A new 21-story and 196-room hotel is under construction at 30 West 46th Street; the project’s developer is Cambria Suites, which is turning the building into one of its namesake hotels. Kaufman is the architect of record; permits for the site note that SLCE was the previous architect.
30 West 46th Street
An on-site rendering reveals the eventual design, which is typical for new hotel developments in Midtown Manhattan; the bulk of the tower is recessed from the street, breaking what little urban context the block had prior to construction. Exposed HVAC units are also noticeable in the image, and seem to dominate the facade, which is otherwise quite plain; indeed, the presence of HVAC units seems enhanced compared to previous images of the project, posted on Curbed.
Besides the obvious presence of mechanicals on the exterior, there will also be a nine-story protrusion from the building’s mid-sections, which further detracts from the project’s appearance. Even for budget hotels, the aesthetics of 30 West 46th Street look to be bottom of the barrel — and comparing the development to its dingy, low-rise neighbors, the project will be a net detraction.
Extell was originally supposed to develop the site, but sold its stake in the project to Cambria Suites for $30 million back in 2012.
Completion of 30 West 46th Street is expected in April of 2015.
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