Penn Station is officially moving forward with a $1.6 billion revamp after reaching a financial deal announced Governor Andrew Cuomo. The project includes redeveloping the James A. Farley Post Office into the Moynihan Train Hall and is a joint venture between Empire State Development, The Related Companies, Vornado and Skanska, who have committed $1.2 billion to the project. The MTA, Port Authority and Amtrak have committed an additional $420 million. The Related Companies, Port Authority and Amtrak will lease and operate 700,000 SF of commercial and retail space. The project will also include a 255,000 SF train hall and a 92-foot skylight to pay homage to the original Penn Station. The new station will be designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill. “Fifty years after the loss of the original Penn Station structure, passengers will once again experience a world-class rail hub worthy of New York,” said Governor Cuomo. Construction will start soon with an expected completion in 2020.
Tommy Hilfiger to Keep Penthouse at Plaza Hotel, Pulls Listing for $58.9 Million
Tommy Hilfiger has decided to keep his duplex penthouse at The Plaza after a 10-year on and off again effort to sell the condo. It was just previously listed for $58.9 million before he cancelled the listing, also seeing listing for $50 million, $80 million, $75 million and $69 million between 2008 and 2017 produce no buyers at the desired asking price. The highly-styled unit is 5,600 SF and features 4 bedrooms, a gourmet kitchen, "New York Times" old-style office, "dome room" breakfast area, and prime views of Central Park. The penthouse was most previously listed with Douglas Elliman.
Check out Tommy Hilfiger's Golden Beach, Florida pad which he has listed for $27.5 million.
Construction Update: 53W53 Designed by Jean Nouvel Nears 50% Completion
53W53, formerly known as The MoMA Tower and designed by Pritzker Prize winning architect Jean Nouvel, continues to cruise through construction in Midtown as the building has passed the 35th floor. When complete, 53W53 will rise 82-floors, meaning construction is near the 50% complete mark. The supertall is under development by Hines, Pontiac Land Group and Goldman Sachs. The tower will top out next year at 1,050-feet in 2018. It will mark 3 years since the late 2014 ground breaking and September 2015 sales launch. Hines aims to delivery 53W53 in early 2019.
53W53 will feature 145 condominiums priced between $3.17 million and $50.0 million. Interiors will be designed by Theirry Despont and will included luxurious features include statuary marble countertops and backlit backsplashes, heated Verona limestone slab floors in the bathrooms, and Noir St. Laurent marble, Peruvian golden travertine walls and 4-inch solid American Oak floors. Amenities include concierge, doorman, staffed elevator operator, cleaning service, state-of-the-art fitness center, pool, valet parking and wine cellar. The building is joined with the Museum of Modern Art, in which owners will receive a complimentary membership too. MoMA originally sold the land to Hines in 2006 for $126 million. The museum will have gallery space in 53W53 covering floors 2-5.
Moxy Hotel Times Square Releases Renderings of Yabu Pushelberg Designed Rooms
Moxy Hotel Times Square has released renderings of their trendy rooms, which have been designed by famed interior designer Yabu Pushelberg. The Moxy Hotel Times Square, which is being developed by Lightstone, will be the first New York City location for the millennial-focused Marriott subsidiary. Moxy Hotels offer small guest rooms with suite style, communal spaces. Room sizes range from 120 SF to 350 SF. The Moxy Hotel Times Square will feature 612 hotel rooms and will be located at 485 Seventh Avenue between 36h and 37th Streets. The Yabu Pushelberg designed rooms were designed with inspiration from ocean liners. The hotel will also feature a 5,000 SF restaurant operated by Tao Group. Room rates will range from $200 to the mid $400's. There will be another Moxy Hotel located on 28th Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues which will open in 2018 and is also being developed by Lightstone as well as another location on East 11th Street which will open in 2019.
"A Few Good Ones Left" at Robert A.M. Stern's 220 Central Park South Including $80 Million Duplex
“We have a few good ones left,” announced Vornado Realty Trust’s chairman Steven Roth of the unit availability at 220 Central Park South in his annual letter to investors. Information on the availability of another unit at the Robert A.M. Stern designed, limestone encassed supertall, comes as an $80 million duplex on the 8th floor. It marks yet another quietly marketed, non publicly-listed unit from 220 Central Park South, being developed by Vornado on what has become known as Billionaire's Row. Vornado chairman Steven Roth has been personally screening prospective buyers. The duplex a 6-bedroom, 7-bathroom layout over close to 7,911 SF with an additional 1,095 SF of outdoor space. The 8th floor duplex is in what is considered the "Villas" part of the building at 220 Central Park South, which is separate from the supertall condo tower and "Penthouse" units. The listing comes in at $10,112 SF.
Other high-profile, utlra-luxe offerings from 220 Central Park include the $250 million, 4-floor, quadriplex which is being looked at by hedge fund billionaire Ken Griffin on the buildings 50-53 floors. The massive unit would come in at around 23,000 SF and and around $10,869 SF. There are two other units in the "Penthouse" collection asking north of $100 million. Penthouse 73, a 9,817 SF unit, is asking $100 million, at $10,186 SF; and Penthouse 76, a 8,978 SF unit which is listed for $108 million, equating to $12,029 SF. 220 Central Park South will ultimately feature 116 units over 69-floors and feature a total sell-out of $3.17 billion.
The Former Rendering of 3 Sutton Place by Foster + Partners
Gamma Real Estate Hires Thomas Juul-Hansen to Design 3 Sutton Place
Gamma Real Estate has hired Danish architect Thomas Juul-Hansen to design their new Midtown East skyscraper at the 3 Sutton Place site. The project they have chosen to move forward with is a 700-foot, 67-story condo tower. Gamma Real Estate closed on the $98 million deal last week, which included $86 million for the site and $12 million for air rights. They have since demolished the three tenement buildings that were on the 58th street property.
Central Park Tower Now On Rise on Billionaires' Row, Completion Estimated 2019
Extell's Central Park Tower is now on the rise on Billionaires' Row, with an estimated completion date of 2019. Developer Gary Barnett reported that Extell had secured $168 million in EB-5 funds for Central Park Tower, bringing them closer to the $1.2 billion in total funding the project is estimated to cost. Up to $340 million can be raised via EB-5 funds. Extell also brought in SMI USA, the US subsidiary of Shanghai Municipal Investment, as co-developers on the project. The supertall condominium is located at 225 West 57th street and will rise 1,550 feet. Sales will launch in late 2017, contrary to neighbor 111 West 57th Street, which has pushed their sales launch for their tower until 2018. Central Park Tower will be designed by Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture, the same team who designed Dubai's Burj Khalifa (2,722 feet), and the world’s future tallest tower, Jeddah Tower (3,307 feet) in Saudi Arabia. The building will feature a 7-story Nordstrom as the feature tenant of the ground floor retail tower.
Hedge Fund & Asset Management Titans Moving to Related Companies' 55 Hudson Yards
Daniel Loeb’s $15B hedge fund Third Point will join Steven Cohen's Point 72 Asset Management at Related Companies’ 55 Hudson Yards. Point 72 signed a letter of intent for 175,000 SF on six floors while Third Point has reserved the top 2 or 3 floors totaling 60,000 - 90,000 SF. 55 Hudson Yards is a 51-story office building built by Related Companies and is designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox. Pricing is between $90-$150 SF and the building will be completed in 2019.
Preview the Over-The-Top Amenities Coming to Rockwell Group & Diller Scofidio + Renfro Designed 15 Hudson Yards
The Rockwell Group and Diller Scofidio + Renfro designed 15 Hudson Yards from developers Related Companies and Oxford Property Group, features no sacrifices when it comes to luxury and an elevated living experience for residents. The developers have dedicated the 50th and 51st floors to be amenities including a 75-foot swimming pool, 3,500 SF fitness center, yoga studio, spa, sound-proof screening rooms, billiards, lounge, private dining rooms, wine storage, a golf simulator and the Atelier, a high-end co-working/ business center space. The building will also feature a High Line level lounge and a rooftop lounge with a fireplace, seating areas and dining space for 18 people. 15 Hudson Yards is the first residential building at the Hudson Yards development. The building will be an 88-story glass condo tower with units ranging from 1 to 4 bedrooms and start at $3.785 million ranging up to $32 million. 15 Hudson Yards is over 25% sold with 75 of the 285 luxury residences having sold for an average price of just under $5 million.
432 Park Avenue 81st Floor Asking $44.75 Million
After the 80th floor went under contract for $44.25 million, the 81st floor 432 Park Avenue has hit the market for $44.75 million. The supertall is under development from Macklowe and CIM Group and was designed by Rafael Viñoly. The 81st floor unit is 5,421 SF over 4 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms and features views of Central Park and Midtown Manhattan from high-above with all of the finest finishes. The 88th floor has previously closed for $60.89 million and the 85th floor at $65.6 million.
Kushner Companies Explores Bringing Zaha Hadid Skyscraper to 666 Fifth Av
One of the world's premier address', 666 Fifth Avenue has been shrouded with uncertainty as the Kushner Companies look for a large cash infusion to renovate the aging, yet iconic building. Everything from Jared Kushner's new role as a senior top advisor to President Donald Trump to the cashflow issues on the property have caused snags and confusion. Last week it appeared they had struck a deal with Anbang Insurance Group in order to help reconstruct the building into a supertall tower designed by Zaha Hadid, although talks have seemed to stall. Kushner Companies plans to move ahead with their plan to build a Zaha Hadid designed supertall at 666 Fifth Avenue with Anbang on board or not. The new proposed tower would be 1,400 SF tall and would require stripping the current structure down to the inner steel core at points to add an additional 40 floors. The project would include ultra-luxury condos which would sell for up to $6,000 SF, a hotel and over 500,000 SF of retail. Construction is expected to begin in 2019 pending the financing is sorted out and completion could be as early as 2025.