550 Madison Avenue

Snøhetta’s Glass Roof and Steel Canopy for 550 Madison Avenue Takes Shape in Midtown East, Manhattan

8:00 am on August 30, 2021 By Michael Young

Work is progressing on the renovation of 550 Madison Avenue, a 684-foot-tall commercial skyscraper in Midtown East, with construction underway on Snøhetta‘s triple-height steel-framed glass canopy over its new public garden. Designed by Philip Johnson and John Burgee, the 37-story Postmodern landmark opened in 1984 and is undergoing a 21,000-square-foot overhaul led by The Olayan Groupand RXR Realty that will yield a new café, elevated and ground-level landscaping, expanded seating with additional tables, and public restrooms. AECOM Tishman is the general contractor, Gensler is designing the lobby space, Orange County Ironworks is the steel fabricator, and Gabriel Steel Erectors is assembling the steel over a rectangular space on the western side of 550 Madison Avenue that spans between East 55th and 56th Streets.

View North within the public garden. Photo credit: Snøhetta and MOARE

Public Garden Approved at 550 Madison Avenue in Midtown East

7:30 am on January 11, 2020 By Sebastian Morris

This week, the City Planning Commission approved 550 Madison Avenue‘s Snøhetta-designed gardens. The public space surrounding the iconic Midtown East office tower will measure 21,000 square feet and include a café, elevated and ground-level landscaping, expanded seating and additional tables, and public bathrooms.

The Olayan Group Reveals Snøhetta-Designed Public Spaces at 550 Madison Avenue in Midtown East

7:30 am on December 21, 2019 By Sebastian Morris

Snøhetta’s award-winning design studio has transformed the surrounding public spaces at 550 Madison Avenue in East Midtown, Manhattan. The new garden area will increase existing public open space to more than 21,000 square feet with the addition of a café, new planters, seating, and public bathrooms.

Gensler Reveals Renderings of the Redesign of Philip Johnson’s 550 Madison Avenue in Midtown East

7:30 am on October 26, 2019 By Sebastian Morris

Gensler and The Olayan Group have revealed renderings of the dramatic renovation and modernization of 550 Madison Avenue. The iconic 647-foot-tall commercial skyscraper is located in Midtown East and was originally completed by architects Philip Johnson and John Burgee in 1984.

Snøhetta Returns to LPC with Updated Proposals to Renovate Manhattan’s Iconic 550 Madison Avenue

7:30 am on January 15, 2019 By Sebastian Morris

Updated proposals for the renovation and redesign of 550 Madison Avenue contain exciting new details on Snøhetta’s vision for the landmarked structure. This most recent batch of documents is dated January 15, 2019, and includes a selection of new renderings, floor plans, and specifications of proposed building materials. The documents will go before the LPC for review later today.

Snøhetta and the Olayan Group Return to LPC with Scaled-Back Proposal for 550 Madison’s Renovation

7:30 am on December 11, 2018 By Sebastian Morris

Developers will again appear before the Landmarks Preservation Commission seeking approvals to renovate and redesign 550 Madison Avenue. This follows impassioned NIMBY outcry against the original proposal.

Developer Abandons Plans for Hotel-Condo Conversion of 37-Story Sony Tower, Midtown

6:00 am on April 26, 2016 By Reid Wilson

Last month, the Chetrit Group began converting the 37-story, 855,000-square-foot Sony Tower – the office building at 550 Madison Avenue, between East 55th and 56th streets, in Midtown – into 113 condominiums, a 170-key hotel, and 25,451 square feet of retail space. Now, Olayan America (the U.S. branch of Saudi Arabia-based Olayan Group), with minority investor Chelsfield, is in contract to acquire the tower for more than $1.3 billion, according to The Real Deal, officially stopping the project in its tracks. The new owners will not follow through with the conversion and will lease the building as office space. Chetrit is selling the building, most likely because of the cooling ultra-luxury residential market, for at least $200 million more than what they payed for it in 2013. The soon-to-be new owners have secured $300 million in mezzanine debt and a $600 million mortgage for the acquisition. The sale is expected to close in May.

25,000 Square-Feet Of Retail Planned In Hotel-Condo Conversion Of Sony Tower, 550 Madison Avenue, Midtown

3:00 pm on January 12, 2016 By Reid Wilson

Early last month, the first rendering surfaced of Chetrit Group’s planned hotel-condo conversion of the 37-story, 855,000 square-foot office building at 550 Madison Avenue, between East 55th and 56th Streets in Midtown. Sony Tower’s 14th through 20th floors will be converted into a 170-key and will be operated by Oetker Collection Masterpiece Hotels. The 21st through 43rd floors will be converted into 113 condominiums, but Real Estate Weekly now has details on the three stories of redesigned retail at the bottom of the building. The retail space, formerly occupied by Sony, will measure 25,451 square feet in total and will be split into four separate leases. Robert A.M. Stern is designing, and completion of the conversion is expected in early 2018.

First Look At Hotel-Condo Conversion Of 37-Story Sony Tower At 550 Madison Avenue, Midtown

10:00 am on December 3, 2015 By Reid Wilson

Back in 2013, Chetrit Group acquired the 37-story, 855,000 square-foot office building at 550 Madison Avenue, between East 55th and 56th Streets in Midtown, for $1.1 billion. Now the developer has released a partial rendering and details of the planned conversion of the building known as Sony Tower and previously the AT&T Building, per Curbed. Floors 21 through 43 will be converted into 113 condominiums and the lower portion of the building will contain a 170-key hotel, featuring 60 suites and a slew of amenities. Robert A.M. Stern Architects is designing, and completion is expected in early 2018. The Philip Johnson-designed tower originally opened in 1984.

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