New York City has been well known for its stunning skyline for nearly a century, the amount of skyscrapers in the city is higher than that of the vast majority of other cities in the world, especially after the recent years' construction boom, which brought many new supertall towers to the city. As of early 2024, the city has 16 buildings taller than 1000ft built, the number is only second to Dubai, which has 26 such buildings, but New York has more 400m+ (1312ft+) buildings.
Aside from those completed towers, New York City also has a large number of skyscrapers under construction or planned, and lots of them are over 300 meters (984ft) tall, which are listed below.
Buildings Under Construction
Currently there are 5 towers above 300 meters or 984 feet under construction in the city:
1. 270 Park Avenue (JPMorgan Chase World Headquarters)
Height: 423 meters (1388 ft) Estimated year built: 2025
Architect: Foster + Partners Architects Developer: JPMorgan Chase
JPMorgan Chase announced in early 2018 that they would demolish the building of their headquarters at 270 Park Avenue, and rebuild a supertall tower on the site. In October 2018, British architecture firm Foster + Partners was chosen to design the tower, the height was reported to be 1400 feet. The demolition permit for the existing building was filed in January 2019, and the demolition works completed in mid 2021. The tower has topped out in February 2024, and is expected to fully complete in 2025 with current pace of progress.
2. Brooklyn Tower (9 Dekalb Avenue)
Standard height: 325 meters
Topped out year: 2022
Architect: SHoP Architects
Developer: JDS Development Group
Also known as 340 Flatbush, the tower will become the first supertall skyscraper in Brooklyn and first supertall outside of Manhattan in the city once completed. The tower is being developed by JDS Development Group, which is the developer behinds the super-skinny 111 West 57th Street, this new tower also features a very skinny shape even it's not to be built in the dense island of Manhattan.
The tower had structurally topped out (not fully topped out) in October 2021, and was given the name Brooklyn Tower. In February 2022, the very top pieces of the crown were installed, making the tower fully top out.
3. The Torch (740 8th Avenue)
Height: 325 meters
Estimated top out year: 2026
Architect: ODA
Developer: Extell
In 2018, a concept of a 1312ft-tall cylindrical tower was published for a plot at the corner of West 45th Street and 8th Avenue in Midtown West, it sparked the interest of Extell, the developer of Central Park Tower and One57, they filed demolition permits for the existing old buildings on the plot in 2019.
The tower proposed by Extell has an unconventional design, it comprises three sections that each has a different function. The lower section of the building with wider floor plates will serve as a hotel, followed by a stem-like middle section, which will serve as a drop ride attraction. The wider section above that will contain an observation deck.
The construction has started in October 2022.
4. 520 Fifth Avenue
Standard height: 305 meters
Estimated top out year: 2025
Architect: Kohn Pedersen Fox
Developer: Rabina Properties
Originally proposed by Ceruzzi Properties as a 920-foot (280m) tower, Rabina Properties took over the project in 2019 and redesigned the tower, the height is increased to 995 feet as revealed in mid 2021, and eventually changed to 1000 feet. The tower will feature many setbacks that are topped with outdoor terraces. The architecture firm behind the design is Kohn Pedersen Fox, which also designed the nearby One Vanderbilt.
The tower will be for mixed use, with offices on the lower floors and residential space on the upper floors.
5. 262 Fifth Avenue
Standard height: 305 meters
Estimated top out year: 2024
Architect: Meganom
Developers: Five Points Development and Kidum Group
The building will become the southernmost supertall tower in Midtown Manhattan, New York. The construction has begun in August 2022.
The buildings listed below are proposed to be built in New York City and construction works on some of them will start soon.
Proposed Buildings
1. Affirmation Tower
Architectural height & Roof height: 507 meters
Estimated built year: unknown
Architect: OMA (new design); Adjaye Associates (former design)
Developers: Peebles Corporation; Exact Capital Group; Witkoff
Affirmation Tower is a 95-story skyscraper proposed to be built next to the Hudson Yards. The tower will be composed of a series of stacked boxes that gradually increase in size with the largest one being on the top, this design is kind of similar to that of BIG's version of Two World Trade Center. The tower will have hotels, offices, and an observation deck on the top.
The tower was then redesigned by OMA, and renderings of the new design was released in March 2024, as shown below.
2. 175 Park Ave
Architectural height & Roof height: 480 meters
Estimated built year: 2030
Architect: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
Developers: RXR Realty and TF Cornerstone
Also known as Project Commodore, this tower will replace the 26-story Grand Hyatt New York, which was originally named The Commodore Hotel. The proposal for the tower was first announced in November 2020, the height was initially planned to be 1646ft (502m), but was reduced to 1575ft (480m) when the project received approval in December 2021.
As the tower is set to replace the current Grand Hyatt hotel, it will contain a new Grand Hyatt on its upper floors, and the middle and lower floors are mostly office space.
175 Park Avenue will stand on the other side of Grand Central Terminal from the 1401-foot-tall One Vanderbilt, and adjacent to the Chrysler Building.
3. Tower Fifth
Architectural & Roof height: 474 meters
Estimated top out year: unknown
Architect: Gensler
Developer: Macklowe Properties
In January 2019, the developer who built the skinny supertall at 432 Park Ave proposed a new supertall to be built in Midtown New York, the new tower would be built in adjacent to the St. Patrick's Cathedral, not far from 432 Park Ave. If built, the tower will surpass Central Park Tower to become the tallest building in New York City by roof height.
Roof height: 437 meters
Estimated top out year: unknown
Architect: unknown, the former design was cancelled
Developer: China Oceanwide Holdings
The original plan for 80 South Street had been cancelled, in 2016 Chinese developer Oceanwide Holdings bought the plot and plans to build a 1438 feet tall tower, much taller than the original design. If built it will become the tallest building in Lower Manhattan by roof height.
5. 350 Park Avenue
Architectural height & Roof height: 411 meters (decreased from the originally planned 442 meters after the removal of the spires)
Estimated top out year: 2030
Architect: Foster + Partners
Developers: Vornado Realty Trust and Rudin Management
Vornado Realty Trust and Rudin Management are planning a joint venture to build a new office tower on Park Avenue. Vornado Realty owns the building on 350 Park Ave, and Rudin Management owns an adjacent building, the two buildings will be demolished to make way for the new tower, which will be leased to a major company under the plan.
6. Two World Trade Center
Standard height: 411 meters
Estimated top out year: unknown
Architect: Norman Foster Developer: Silverstein Properties
Originally designed by Norman Foster, the project got suspended many years ago due to the lack of tenants. In 2015, tenants were once found, and the building was redesigned by Bjarke Ingels Group in response to the needs of tenants, who changed their mind soon and the contract was cancelled at last. After that, the developer Larry Silverstein was also not sure about which design to choose, he said BIG's design was more favored by the prospective tenants, and he himself was leaning to BIG's as well. However, in January 2020, Larry said he has abandoned BIG's design, and was working with Norman Foster for a new design.
The new design of Two World Trade Center was revealed in January 2022, as shown below.
7. Empire Station Complex
Standard height: 396 - 310 meters x 5
Estimated top out year: 2040
Architect: Unknown
Developer: Unknown
The Empire Station Complex is a massive redevelopment project that will transform a bunch of old buildings surrounding Penn Station to 9 office towers, 5 of them will be supertall towers that range from 1,018 to 1,300 feet in height. The project was originally proposed by former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, and is now backed by Governor Kathy Hochul, it will surpass the nearby Hudson Yards to become the largest real estate development project in New York City.
The project requires the demolition of a lot of historic buildings on the planned sites, including a Catholic church with a history of over 150 years, which is located on the planned site of the tallest tower of the project. These supertall towers are expected to take two decades to complete.
8. 15 Penn Plaza
Standard height: 387 meters
Estimated top out year: unknown
Architect: Norman Foster (new design); Cesar Pelli (former design)
Developer: Vornado Realty Trust
Also known as PENN 15 and Vornado Tower, it's now also a part of the proposed Empire Station Complex, but has been proposed for more than a decade. The site of the proposed building is only a few blocks away from the Empire State Building, and with a height much taller than the observation deck of Empire State Building, if built it could make a considerable influence on this iconic skyscraper. For this reason the owner of Empire State Building had ever requested the city council to reject the proposal, but the request was denied and the project got approved, however due to the financial difficulties the construction hasn't begun yet. As of 2024, demolition work on the existing building on the site has completed.
The building was originally designed by Cesar Pelli, and then redesigned by Norman Foster, and the height was increased to 387 meters from the originally proposed 371 meters. The render below shows that it will be comprised of a series of stacked boxes.
9. One Park Lane
Standard height: 369 meters
Estimated top out year: unknown
Architect: Handel Architects
Developer: Witkoff
Located at the south of Central Park on 59th street, the tower will contain 88 condominiums that overlooks the Central Park. The current Park Lane Hotel will be teared down to make space for the tower. At early 2016 the developer announced that the plan for the tower had been put on hold.
10. 41 West 57th Street
Standard height & Roof height: 335 meters
Estimated top out year: 2025
Architect: Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) Developer: Sedesco
This tower will become another supertall tower on 57th Street, it will have 63 floors, to contain 119 residential units and a hotel with 158 rooms. The address of the project, 41 West 57th Street is actually familiar to some people, as a conceptual supertall tower was proposed for the site in as early as 2015, that tower has a very complicated design, with the façade adorned with gold paneling and sculptures of eagles.
The current design of the tower is revealed in June 2021 by OMA. Demolition for the old building on the site was completed in August 2021.
11. 570 Fifth Avenue
Standard height & Roof height: 335 meters
Estimated top out year: 2026
Architect: unrevealed Developer: Extell Development
In December 2021, Extell Development filed plans for an 1,100-foot residential tower at 570 Fifth Avenue. The demolition of the old buildings on the site had started in 2016, and is still not completed as of 2022. If approved, construction would start in 2023 and complete in 2027. The developer also wants to build an office tower as the alternative option, the office tower would only rise to 860 feet under the zoning. Building the office tower will be viable only if they can find an anchored tenant, which can be quite difficult, so they are more likely to build the supertall residential tower.
12. 45 Broad Street
Standard height: 335 meters
Estimated top out year: Unknown, project on hold
Architect: CetraRuddy
Developer: Madison Equities & Pizzarotti Group
This is a pure residential tower located in downtown, unlike those luxury condo towers in 57th street of Midtown, this tower is intended to provide affordable residences catering to entry and mid level buyers.
13. 343 Madison Avenue
Standard height & Roof height: 320 meters
Estimated top out year: 2025
Architect: Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates Developer: Boston Properties
This office tower is being developed near the newly-built One Vanderbilt, to replace a historic building that once housed the Metropolitan Transportation Authority headquarters. The developer is Boston Properties, which is best known for developed Salesforce Tower, the tallest building in San Francisco. The architects is Kohn Pedersen Fox, the same architectural firm that designed One Vanderbilt. The tower will have several setbacks with outdoor terraces, and the top area will feature an encased green space with many trees.
Like that of One Vanderbilt, the tower will also be directly connected to Grand Central Terminal via subterranean paths. Demolition for the existing building on the site has begun and construction of the tower is expected to begin in 2022.
14. Hudson Yards Phase II Supertall
Standard height: 300 to 400 meters
Estimated top out year: unknown
Architect: unknown
Developer: Related Companies and Oxford Properties
Hudson Yards Phase 2 is planned to be developed on the west side of Phase 1, to cover the remaining exposed rail yards. The project includes 8 buildings, and at least one of them will be a supertall tower.
15. 145 East 60th Street
Standard height: 305 meters
Estimated top out year: unknown
Architect: Archilier Architecture
Developer: Kuafu Properties
The site of project is situated on 60th street, the building will be the northernmost supertall skyscraper on Manhattan Island.
16. 247 Cherry Street
Standard height: Above 305 meters
Roof height: 305 meters
Estimated top out year: unknown
Architect: SHoP Architects
Developer: JDS Development Group
Again, the developer behind this supertall project near lower Manhattan is JDS Development Group, the same developer that developed Brooklyn Tower and 111 West 57th Street, and again the SHoP Architects is chosen to design the tower. When first proposed in April 2016 it was designed to be merely a 900-foot building, then the height got bumped to 1000 feet in the end of June 2016, making it a new supertall proposal for New York City.
17. 3 Hudson Boulevard
Standard height & Roof height: 301 meters
Estimated top out year: unknown
Architect: FXFOWLE Architects Developers: Boston Properties and Moinian Group
Also known by its former name as Girasole, it's a supertall office building proposed to be built next to Hudson Yards, construction started in 2017, but has been halted for a few years.
18. 989-993 Sixth Ave
Height: Above 300 meters
Estimated top out year: unknown
Architect: undecided
Developer: Isaac Chetrit and Ray Yadidi
After 15 Penn Plaza, this building is another new supertall that will be located in close proximity to the Empire State Building, only a few hundred meters north of it.
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