At number three on our year-end countdown of the tallest construction projects in New York is 77 West 66th Street, a proposed 1,200-foot residential supertall skyscraper on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Developed by Extell, the 90-story structure would stand as 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.
The current occupants of the property have been completely enshrouded in scaffolding and black netting since our last update in late-August, when the tallest structure was still exposed. Many windows have been removed, and crews were seen hauling away bins full of scrap from the interior gutting.
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.
No finalized renderings have been revealed for the project apart from the following two zoning diagrams depicting the skyscraper’s potential scale if constructed as of right, without any zoning modifications. The superstructure begins with a multistory podium followed by a shallow setback. The main tower 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.
The diagrams also highlight 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.
77 West 66th Street zoning and massing diagram. Image by Model by George Janes & Associates.
77 West 66th Street was once 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 purchased both 77 West 66th Street and 54 West 67th Street in early 2022 for a combined $931 million. The properties span a collective 30,000 square feet.
The overall project 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 in compliance with the existing zoning regulations.
In addition to the supertall, Extell is also planning on building a nine-story residential building with an affordable housing component at 30 West 67th Street. Designed by Robert A. M. Stern Architects, the 300-foot-tall structure would span 231,000 square feet and yield 58 apartments along with ground-floor retail space. Extell filed demolition plans last month for the current 14-story occupant, which is alternately addressed as 37 and 47 West 66th Street and spans 2.4 acres of the former ABC campus.
Renderings below showcase the exterior design, which would blend with the surrounding architectural context.
30 West 67th Street. Rendering courtesy of Robert A. M. Stern Architects.
30 West 67th Street. Rendering courtesy of Robert A. M. Stern Architects.
30 West 67th Street. Rendering courtesy of Robert A. M. Stern Architects.
30 West 67th Street. Rendering courtesy of Robert A. M. Stern Architects.
30 West 67th Street. Rendering courtesy of Robert A. M. Stern Architects.
30 West 67th Street. Rendering courtesy of Robert A. M. Stern Architects.
Demolition is already underway on the current occupant of 30 West 67th Street, which stands covered in scaffolding and black netting.
30 West 67th Street. Photo by Michael Young.
30 West 67th Street. Photo by Michael Young.
30 West 67th Street. Photo by Michael Young.
30 West 67th Street. Photo by Michael Young.
Extell also plans to demolish 7 West 66th Street, but no details have been revealed to date about its replacement.
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.
Demolition at 77 West 66th Street is slated for completion in July 2026, as noted on site. A construction timeline for the new supertall has yet to be announced.
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
Another one of Extell’s tired old massing diagrams. Let’s get some meat on these bones..
Lesson- sweetheart zoning deals should only last for life of the building..
Highly doubt demand is this strong . Great opportunity for new mayor to raise taxes on luxury units.
Demand for all levels of housing in New York is extremely strong, especially on the West Side that lacks new construction. We want to encourage rich people to move here to pay taxes and spend, not discourage them.
you are one note lefty extremist.
Note – higher taxes solves nothing.
and they already are gonna pay huge taxes.
which pays for your entitlements.
“Lefty extremists”. get a new words its 2026 in here
You are speaking in contradictions. You are doubting demand, and then suggesting taxes to further suppress demand. Makes no sense
The tall building they are taking down looks relatively new.
Built in 1989
Kohn Pedersen Fox designed most of these buildings. That tower was a nice one.
Excellent, wonderful yimby project. And it will offer some much needed shade relief for those suffering in sunny Central Park. Bravo!
David in Bushwick needs a full spa treatment & some good “power of positive thinking” therapy. Why even live in the city, (i.e. Why read YIMBY), move to Iowa, read “Nimby”, & live happily ever after🤷♂️, (you’ll be delivered & relieved of your sarcastic & jaded bitterness & never have express your heartfelt disdain for every bldg ever built in NYC.
Hey Todd
How about we build a skyscraper right next to your home and i bet my life savings (Millions $$$$$$$ )
You will become a NIMBY in about 2 minutes !
Was the former location of “Kelly & Mark” and “The View”… both have relocated to
the Disney complex downtown.
I wish they’d have RAMSA do the whole project instead of just this small piece of it. I’m shivering in my boots about the eventual design.
yes please
all RAMSA
please developer
it is also good business as the buyers will love the prewar look
I’m confused about the additional building at 30 W 67th St. A 9-story building that will be 300 feet tall? That must be a typo. Either it will be shorter or it will be more than 9 stories. And what about the rest of the building? Most of the mass of that building is on the other side of the block, on 66th St. Are they adapting that south wing to be residences? Hmm…