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Over the past seven years, more than 30,000 hotel rooms were built in New York City, and an additional 6,000 will be added to the city's inventory in 2016. 370 of these will be located at 215 Chrystie Street in Manhattan's Bowery neighbourhood. Southeast of the intersection of Houston and Bowery, developer The Witkoff Group is currently erecting a new mixed-use tower that will eventually host a Public Hotel across the lower portion of the building, topped by 11 exclusive residences.
Designed by Swiss architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron Architecten in collaboration with Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners, 215 Chrystie is now approaching completion. At 96 metres above ground level, the concrete and glass tower will soon become one of the area's newest landmarks. Indeed, as seen in the picture above, the concrete and glass exterior of the slender edifice highly contrasts with the surrounding brick buildings. Just across the street from Roosevelt Park, the recently topped-out tower is now in the process of being sealed off from the elements with a blue-tinted glazing that is still rare in the neighbourhood.
For integration within the streetscape and privacy, the glass panels lean slightly upwards. This technique allows for the floor-to-ceiling window panes to directly mirror the sky to prevent the passersby from seeing through the bays during the bay. The aluminium frames around each window add further interest to the raw concrete that defines the architecture of the building. In comparison to the glassy and mineral aspect of 215 Chrystie, the entrance to the building will be defined by a private green space where both hotel guests and residents can access their respective entrances.
The 32-level edifice is scheduled for completion this year. Additional images and information about the project can be found in the Database file linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion or share your photos? Check out the associated Forum thread — where more construction photos are available — or leave a comment at the bottom of this page.
