Demolition preparations are underway at 77 West 66th Street, the site of a proposed supertall residential skyscraper on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Developed by Extell, the structure could potentially stand 90 stories and 1,200 feet tall, making it the tallest building in the neighborhood by a significant margin. The site is bounded by West 67th Street to the north, West 66th Street to the south, and Columbus Avenue to the west.
An extensive assembly of scaffolding and black netting has been assembled over the current occupants of the site, particularly on the southern and western ends of the block. An estimated completion date for demolition has not been announced, but given the scope of work, it will likely take until sometime in 2026 to reach street level.
77 West 66th Street. Photo by Michael Young
77 West 66th Street. Photo by Michael Young
77 West 66th Street. Photo by Michael Young
77 West 66th Street. Photo by Michael Young
77 West 66th Street. Photo by Michael Young
77 West 66th Street. Photo by Michael Young
77 West 66th Street. Photo by Michael Young
The two as-of-right diagrams below showcase the mammoth supertall skyscraper beginning with a multistory podium followed by a shallow setback. The structure then rises uniformly with a rectangular massing before culminating in a series of stepped setbacks on the western face. Three mechanical levels, marked in gray, will be interspersed between the residential floors, and a bulkhead will cap the skyscraper.
This diagram illustrates the scale of the tower in relation to Extell’s 50 West 66th Street just to its south. At 775 feet tall, this structure currently holds the title of the tallest building above 59th Street.
77 West 66th Street zoning and massing diagram. Image by Model by George Janes & Associates.
The second rendering below also shows a short pavilion expansion atop the easternmost building on the city block.
77 West 66th Street zoning and massing diagram. Image by Model by George Janes & Associates.
The current occupant of 77 West 66th Street was formerly home to the American Broadcasting Company and served as the broadcasting facilities for ESPN and various ABC shows. Silverstein Properties purchased the site from ABC’s parent, The Walt Disney Company, for $1.15 billion through a lease-back agreement in July 2018, then sold it to Taconic Investment Partners in August 2019. By this point, Landmark West! partnered with the Upper West Side Community Board 7 (CB7) to draft a zoning text amendment proposal to include the ABC properties within the Lincoln Square Special District (LSSD). However, the proposal stalled and was eventually dropped.
Extell joined the picture in early 2022 when it purchased both 77 West 66th Street and 54 West 67th Street for a combined $931 million. The properties span a collective 30,000 square feet.
The address falls outside of the LSSD, which dates back to 1961 and was first amended in 1993 to bring ABC’s broadcasting studios to the Upper West Side. 77 West 66th Street does not require a Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP), since the proposed supertall with no affordable homes could be constructed “as of right,” and would comply with the existing on-site zoning regulations originally set in place for ABC.
Extell also plans to tear down 7 West 66th Street and 30 West 67th Street, both located on the same city block, and to construct a separate structure rising approximately 300 to 350 feet. Disney plans to consolidate its facilities downtown in the recently completed Robert A. Iger Building at 7 Hudson Square by the end of this year.
The nearest subway from the site is the 1 train at the 66th Street-Lincoln Center station by the intersection of Broadway and Columbus Avenue.
An anticipated start and completion date for 77 West 66th Street has yet to be announced.
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I think it’s going to take a while for Extell to figure out what it will build on that plot. The current suggestion seems unlikely because it takes a small bit of the total demolition foot-print and the elevator core is facing Central Park- which seems unlikely for such a tall building when the developer controls the land facing C.P.
With the scale of the demolition, they have the opportunity to develop a site on a scale similar to 15 CPW or the jenga complex across from Google. In any case, I think we will hear more after all the closed-door meetings and dealings are completed.
Extell has the habit of tearing down relatively affordable housing, sitting on the vacant lot for years, and then putting up buildings with low unit-count luxury buildings.
At least they are tearing down commercial here, but again this will be an instance of demolish first, ask questions later.
Am I reading that right: Silverstein initially bought the buildings for $1.15 Billion, and then sold it to Extell for $931 Million?
What does that say about the state of Manhattan real estate these days on the eve of Mamdani?
Sigh…higher interest rates and the special zoning district failing to pass explain the price drop.
This all happened before anyone heard of Mamdani. In any event, there were a lot of moving parts with ABC, Silverstein, Taconic Partners and Extell. Don’t feel sorry for any of them.
Silverstein’s finances are so complicated that who knows why he agreed to take a loss?
Silverstein purchased it in 2018 and sold it in 2019 to Taconic. The article doesn’t mention the price Taconic paid. All we know is that the value dropped from $1.15 billion in 2018 to $931 million in 2022.
A building massively out of scale with its neighborhood, filled with expensive condos. What a surprise!
I know, it’s so cool, a real high rise befitting of this great city!
One thing is certain. If it’s Gary Barnett it will be soulless and ugly as is the case with all his buildings.
Yes, Barnett and Extell are a terrible scourge on our City. He is just more proof money cannot buy good taste.
This thing will be dull and will forever cast long shadows on Central Park in the late afternoons and evenings.
Uh, a NIMBY among the YIMBYs!! You are concerned about the unproductive getting free/super cheap housing (a NYMBY), while others are concerned about building up and attracting the RICH into Manhattan. Please vote Mandani and see what the outcome of the “affordable” trap shall be
I’d argue 50 West 66th is quite handsome, so let’s not assume this won’t turn out to be a beautiful supertall. Brooklyn Point isn’t too bad either.
Looks great. Please build it. No reason can’t have a tall building there.
Agreed
And not a single affordable housing.
That’s one way to keep the building nice!
The other way is to keep all Steves out.
Hey, what did I do?
anything wrong with market rate? Why should tax payers subsidize those affordable units
Precisely !
I remember when the present building was erected in the late 1980s and thought it was an interesting structure. I am sorry to see it go, but needs change.
Has anyone thought of the strain this will place on the 1 line station at 66th Street?
Yes- subtract 4,000 employees who largely take the subway- and replace with a lot fewer residents who won’t be taking the subway
Build baby Build Mandani is a fart in the subway it move fast
I will fart in your fridge.
Wow they are not wasting time putting up that scaffolding as soon as ABC moved out!
(lol) IKR?…. ‘ Before the ink has dried ‘ on the sales contract.
What a shame! A nice relatively new tower designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox when they designed beautiful unique buildings, only to be replaced by a hideous contemporary POS like most new development. Hopefully this junk tower has a short life.