1 Times Square Prepares For Fall Opening in Times Square, Manhattan

One Times Square. Rendering courtesy of Jamestown

Construction is nearing completion on One Times Square, a 26-story commercial tower at 1475 Broadway in Times Square. Designed by S9 Architecture and developed by Jamestown, the $500 million project involves the full gut renovation and re-cladding of the 395-foot-tall steel-framed structure, along with the addition of new LED displays and public viewing decks with platforms that will overlook the district. SLCE Architects is the architect of record for the property, which is located on a trapezoidal plot bounded by West 43rd Street to the north, West 42nd Street to the south, Broadway to the east, and Seventh Avenue to the west.

Façade installation has finished since our last update in April 2024, when scaffolding and black netting still covered a significant portion of the tower. The all-glass external elevator shaft is complete, along with the walkways at the top of the building that will provide visitors 360-degree views over Times Square. The LED billboards are also all in place and operational on the northern, southern, and eastern sides of the tower. The wraparound sidewalk shed has been removed from the ground floor, leaving only a few sidewalk barriers around the pedestrian plaza and entrance to the 42nd Street–Times Square station.

1 Times Square. Photo by Michael Young.

1 Times Square. Photo by Michael Young.

1 Times Square. Photo by Michael Young.

1 Times Square. Photo by Michael Young.

1 Times Square. Photo by Michael Young.

1 Times Square. Photo by Michael Young.

1 Times Square. Photo by Michael Young.

1 Times Square. Photo by Michael Young.

1 Times Square. Photo by Michael Young.

1 Times Square. Photo by Michael Young.

1 Times Square. Photo by Michael Young.

1 Times Square. Photo by Michael Young.

1 Times Square. Photo by Michael Young.

1 Times Square. Photo by Michael Young.

1 Times Square. Photo by Michael Young.

1 Times Square. Photo by Michael Young.

1 Times Square. Photo by Michael Young.

1 Times Square. Photo by Michael Young.

1 Times Square. Photo by Michael Young.

1 Times Square. Photo by Michael Young.

1 Times Square. Photo by Michael Young.

1 Times Square. Photo by Michael Young.

1 Times Square. Photo by Michael Young.

1 Times Square. Photo by Michael Young.

1 Times Square. Photo by Michael Young.

1 Times Square. Photo by Michael Young.

1 Times Square. Photo by Michael Young.

1 Times Square. Photo by Michael Young.

1 Times Square. Photo by Michael Young.

1 Times Square. Photo by Michael Young.

Below is a nighttime aerial rendering looking down at the observatory platform lined with tall transparent glass walls, previewing the views of Times Square during the New Year’s Eve ball drop.

One Times Square. Rendering courtesy of Jamestown.

One Times Square. Rendering courtesy of Jamestown.

The below renderings offer additional perspectives of the multi-level observation deck and the external glass elevator. A Surrounding the elevator is a glass-floored platform that will let visitors look straight down at the streets below.

One Times Square. Rendering courtesy of Jamestown

One Times Square. Rendering courtesy of Jamestown

One Times Square is set to open this fall.

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44 Comments on "1 Times Square Prepares For Fall Opening in Times Square, Manhattan"

  1. OneNYersOpinion | August 25, 2025 at 8:54 am | Reply

    This building is naked w/o it’s iconic “Zipper” messaging tape running around the building. What were the thinking (not thinking) ?? This seems to be a trend w/ designers & developers of notable historic building & sites — Willfully stripping away ANY physical connection to the very thing that made it famous, noteworthy and iconic. Another current example — see the New Belmont Race Track, which is better suited for Las Vegas than the historic Belmont site. Both 1 Times Sq and Belmont seem destined to age poorly — seeming outdated, once the novelty wears off.

    • With the loss of the Zipper, the last connection to the New York Times is lost. Times Square was named FOR the New York Times being in the, then, Allied Chemical Building. That history is over now. 🙁

      • Wait, am I missing something? The zipper is an LED screen now, just turned off in the photos. It runs around the building roughly in the same spot as the old one

      • The construction and opening of the original NYT building intentionally coincided with the construction of the original 1904 IRT (Contract No. 1). Times Square, formerly Longacre Square, took the name from the new building; the NYT moved uptown from “Publishers Row,” which was along Park Row and across the street from City Hall and what used to stand on City Hall Park – a US Post Office and Courthouse. Additionally, with the opening of the NYT at Times Square, the “newsboys” of the day could take the new subway and get off at various stops, which spread the paper around the “City” much faster than was previously available. Of note is that I’m 77 y/o and remember well when the original NYT building at Times Square was recladded and renovated during the ’60s and renamed the Allied Tower.

      • miguel de la o | August 25, 2025 at 8:29 pm | Reply

        Agree!

    • Yes, spend years planning and building, and cover almost the whole thing with signs..except for the sign that made it famous, the ‘Zipper’

  2. Who would want ti work in that building? I for sure would not!

    • Actually, the only people working there will be those associated with the exhibition space and the observation deck. No offices in the design.

      • Seems like a lot of office space at 1 Times Square for basically very little office use ? billboards not withstanding..

    • there has not been any office space used in that building for more than half a century since the giant billboards covered up the windows

  3. Put the Zipper back.

    • Was just getting ready to post that myself.

      Absolutely.

      It would have added a bit of energy to what is essentually juat another giant tv screen. Plus the nostalgia element would’ve been an added benefit.

  4. WHERE IS THE ZIPPER???

  5. Zipper–Where New Yorker’s were able to get their news First and Fast

  6. Zipper tape aside, I like the renovation- it’s very clean and has been needed for a few decades.

    Now to the zipper tape: It’s in the top rendering in the article and it looks like there is an LED board at the top of the second floor in several pictures. Perhaps they just haven’t turned it on yet?

    • Damned Architect | August 25, 2025 at 11:36 am | Reply

      Agreed about the renovation, the building hasn’t looked this good since it was stripped back in the 60’s!

      Just as you said, the Zipper is coming back – its even present in several of the photos, its just not turned on yet.

    • Unzipped..

  7. For those who bemoan the loss of our beloved & iconic news “zipper” – not to worry! In the coming months, as power-hungry Donald tightens his self-serving grip, we will no doubt see his Truth Social posts live-streamed on the face of building (with such gems as “slavery was not that bad”), as his armed military troops patrol our city, and his masked goons kidnap our neighbors from streets, schools & workplaces. It won’t be long before giant Big Brother posters of il Duce’s face start going up all alongTimes Square. “It’s a Republic, if you can keep it” said Benjamin Franklin. I fear it’s being turned into a banana republic. before our eyes.

    • OneNYersOpinion | August 25, 2025 at 11:23 am | Reply

      Oooffff… Can we please limit discussion and comments to SOMETTHING having to do with the YIMBY post. We understand that some feel helplessly compelled to make a political crack vs one side or the other in ANY circumstance. But in doing so, you’re being abusive to those here looking to address related topics. Save the political spewing for such posting sites.

  8. Wait, what? 1 Times Square is in Times Square? That news flash needs to go on the Zipper.

  9. The “zipper” is there, it’s just not turned on yet. Walked by just now to confirm. It’s there!

    • The amount of people having a fit in the Yimby comments and not seeing that the Zipper hasn’t been turned on yet is disappointing and embarrassing

      • Not embarrassing, maybe a bit New York Neurotic, funny, in a Woody Allen kind of way..I’m as guilty of it as anyone.

  10. It’s not Times Square without the zipper. No matter how many rooftops is added. Where is the landmark agency? It is what makes Times Square. The building looks miserable without the zipper.

  11. It was a building and now it’s a billboard.

    • It’s been a giant billboard in and of itself for nearly half a century. Nothing new, except for the observatory.

  12. Bob the builder | August 25, 2025 at 2:08 pm | Reply

    What a major regression.

  13. Say what you want, the building will make a fortune in observation decks.

    • The views from the observation deck will give great context to the Time Square area because of the lower height compared to the other observation decks in the city

      • So true. The same goes for living in residential supertalls. The unobstructed views from mid-height are more engaging than helicopter views.

  14. Looks sharp, excited to visit.

  15. miguel de la o | August 25, 2025 at 8:35 pm | Reply

    I like the whole kit and caboddle! Good job New York!

  16. Looks better than it has in a long time

  17. I vote they strip it down again and install an exact replica of the original terra cotta facade. And I’m not kidding, either.

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