 3 inches for years, with lawsuits in every direction and an uncertain completion or perhaps, demolition, future.
This design has unusual wind channels and the normal sway factors of any supertall in NYC. YIMBY should report on what’s being done to ensure safety.
The construction of this building especially, will be watched like a hawk, it’s stability I’m sure, (I hope) will be closely monitored.
Incredible architecture, so exciting to see the skyline changing in my generation.
there is nothing structurally new here that has not been attempted before.
Scott I encourage you to check your facts. Citicorp building only got some re-enforcements and construction only lasted two months. As it turns out, that bright student got their calculations wrong and most likely these repairs never were needed.
I can also assure you that the DOB are checking, rechecking, and rerechecking the work of the architect and engineers. I don’t think YIMBY needs to go into details on the safety measures used during construction. Extel is quite experienced with these types of projects. With that said, I would love to see the proof or something that shows that these buildings are indeed stable.
It would be wprth a Recession to stop this monstrosity
*worth
I’m 77 years old and a retired NY trial lawyer now living out West in AZ; I go back and forth to the City now. At my age, I shouldn’t be distraught by such things as this building. However, it is so grotesque that it should lead to a public outcry. Indeed, I was 16 years old when Penn Station was demolished and was aware at the time that the outcry was so great, including from professional historians and architects, that the City created the LPC and instituted zoning restrictions to preserve those historic buildings and areas of the City that make it what it is — a living monument to progress and culture despite all its faults.
It’s atrocious.
I’m not hoping for a recession – though it will be a miracle the idiot we call President won’t cause one – but I am really hoping that what will actually get built will look a whole lot less like the renderings we’ve seen and a lot more like a normal tower.
As is usually the case, atrocious renderings yield hideous realities. This will rocket to the top of NYC’s list of most hated “buildings”.
It would be extra cool if someone would build The Pitchfork next to The Torch in Hell’s Kitchen 🙂
At first I thought this a hideous Coney Islandization of Manhattan, but as later renderings emerged showing the drop ride fully enclosed and a glassier exterior, my impressions evolved. It will be most interesting to see the finished product.
Looks great. Can’t wait until this is finished.
Here it comes! Let’s see this baby rise quick 💪
I wonder what will happen in the winter time when there is an ice storm where ice clings to all those overhanging parts of the building and then falls to the street when it goes above freezing?
They will have to put up sidewalk sheds.
Other than it just being ugly, how do they plan on preventing large sheets of ice from forming and falling off the overhanging areas?
Yeech.
I hate it. But I’m prepared to change my mind after it’s built.
Parisians hated the Eiffel Tower and changed their minds, but this is no Eiffel Tower. It’s the opposite.
Torch, I served with the Eiffel Tower. I knew the Eiffel Tower. The Eiffel Tower was a friend of mine. Torch, you’re no Eiffel Tower.
Ideal location for a city owned grocery store.
I am sure Extell would love to have the city as a retail tenant here.
DAMN I WANT 2 C THIS BAD BOY NEXT 2 OTHER UPCOMING INNOVATIVE BLDG DESIGNS IN THE CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS!
2 Kool 4 Skool?
Iconic!
This is THE ugliest skyscraper I have ever seen.
I’m having a bit of a difficult time seeing the resemblance here in the renderings to the Statue Of Liberty’s ‘torch’..but whatever 😀
Both ESB and Eiffel Tower had the public outcry when they were initially built
Sure bud, and every new thing ends up just wonderful like those two did. Yup. We don’t build anything ugly, ever. Because Eiffel Tower.
Not the same thing.
of course not the same but these bandwagon comments are ridiculous too
Hideous. I don’t see this going well at all, but the feed is done. People will either love it or hate it.
I can’t believe they are actually building this.
I can’t believe the last 8 years. Just add this to the list.
Just looking at the rendering gives me the jitters; way too tall for this southern boy.
How are the architects treating the glass so birds won’t fly into it? Nothing like dead birds falling on passersby, or stepping on them. Plus, it’s cruel to the birds.
Current building code requires glass treatments for bird safety.
Starchitecture on steroids, and proof that there is more than one way to destroy a theater district.
Will the massive areas of TRANSPARENT glass directly lead to countless bird strike deaths…..at a much higher rate than with traditionally constructed tall buildings ?
DAMN I WANT 2 C THIS BAD BOY NEXT 2 OTHER UPCOMING INNOVATIVE BLDG DESIGNS IN THE CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS!
Just lob off the ugly top ‘torch’ and it will be great!
When this opens watch everyone line up to check out this incredible ride. Guaranteed they make a ton of money the first few days. Look either you love it or hate it it’s going up.
Building that supertall would be a bold statement for manhattan. The cities in Asia and the Middle East have been “one-upping” each other for years with an abundance of spectacular skyscrapers,leaving American cities in the dust. It’s about time for us to catch up.
Taste for the tasteless
F it – I’m all for it. If you can’t have something absurdly bold in Times Square where can you have it?
Homeless people will get lots of fresh dead bird meat all around the base of this monstrosity.
It does not look architecturally sound, with the wind forces blowing on inflexible glass, how many years till parts of it start to fracture?
I’m sorry, but I have to say it – just my opinion – but this building is one of the ugliest…if not THE ugliest monstrosities to grace our city. And sadly it is going to have an impact on our skyline. And not a good one. I do not understand how this was ever green-lighted.
What a ridiculous vanity project.
U-G-L-Y
Is there a chance this is one of the Horseman of the Apocalypse?
This building reminds me of the scene from “The Producers” where the audience stares incredulously at ‘Spring Time for Hitler’ before bursting into applause (realizing it’s a parody…or a Broadway hit…?).
It’s also a reminder of the classic Simpsons episode “Oh brother, where art thou?” where the audience gasps in unison at the unveiling of the revolutionary car designed by (and bearing its namesake’s first name) Homer. Intended to save his long-lost brother’s struggling automobile company, it went into bankruptcy. Some of the best television ever to grace the airwaves.