Fresh renderings by DBOX shed new light on PENN 15, a 56-story, 1,200-foot-tall commercial skyscraper at 15 Penn Plaza in Midtown, Manhattan. Designed by Foster + Partners and developed by Vornado Realty Trust, the 2.7 million-square-foot supertall will rise from the site of the Hotel Pennsylvania, which has been closed since early 2020 and is beginning the demolition process. The tower will be the tallest component in the 7.4-million-square-foot Penn District master plan, on a plot bound by Seventh Avenue to the west, West 32nd Street to the south, and West 33rd Street to the north.
Below are street level renderings looking east from Seventh Avenue.
Rendering by DBOX.
Rendering by DBOX.
A large LED screen would cantilever over the main entrance to the tower with additional lighting on the underside of the protruding rectangular volume.
Rendering by DBOX.
Floor-to-ceiling glass panels allow for full transparency across the ground floor and the bright interior spaces. The ground floor contains a mix of retail space positioned along Seventh Avenue and West 32nd Street, and the core of PENN 15 would rest along the northern edge of the superstructure. A porte cochere is situated on the eastern corner, and a loading dock faces West 32nd Street.
Rendering by DBOX.
The lobby. Rendering by DBOX.
The porte cochere. Rendering by DBOX.
Escalators bring tenants past the wooden steps and landscaping to a lobby lounge, an auditorium, and a cafe.
The second floor lobby space. Rendering by DBOX.
The lobby cafe and lounge. Rendering by DBOX.
Rendering by DBOX.
PENN 15 is divided into six sections: the first and lowest tier features Podium Mega Floors on levels 3 through 11 yielding 660,000 square feet; Mid Rise I spans floors 12 through 24 with 650,000 square feet; Mid Rise II occupies floors 25 through 37 with 660,000 square feet; High Rise I with 500,000 square feet; and finally High Rise II with 230,000 square feet. An additional 84,000 square feet of outdoor space is included. At the very top are two mechanical levels that make up the majority of the crown.
PENN 15 office tier diagram.
The largest floor plates are on the fourth level and measure 82,000 square feet, running 385 feet from east and west and 125 feet from north and south. This is made possible by the positioning of the core to the north side of the building. The smallest office floors start on the 52nd floor at 21,000 square feet with the shortest depth at 90 feet.
A Mega Floor plan.
A Mid Rise floor plan
A Mid Rise floor. Rendering by DBOX.
A podium Mega Floor. Rendering by DBOX.
A Mid Rise office space. Rendering by DBOX.
The below diagram depicts the building occupancy for PENN 15 with a tech and financial services leasing model.
PENN 15 building occupancy diagram.
The outdoor terraces would offer stunning new perspectives of the Empire State Building and the Midtown and Lower Manhattan skylines.
Looking east from a High Rise terrace. Rendering by DBOX.
Rendering by DBOX.
Terraces are split into four main categories depending on their size and position on each level.
The different terrace types located across the building.
PENN 15 will boast 17- to 19-foot floor-to-floor heights, 37 landscaped terraces, and six tenant amenity floors with ceilings up to 27 feet tall. These special floors will be located on the seventh, 12th, 25th, 38th, 51st, and 56th stories.
A tenant amenity floor plan.
Rendering by DBOX.
Rendering by DBOX.
Rendering by DBOX.
Rendering by DBOX.
The following image offers a preview of the northern elevation, a view that had been absent from previous renderings. There is a three-by-four grid of floor-to-ceiling windows around each of the elevator hallways, a visible steel truss, and a mechanical bulkhead wrapped in a lighter paneling system. The rest of this side should likely have the same layout.
Rendering by DBOX.
PENN 15’s sustainability goals include utilizing integrated photovoltaic cells on the pinnacle of the supertall, all-electric systems, rainwater collection, advanced heat recovery and storage from the transit networks below, reduced water usage, a green roof, and further targets listed below.
PENN 15’s sustainability goals.
The following photos show the progress of demolition on the Hotel Pennsylvania. Sidewalk scaffolding has been steadily going up around the ground floor. The front doors remain sealed off, American flags still wave above the sidewalk canopy in between the set of decorative columns, which is flanked by two operating LED boards. The brick and stone façade will gradually be enveloped in scaffolding and black netting over the coming months as demolition work ramps up.
Hotel Pennsylvania. Photo by Michael Young
Hotel Pennsylvania. Photo by Michael Young
Hotel Pennsylvania. Photo by Michael Young
Hotel Pennsylvania. Photo by Michael Young
Hotel Pennsylvania. Photo by Michael Young
Hotel Pennsylvania. Photo by Michael Young
Hotel Pennsylvania. Photo by Michael Young
Hotel Pennsylvania. Photo by Michael Young
Hotel Pennsylvania. Photo by Michael Young
The site is located in a hotbed of subway and train access, with the B, D, F, M, N, Q, R, W, and PATH trains to the east at Herald Square and the 1, 2, 3, A, C, and E subway lines and the NJ Transit and Amtrak trains to the west at Penn Station and Moynihan Train Hall. Other buildings in the Penn District in the process of being transformed include One and Two Penn Plaza.
A completion date for PENN 15 remains unclear, though YIMBY expects work to be finished by the end of the decade.
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The seat where people sit, and see the top of the Empire State Building. So stunning as big as it shows on views, another I don’t have to show my comment: Thanks to Michael Young.
The old hotel was poorly rated with guests complaining of vermin. Neighboring buildings might dread the demolition “refugees.” It was the largest hotel in the world when built and was notable at the time for having a bathroom with each guest room. Sadly, the Roman atrium lobby with skylight lost its second level along with its jungle of potted palms. The trains from Penn Station run through the building’s lower level.
Obstructive design so close to the ESB, and again a truly terrible name. Would be bearable with a 400′ height chop imo.
Lol the name, without my glasses on.
An historic landmark eligible building from McKim Mead and White is in the process of being destroyed for this modern monstrosity. Why couldn’t the iconic Hotel Pennsylvania somehow be refurbished for modern use? The whole plan for the area, in which many, many historic buildings will be razed, is totally misguided and simply a gift to the real estate interests, specifically Vornado.
It’s definitely an incredible design with many attributes that will enhance the “NYC Experience”, especially in the surrounding area. However, like the Commodore Project, it couldn’t be a worse location in regards to blocking views of an iconic NYC skyscraper.
Thank you for standing up to protect NJ residents views of the ESB!
LOL… For in the Garden State the direct views of ESB are already blocked by Hudson Yards. For a few this might look good. Just too bulky for the location.
How does this “enhance the NY Experience” If anything this ruins the NY Experience, People from all over the world come to NY to see the ESB and that’s going to be ruin in the next decades because its going to be blocked and towered over. Becoming a Woolworth tower in the making. ESB made the NY skyline famous and it should be a crime to block it. Any body who comes/lives here looks for one building when they look at the skyline. I think it would be an great tower if it were a lot shorter especially with how massive it looks.
I think the experience for anyone coming out of Penn Station or attending an event at MSG this will be a nice addition at street level. It’s much more engaging than 99% of NYC skyscrapers, again, at street level. As for the skyline, I agree it’s too tall and bulky for the area and would look better North of 43rd.
The Long Island Railroad also stops at Penn Station in addition to numerous subway lines and NJ Transit.
I thinks this makes this property (across street from Penn Station) one of premier locations in city.
It makes sense to build big and luxurious.
I just wonder what our economy and our world will be like when this huge undertaking is ultimately complete.
Clunky exterior design, and a shameles money hungry floorplate. Imagine your desk is in the middle of the floor whoops hope ya dont like sunlight!!
PEENNNN111155555 😂
A seriously ugly, look-at-me pile of privileged wealth that only steals more of our City.
Vornado leadership is seriously misguided with this very unattractive proposal. It does not have to be like this.
Why the problem with wealth? I dont get it.
I’ve heard arguments about the “privileged” when talking about a residential building, but this is commercial so I’m not so sure that term applies. There will be a broad range of people working in this tower and they will all be “privileged” to sit on those terraces for sure, but it’s not a privileged class.
For buildings this size, I wish they would add a spire to it, but with that said, I like all the open spaces they offer, both on the ground and the different levels above.
What is with some folks bizarre obsession with spires? This tower would not benefit from nor naturally call for a spire in any way. Its plenty ugly just the way it is.
How sad the majestic Hotel Pennsylvania, one of the few McKim, Mead & White gems left in the city, is being razed for yet another glass and steel tower. While the interior of the old hotel has of course seen much better days, a gut renovation of the structure would have been preferable over its destruction.
I disappointed with the design of PENI5, not as phallic as I was expecting?! 🤔🤣
As for the historic Hotel Pennsylvania, had a brief opportunity to go inside to use the restroom, while on my way to the ESB, on my 1st trup to NY! 😊
It’s a shame another building I remember from that trip is being demolished, and replaced with yet another oversized “notice me” glass tower! 😔
I would love to time travel back to the 1940’s when NYC had it’s famous skyline as seen in photos.
🤗
The NYC skyline of the 1940’s is all but invisible now
With the right mind, anything can look phallic. The skyline is only appreciable in photos, not something to base zoning on.
I love the interior space renderings, and I deplore the “Shanghaiization” of New York. Yadda, yadda, yadda progress. Does anybody remember when architects discussed historic context? These glass towers are wrecking the historic charm of New York’s skyline. I know every one of the Gothic churches, renaissance palazzos, brick skyscrapers, park avenue apartment blocks replaced yet older tenements, mansions, farms! As the old saying goes, New York will be nice when it’s finished. But, there seems to be a conspicuous lack of taste in these interchangeable glass towers. Way back in my youth I drove a yellow cab, lived in a 6 floor walk-up in the E. Village and attended NYU. I used to just sit in the car and look at the buildings. Sundays were spent walking all over the City. It was the almost archeological charm of the layering of styles and eras that made the city beautiful and unique. It was like looking at a beautiful old person’s face. These new buildings look rather like looking at the face of someone who spent way too much on plastic surgery.They reflect money far more than taste.
Why do you keep deleting my comments? Mystifies me every time, you’ve been doing it for months. Not posting anything inappropriate by any means. You trying to make this some super exclusive thing? Get off your high horse if you want a conversation allow a conversation.
Ugly building that looks ridiculous from street level.
Its a shame they decided not to renovate the Hotel Pennsylvania, but I don’t blame them for doing so. That building is/was a huge Local Law 11/87/97 liability, and any renovation would have been extremely costly. The economics don’t work in the current environment.
that is a big ol block of glass – are architects using Jenga as a base for design? MEH
All these new buildings blocking the beauties from a time when architecture made statements, i.e., Empire and Chrysler.
truly unfortunate.
The hotel is way past its expiration date. Bye. Thanks for everything.
The new building is a huge improvement. I don’t care that it obstructs the ESB. Why do people seem so stuck in the last century? Cities evolve. This is part of that evolution. So whine all you want, structures like this are the way things will be going forward. Adapt or die, is the rule of real estate.
Is this building perfect? I don’t know. But I do know that the NIMBY people here are getting really tiresome. Whether it’s the guy who wants RAMSA towers everywhere or the people who want low density structures on some of the most expensive land in the world, I just don’t see any realism or rationality in their arguments.
This could be a very nice building that serves as a catalyst to improve a very awful stretch of a major avenue in midtown. Open your minds, people.
Thank you. I couldn’t have said it better.
that is the most narrowminded thought I ever heard. Its not being stuck in the past its respecting something that made this city what it is. You don’t see buildings blocking the Eiffel tower, big ben, or the Washington monument. No right, that is because these are historical buildings that are respected for there contribution to architecture. On top of that, to actually think this new tower looks good is hilarious this building does nothing for the city other than cast a huge shadow and blocks the view of the of one of the most famous buildings in the world. People from all over the world come to NY just to see the ESB and to block its view is mind blowing. I don’t mind them redeveloping the Hotel but at least don’t have a tower the same height of the ESB a block away. in my opinion this tower would look a lot better shorter it would be a great complement to the ESB
This is the most narrow minded comment i’ve seen. Even Paris with their height limits approved a skyscraper because they know cities have to grow. There was a point in time where the ESB was hated.
It isn’t narrow minded if you notice Paris skyscrapers are on the other side of the city not blocking the Eiffel tower. Why you ask, because they appreciate and respect how iconic the Eiffel Tower is. Visit Paris for me and tell me if you see any high-rise in the vicinity of the tower. And if they did try to build something the city would go crazy. People go to Paris to see the Eiffel just like People want to see the ESB, why would you block it.
Google Montparnasse Tower, there are skyscrapers near the Eiffel tower. You’re missing the big picture here. NYC has always prioritized development (and indeed height) over conservation. Plus to boot this high rise will be right next to the busiest rail station in the country, so I don’t see your point. Sure it will restrict views from a good 2-3 blocks north & south of penn station but before hudson yards. But that’s it, everything south of Empire is restricted so we’ll never lose it’s dominance gazing from downtown which is where most the iconic shots come from anyways.
Another horrible building way too tall for it’s surroundings. Another building that can shed it’s ice and gore people on their way to Macys.
Yeah, to what SteveO just said. Affirmative! Couldn’t agree more. Hotel Pennsylvania is a blight, as is much of the neighborhood at present. Though not perfect (particularly the repetition of the latest trendy motif du jour involving the ubiquitous treescape 50 + stories up, which is patently absurd and unrealistic in a NYC winter), the latest renderings represent an immense improvement on this current dowdy and most unremarkable mid-town stretch of blah that exists at present.
This building is such a mess. Industrial! Elegant! Trees! Everything! This isn’t brutalist: this is ugly. Just demolish Hotel Pennsylvania and curse the Empire State Building. Great plan…
Love the shadow of the crane against the hotel in the photos..
I have never in all my years in NYC known more tax-paying citizens who reject this plan. Even City Planning has rejected it. It’s very clear why a plan which would demolish a magnificent 100 year old hotel by one of the most revered architecture firms of the Gilded Age, not to mention evict over 2000 rental and condo residents through eminent domain is going forward-it’s all about the money. And oh, for those Yimby advocates who love to slur the residents of this city with that old trope “NIMBY’s”. So they can make more money and live in the suburbs. They believe tax-paying residents of this city have no right to any input or say on the quality of life in their communities or even whether or not they are thrown out of their homes. That’s what I call the real estate driven economy of New York. All are bought in including the new Governor who has an election to win. Quite autocratic when you think about it. All for really tall office towers-9 of them last I heard, when office space is sitting empty and people have moved to a preferred remote work environment. And Penn Station itself?? Will wait a lifetime for the tax revenues if these mega towers ever get built.
This building has nothing to do with the Empire District redevelopment. You are confused.
Remote is NOT preferred by most employers. In the long-term, a global business cannot be run from everybody’s living rooms. Google has just ordered everyone back in their offices next month.
I have never in all my years in NYC known more tax-paying citizens who reject this plan. Even City Planning has rejected it. It’s very clear why a plan which would demolish a magnificent 100 year old hotel by one of the most revered architecture firms of the Gilded Age, not to mention evict over 2000 rental and condo residents through eminent domain is going forward-it’s all about the money. And oh, for those Yimby advocates who love to slur the residents of this city with that old trope “NIMBY’s”. So they can make more money and live in the suburbs. They believe tax-paying residents of this city have no right to any input or say on the quality of life in their communities or even whether or not they are thrown out of their homes. That’s what I call the real estate driven economy of New York. All are bought in including the new Governor who has an election to win. Quite autocratic when you think about it. All for really tall office towers-9 of them last I heard, when office space is sitting empty and people have moved to a preferred remote work environment. And Penn Station itself?? Will wait a lifetime for the tax revenues if these mega towers ever get built.
Well which one are you? Marco or Isabella?
Ha. Ferdinand is jealous. .
This is an absolute disgrace. Hotel Pennsylvania is an example of historic architecture of the Gilded Age that would be preserved and renovated in just about any other world class city. How sad it is going to be gone, removed from the future generations’ awareness, like so many other fine architecture of NYC’s past.
First of all, is the name a joke? Secondly, what an ugly monstrosity blocking a line of sight to the Empire State Building which is actually cool looking. Just like, why make something that ugly with that name directly in front of the ESB?
Not one of you sees the name? Really?
Please don’t ruin my lovely view of the Empire State Building and all of the open sky around it.
Meh. Boring
Slowly but surely, New York City is losing it’s character.
This building is butt ugly—hanging gardens of Fifth Avenue. And, please, change the name to ‘15PENN’—is that so hard? (Sorry.) And, not to be all ‘Nimby’, but until they start making movies about romantic rendezvous atop 1 Vanderbilt or 30 Hudson Yards, let’s not forget the mystique of ESB…. Would Paris let this building go up within a few blocks of the Eiffel Tower? Just sayin’…
If NYC was a time capsule like Paris then ESB would never have been built in the first place.
The point of NYC is change – and that’s the reason it’s still relevant today.
Stop romanticizing the past – embrace the future.
Touché.
Exactly right.
Is it ever winter in the renderings?
Do you take selfies in the morning?
LOL… That is funny!
Great, ANOTHER multi-level Duane Reade staining the sky of our city…seriously, who approved this disaster 🙄
I have gotten resigned to renderings with lush plantings on every terrace, but these renderings have trees in dim interior corridors. Who are they kidding?
God, I gotta out on my glasses when I read these blaring headlines about PENN15.
You scared the socks off me.
It’s kind of sad that it took 90 years for the Empire State Building just down the block to gain a sister almost equal to its 1250 height (minus the spire) …also build during a time of economic depression, as we’ve just been thru. But it’s also inspiring & hopeful that NYC is coming back, New buildings, new infrastructure, new and vibrant life. Nobody should ever count us out, nor as a city, not as a people,not as a beacon of hope, possibility and opportunity.
Funny
The DBOX ground renderings look like Brickell in Miami.
Odd that NYC wants to look like Miami.
Hahahahahahahaha, is this literally called Penn 15? Was nobody designing this building alive in the 90s and had someone wrote Pen 15 on their arm? Lord, this world cannot remember history… Let’s for one moment imagine 15 = is. PENNIS? ROFL.
Wish there was zoning around 34th street, I’m all for the new construction but there is such a thing as over development. The wind tunnel in Hudson yard is insane especially in the winter with a loud whistling. This tower in my opinion would look a lot better if it were shorter, the max height around the ESB should be about 750 ft. This city really has no respect for the tower that made this skyline famous.
Street level & interior views are interesting & this area could use it. The Penna. is historic (Ask Benny Goodman)but nothing special now. This project would be better if less bulky. Reminds me of a dresser with a few drawers not bushed back in.Long live Ukraine.
Aa a former New Yorker, this planned building is a disaster !!
Too bad the Pennsylvania Hotel wasn’t designated as a city landmark.
Didn’t think that the “wrecking ball” would arrive so fast. deliberately
before a public outcry could have cancelled such a monstrosity.
As mentioned in another comment in the above. NYC is losing its historic architectural character and the reason why tourists and out-of-towners come to visit NYC.
“Penn 15?” Seriously…?
Ask your adolescent children why that is a terrible idea for a name, or at least Google it.
Some marketing geniuses got paid bigly to name this building almost PENNIS? I can’t even…