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The only sign that a block of brick buildings once existed on the Manhattan property bounded by Madison Avenue, Vanderbilt Avenue, and 42nd and 43rd Streets is a massive pile of rubble. The structures had been wrapped in a black protective netting as top-down demolition was progressing, and with the buildings now gone, a view to Grand Central Terminal has been opened up from the west. It will be a short lived vista for passersby, as a 64-storey supertall readies to rise on this very spot.
SL Green Realty Corporation is behind the giant skyscraper, which takes the form of four interlocking tapering volumes stretching into the sky. The Kohn Pedersen Fox-designed One Vanderbilt is topped by a spire soaring to a height of 462 metres (1,514 feet). At its base, a series of sloped elevations frame a large expanse of glass that faces 42nd Street and permits views of Grand Central's ornate facade. A new transit hall on the northeast corner of the site will integrate the facility with existing transit services in the area.
TD Bank will occupy about 200,000 square feet of space in the building. With the influx of new office space coming to One Vanderbilt, the development is expected to catalyze the investment of other properties in Midtown Manhattan, and with the project's price tag potentially climbing over $3 billion, SL Green is looking for other development partners to help share the cost.
The roof of the tower will surpass that of One World Trade Center and the height of the nearby Chrysler Building. As part of a rezoning agreement covering a five-block stretch, SL Green is spending $220 million to upgrade the subway platforms, enhance connections, and create new links at Grand Central. The skyscraping addition to the skyline is slated for completion in 2021.
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