A building most people think is part of Rockefeller Center will not be growing in the middle just yet. On Tuesday, the Landmarks Preservation Commission did not approve an application to expand two floors of individual landmark 75 Rockefeller Plaza.
Developer Boris Aronov has received the green light to demolish the five-story, seven-unit mixed-use building at 41 West 47th Street and the seven-story commercial building at 43 West 47th Street, in Midtown. No new building applications have been filed with the Department of Buildings, nor has the developer disclosed their plans for the site, DNAinfo reports. As is, the two-property development assemblage could accommodate up to 60,240 square feet of mixed-use development. A future development could include up to 50,200 square feet of residential space with a commercial component, or could take the form of a hotel or office building. Before the structures can be demolished, multiple commercial-retail tenants, in addition to possibly multiple residential tenants, must vacant the properties.
Back in 2014, Thor Equities and General Growth Properties were in contract to acquire the four-story, 21,837-square-foot commercial-retail building at 220 West 57th Street, in Midtown. Now, the developers are expecting to close on the property – an individual landmark dubbed the Society House of the American Society of Civil Engineers – for $85 million in June, according to The Real Deal. Its existing tenant, Lee’s Art Shop, is in the process of moving out, probably in time for the sale, DNAinfo reports. The new owners plan to renovate the building into luxury retail space. Any exterior alterations to the building will have to be approved by the Landmarks Preservation Commission. The property comes with 104,160 square feet of air rights.
Earlier this week, YIMBY reported on applications to expand, by five stories, the 20-story, 115,000-square-foot multi-use commercial building at 685 Fifth Avenue, located on the corner of East 54th Street in Midtown. It was previously reported that Michael Shvo was in contract to acquire, from property owners General Growth Properties and Thor Equities, 90,000 square feet of office space (the entire office portion). That deal has since fallen through, and now, Gulaylar Group is in contract for the office space, according to The Real Deal. As part of the deal, the new owner will also develop the five-story office expansion. The sale is expected to close later this year. The lower portion of the building is currently undergoing a retail redevelopment. Its 23,400 square feet was leased to Coach in February and will become the retailer’s flagship store.
In January, news broke that Cornell Realty Management was planning a four-story, 35,000-square-foot retail building at 257-263 West 34th Street, in the Garment District section of Midtown. Now, the developer has filed applications for the project with the Department of Buildings. The structure will actually measure 28,130 square feet above grade and will feature retail space on the cellar through the fourth floors. The fourth floor will also features an upper mezzanine level that that will be utilized as retail space. Michael Even’s NoMad-based ME Architect is the architect of record. The 44-foot-wide assemblage is currently occupied by three unrecognizably altered four-story commercial buildings. Demolition permits were filed in March to knock them down.
