Tower Verre

Tower Verre
Tower Verre as seen from the street.
General information
Status	Approved
Type	Galleries, Hotels, Residential
Location	53 West 53rd Street, Manhattan, New York City, New York U.S.
Owner	Hines[1]
Height
Antenna spire	1,050 ft (320 m)[2][3]
Technical details
Floor count	82[3]
Design and construction
Architect	Jean Nouvel[1]
Developer	Hines[1]

The building would be squeezed between the Financial Times Building on the left and the American Museum of Folk Art on the right.

Tower Verre,^[4] also known as the MoMA Expansion Tower and 53 West 53rd Street, is a supertall skyscraper proposed by the real estate company Hines to rise in midtown Manhattan, New York City adjacent to the Museum of Modern Art.^[1]

The building, designed by Jean Nouvel, initially was proposed to stand 1,250 feet (380 m) tall (the same height as the roof height of the Empire State Building) and contain 82 floors.^[3]

The building has run into considerable opposition focusing on fears that it would cast a shadow over Central Park during the winter and that its mid-block location would create traffic problems.^[5] Furthermore, the building does not have financing.^[6]

The building bought air rights from the University Club of New York and St. Thomas Church.^[7]

On September 9, 2009, the New York City Planning Commission said the building could be built if 200 feet (61 m) were clipped off the top.^[8] The City's decision not to approve Tower Verre as proposed was greeted with disappointment and derision by several prominent architecture critics.^[9][10] The 1,050-foot (320 m) version, was approved by the City Council on October 28, 2009 in a 44-3 vote.^[11]

The building's skin would contain a faceted exterior that tapers to a set of crystalline peaks at the apex of the tower.^[1][12] Due to this, the project is said to be one of the most exciting additions to New York's skyline in a generation.^[1]

The building is planned to host galleries, a 5-star hotel, and luxurious residential apartments. Each floor has 17,000 sq ft (1,600 m²) starting with 40,000 sq ft (3,700 m²) of space at the base.^{[citation needed]} It will use wind power and rain water for everyday needs.^{[citation needed]}

MoMA, which owned the building's 17,000-square-foot (1,600 m²) lot and completed a renovation in 2005, sold the lot to Hines for $125 Million in 2007.

See also

• List of tallest buildings in New York City

References

Coordinates: 40°45′42″N 73°58′43″W / 40.761533°N 73.978477°W / 40.761533; -73.978477