Renovation work is continuing to progresses on One Times Square, a 26-story tower at 1475 Broadway in Times Square. Designed by S9 Architecture with SLCE as the architect of record and developed by Jamestown, the $500 million project involves the gut renovation and re-cladding of the 395-foot-tall structure, along with the addition of new LED displays and viewing decks with platforms that overlook the famous crossroads. R&R Scaffolding Companies will supply the BMU and Turner Construction Company is the general contractor for the property, which is located on a trapezoidal plot bound by West 43rd Street to the north, West 42nd Street to the south, Broadway to the east, and Seventh Avenue to the west.
Nearly all of the 1960s stone paneling has been removed from the building since our last update in June, leaving the steel superstructure exposed behind large swaths of scaffolding and construction netting. Also gone are the support frameworks from the various static and LED signage that formerly adorned the structure, including the famous “zipper” news ticker. A construction hoist has been attached to the western face along Seventh Avenue as crews work to renovate the tower’s interiors.
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
The following close-up shots give a glimpse at the temporarily exposed steel columns and beams at the top section of the superstructure.
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
The tall LED billboard on the slender northern elevation continues to operate 24/7 as renovation continues around it. The 2023 numbers and a smaller pair of LED screens were taken down from the uppermost levels earlier this year, but the iconic New Years Eve ball remains perched on its pole above the roof of the building.
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
The renovated building will feature ground-floor retail space with a new tenant, 12 floors of office space leased by Jamestown, and six floors dedicated to a museum on the history of the building and Times Square with augmented and virtual reality experiences spanning 12 floors.
“Times Square has served as the crossroads of the world for more than a century, and One Times Square is at the center of that global stage,” said Michael Phillips, President of Jamestown. “The building’s next chapter will build on that legacy, creating a new destination in the heart of Times Square for the next generation. With a focus on providing experiences enhanced by technology, the project is representative of the future of real estate and the integration of the physical and virtual worlds. We are re-imagining how spaces can be experienced by leveraging the power of AR technology and creative storytelling.”
The most distinctive new feature is the wraparound observatory, which will be accessible by a pair of glass elevators attached to the eastern side of the tower, and will provide tourists with an unprecedented vista of the crossroads. Additional renderings of One Times Square’s 21st century makeover and multi-level observatory can been seen below.
One Times Square. Rendering courtesy of Jamestown
One Times Square. Rendering courtesy of Jamestown
The existing Times Square-42 Street subway entrance on the Broadway pedestrian plaza will blend with the dark metal elements and new signage for the observatory’s main entrance at the southern corner.
One Times Square. Rendering courtesy of Jamestown
YIMBY anticipates work to finish sometime late next year.
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One of the more abused famous buildings in NYC. Nothing remains but the shape. Once again, another reason I’m happy to live in a Landmarked neighborhood.
Seems like a rather underwhelming solution for the perennial problem of what to do with this building. It is the centerpiece of Times Square, indeed, if I am not mistaken, the entire square is named after it, the historic Times Building. Hopefully, it will at least include 3D digital displays, as in Tokyo and elsewhere.
You are not mistaken. Times Square was called Longacre Square before the original IRT made its turn northbound underneath Broadway at 42nd St. Knowing that the intersection would be ideal for newsboys to take bundles of papers and distribute them quickly by using the IRT, which opened in 1904, the NY Times moved from “Publisher’s Row” along Park Row across from City Hall to a new HQ building at the intersection. Longacre Square then became known as Times Square. That part of the original IRT route that ran from the old Grand Central westbound under 42nd St to Broadway became the “Shuttle” when the “H” pattern of the IRT was finished in 1917.
Of course the Times has since moved over down Eighth Avenue.
Love this project. Typically I avoid Times Square, but this will definitely bring me back to check out the different views it will offer.
The roof deck and museum seem like a solid way to reactivate this long forlorn building, but I can’t help but wonder how a restoration of the original 1903 facade might have truly made the project pop. I could imagine it gorgeously lit while still providing ample room for signage.
This is an improvement from what was there. This will be a nice attraction.
All good except the teal racing stripe—I know the 80’s are back, but this isn’t Miami! How about silver/chrome? A band of Swarovski crystals to match The Ball? Ugh, teal…
I’m assuming the teal is just placeholder. That those bands will be LED screens that can accommodate whatever messaging/design they wish.
Wait a minute… this was a
HALF A BILLION $ RENOVATION!?! 😳
Better to have completely demolished what was there, and construct a new building, considering there wasn’t any trace left of the original historic building! 🤔
Just saying…
More money laundering and cronyism
Missed opportunity. Kind of looks like a mass merchandising display. Imagine something structurally innovative that frees up space at the bottom for circulation and lingering, then rising with setbacks to some kind of sculptural crescendo at the top. A new symbol of the city.
It’s freaking Times Square. It doesn’t matter what it looks like because the hole area has been crap from 25 years.
Yes, my mouth dropped at the $500 million renovation. And the new design is kind of a hot mess, but then it’s Times Square.
You do have to wonder just how many more observation platforms with $50 tickets this City can support. Top of the Rock is still my favorite.
Just build a new observation platform on top of the new 175 Park and finally break the record Toronto’s CN Tower Sky Pod holds for tallest observation deck in North America!!
Times Square is now just a collection of large LED screens. The older signs were more interesting to me such as the broad waterfall on top of the Bond clothing store and the smoker who blew rings. I suppose these were too expensive to maintain, but they were still impressive.
To expensive for cheap devs & management
Jungle gym for tourists, avoid like plague