In the six months since our last update, progress has been moving along nicely at the site of One Manhattan Square, a 68-storey condo tower currently on the rise along the edge of the East River in Lower Manhattan.

One Manhattan Square on the rise, image by Forum contributor towerpower123

Designed by Toronto-based Adamson Associates for the NYC-based Extell Development Company, One Manhattan Square was conceived as a mixed-use, 815-unit condo tower, which will be accompanied by a much shorter affordable housing component comprising 200 units. 

Future home of One Manhattan Square's affordable housing addition, image by Forum contributor towerpower123

Set to go up adjacent to the main tower, the 13-storey affordable housing edifice, designed by Dater Architects, will be accessed by a separate entrance, in a move that the development's many local critics have labelled as being tantamount to the creation of a "poor door." The massive luxury tower also caused controversy when construction began, as it is located in the midst of the traditionally low-income Two Bridges district of Lower Manhattan, and wiped out a beloved local grocer whose low prices reflected the needs of the neighbourhood. 

One Manhattan Square's signature footprint will allow for ample natural light, image by Forum contributor towerpower123

Those in favour of the project have pointed to the tower's unique architectural attributes and footprint, including the two conjoined rectangles that make up the luxury tower. Residents of the taller tower will enjoy sweeping skyline and river views. 

View from the top, One Manhattan Square, image via Adamson Associates

Rising from a common five-storey retail podium, One Manhattan Square will boast more than 320,000 square feet of amenity space, including a private garage, 70-seat theatre, basketball court, bowling alley, sauna, swimming pool, and rock climbing gym. For families, there will be a treehouse and play room, along with several outdoor play areas and landscaped spaces available to residents both at ground level and on the private access rooftop terrace. While it is currently unclear how access to these amenities will be divided between the two buildings, it is likely that the breakdown will contribute to the controversy surrounding the project.

Podium level, One Manhattan Square, image by Forum contributor towerpower123

With completion slated for 2019, there is still a considerable amount of work to be done, as the tower has only reached approximately one third of its final height. Once complete, One Manhattan Square will represent the changing landscape of the traditionally low-income Lower East Side, and test the waters for what one can only imagine will be the first among many such projects to come to the area over the next few years as prices within Manhattan continue to soar. 

SkyriseCities will be sure to return to this project as progress continues. For more information, check out the associated Database file and Forum thread, and as always, feel free to join the conversation in the comments section below.