Proposed: One Madison Avenue - by Daniel Libeskind

**TREPYE** · September 22nd, 2007, 12:31 PM

Originally Posted by lofter1

Streetscapes / Metropolitan Life at 1 Madison Avenue

The outside of the tower was stripped of its the marble quoining, arcades, brackets, balconies and other decorative details.

On the tower itself, only the decorative rim of the clock remained; the pyramidal roof and cupola were rebuilt in a simplified imitation of the original. At a distance, the tower does not appear dramatically changed, but close up it looks like any plain 1960's office building.

According to a 1962 article in The New York Times the company contended that the "ornamental details make the structure look much smaller than its actual height." Other publications indicated a desire to have the tower "match" the modern building on 23d Street.

This occurred when the preservation movement in New York was just forming, and Henry Hope Reed, the classicist and architectural historian, remembers the work as "a disaster -- but the stupidity current at the time." He says that around the same time the New York Life Insurance Company, two blocks north, ripped out and discarded a sumptuous room designed by McKim, Mead & White.

Copyright 2007 The New York Times Company

What a dark/dreary era the 60's was for NYC architecture....so much irreparable damge done. You could write a book of all of the architectural disasters commited in that decade. When you put it all together (Penn Station, Singer, Chase plaza, this, etc, etc...) it its amazing to think about all that went on.

**londonlawyer** · September 26th, 2007, 07:20 AM

1 MAD. AVE. A TALL ORDER
COULD BECOME 900-FOOT TOWER September 26, 2007 -- A new residential tower being considered for 1 Madison Ave. could become the city's tallest apartment building.

We've learned that Elad Properties, which is redeveloping the Plaza Hotel and residences, has an agreement with SL Green Realty Corp. to use SLG's more than 400,000 feet of air rights to construct a 74-story tower on top of the 1.2 million-foot, 14-story building in which investment bank Credit Suisse both has an interest and its offices. Daniel Liebeskind is the architect.

But don't get Elad's development plans confused with the 41-story adjacent building to its north. Though that tower, which is better known as the landmarked Clock Tower, once had the address 1 Madison Ave., it was renamed 5 Madison Ave. after it was sold to Africa-Israel for $200 million, with plans to develop the site into residential units.

We're sure right now that Africa-Israel's Lev Leviev is steaming that his rival, Yitzhak Tshuva, and Tshuva's local boss, Micki Naftali, will be dwarfing his own scheme.

The two buildings, together known as the Met Life Building, comprise 1.93 acres and take up the entire block bounded by 23rd and 24th streets and Madison and Park Avenue South, but the Clock Tower itself takes up just the corner of Madison and 24th Street.

Israeli press reports said that Elad would spend $450 million to create the new 900-foot-tall building overlooking Madison Square Park.

Elad issued a statement clarifying other erroneous reports that claimed city approvals were in place. "Any discussion of a potential development at 1 Madison Avenue is highly premature. It is in its earliest concept phase and no decisions have been made about any aspect of the potential development," the company said in its statement.

**Derek2k3** · September 26th, 2007, 09:22 AM

I think this proposal is different from the Libeskind tower blurb we heard about months ago. That tower was for Lower Manhattan, with views of the SOL, and seemed further along in the process than what they're hinting at in this article.

**Alonzo-ny** · September 26th, 2007, 07:59 PM

Originally Posted by londonlawyer

But don't get Elad's development plans confused with the 41-story adjacent building to its north. Though that tower, which is better known as the landmarked Clock Tower, once had the address 1 Madison Ave., it was renamed 5 Madison Ave. after it was sold to Africa-Israel for $200 million, with plans to develop the site into residential units.

WHAT?! This just confuses me more, isnt credit suiss in the building NORTH of the clock tower?

**lofter1** · September 26th, 2007, 08:26 PM

Read ^^^ please:

.. the 41-story adjacent building to its north. Though that tower, which is better known as the landmarked Clock Tower ...

**Alonzo-ny** · September 26th, 2007, 09:56 PM

Ie the building in question is to the south of the clock tower, BUT the building to the north has credit suiss signs in the base so that is what confuses me. Is Credit suiss in the south building and the north with the clock tower in the middle?

**londonlawyer** · September 26th, 2007, 10:40 PM

Originally Posted by alonzo-ny

.... Is Credit suiss in the south building and the north with the clock tower in the middle?

I believe so.

**Scraperfannyc** · October 2nd, 2007, 01:25 AM

This is really exciting news. A 900 foot residential being designed by a great architect that is planned to be built in an area that appears not to have a whole lot of nimbys.

I can't wait for this and Gerhy in the financial district to get going.

**TREPYE** · October 5th, 2007, 12:01 AM

This project does not excite me as much as it should. The area around Madison Park should be zoned for low rises. There is no need to drown the historic Metlife building and along with the ESB as it provides one of the most special, dramatic and exciting views of NYC from Brooklyn [Heights], and its bridge. I know its not a good reason but I would really hate to lose this:

^ One of the few times you will find such a perfect alignment of things that go so beautfully and contextually together; and also so accessible to everyone in NYC to enjoy.

**CHAPINM1** · October 5th, 2007, 02:46 AM

Nothing I hate worse, there always has to be one to spoil the party...

"NYC is a city of skyscrapers, a city of towers."

Don't forget that...

**ZippyTheChimp** · October 5th, 2007, 05:08 AM

I didn't know Trepye lived at Madison Park.

**TREPYE** · October 5th, 2007, 10:28 AM

Originally Posted by CHAPINM1

Nothing I hate worse, there always has to be one to spoil the party...

"NYC is a city of skyscrapers, a city of towers."

Don't forget that...

I never did. But is it so terrible to desire a little selectivity on where they are put.

Originally Posted by ZippyTheChimp

I didn't know Trepye lived at Madison Park.

WHOOSH!!!

There goes that banana peel.

No, I live in Brooklyn and I visit the Brooklyn Heights promenade and Brooklyn Bridge regularly where I go to enjoy those views.

Again, I never said it was a good reason but nonetheless it is how I feel... also know as an opinion.

**Derek2k3** · October 26th, 2007, 12:39 AM

**londonlawyer** · December 2nd, 2008, 10:06 AM

Libeskind's Madison Ave. Tower Revealed: It's a Hover Tube!

Tuesday, December 2, 2008, by Joey

When it was reported last year that starchitect Daniel Libeskind was planning a massive residential skyscraper for developer Elad Properties on top of 1 Madison Avenue, it set off many worldwide press reports filled with rumors and erroneous information (adding confusion: the Clocktower is actually 3 Madison Avenue; the 60-story skyscraper being built nearby is One Madison Park). A Curbed reader even felt compelled to create that helpful graphic to explain that Libeskind was targeting the 14-story annex building to the landmark Clocktower. Amidst all the speculation, Libeskind never ponied up the goods, instead speaking of the tower only in elliptical references. This week's New York magazine finally reveals a glimpse of Libeskind's Madison Avenue design, and though the credit crunch has sapped some interest in the project, holy crap look at that thing! The 54-story condo—built on columns and hovering over the existing building—would top out at over 900 feet (the Clocktower is 700' tall, One Madison Park is just over 600'). Oh, and it's totally tubular.

The glass-curtained tube has cutaways spiraling up and around the facade, which are filled with sky gardens and private balconies. According to Libeskind, "We've taken space away [from the apartments] to create the gardens. It's as if nature has come back into the city." Very expensive and exclusive nature, of course—just like Mother Earth intended! This will most likely never get built, but according to an Elad spokesman, "The assumption is that by the time construction starts, we're going to be looking at a different economy." They just need to hope that all those Russians and top celebrities aren't tapped out by then. Apparently there's more information and diagrams in Libeskind's new book Counterpoint, so if anyone has it in their possession (we don't make hardcover money) send us a scan or two at tips@curbed.com.
· Green Dreams on Madison Square [NYM]
· LibeskindWatch: Views Safe, Developers Snippy [Curbed]
· Elad Has Deal for One Madison's Air Rights? [Curbed]