8 Spruce Street - Beekman Tower - by Frank Gehry

[Sherpa]

Of course back-and-forths are WNY commonplace, but the amount of name calling going on here definitely is not typical.



Do you find it to be butt-ugly because of its architecture, or for what it did to the skyline half a century ago? It always amazes me to hear such venom spewed its way (obviously I'm not talking about just you now, BL), because I find it to be one of the most handsome postwar skyscrapers put up anywhere in the world. Maybe it's simply a difference in tastes, but I get the impression that most people who loathe it feel that way due to its infamous role in history rather than because of any poor design qualities.

from today.. they have been cleaning and polishing the facade for a month or so...

[Alonzo-ny]

I like the tower. There were many more skyline killers than just this one building.

[ZippyTheChimp]

[BrooklynLove]

I like the tower. There were many more skyline killers than just this one building.

How do you feel about the 5 or so block row of massive rectangles on Sixth Ave near 50th Street?

[Derek2k3]

Taken 7 days ago.


wsifrancis

Also note the progreess on BBP.

[Alonzo-ny]

How do you feel about the 5 or so block row of massive rectangles on Sixth Ave near 50th Street?

Not so great!

[BrooklynLove]

In my view the Chase building isn't drastically different from the buildings in that row. Its facade sets it apart somewhat but there is no overcoming the damage its hulking rectangular form does to the neighboring slender ornate towers to the South and North.

That being said I have greater disdain for the awful 55 Water Street. Somedays I wish that it would just fall into the river.

[rmannion]

2009-01-22:



http://www.ardiem.org/images/wny/983.jpg

http://www.ardiem.org/images/wny/987.jpg

[Alonzo-ny]

The brick looks alot paler than the renders. I liked the dark contrast to the metallic facade.

[antinimby]

Just about every modern building (post 1950) seen in this picture is pretty much garbage except for 17 State Street.

Sad.


1/23/2009



hauchyi

[ItstheBeat]

This building already has a huge presence.
I was at a meeting on the 17th floor of a building on the west side of city hall park yesterday and couldn't help but notice how big it is already.
I was distracted thinking about how prominent it will be and thats not even counting the undulating metallic skin which will give it that extra burst of gleam.
Very excited to watch this one grow.

[BrooklynLove]

At a certain point in the morning I get a blinding glare from the reflection off of the partially skinned GS POS - which is slowly but surely vanishing behind Mr. Beek. I can't even begin to imagine what kind of glare the Beek is going to cause in my livingroom. It's all good though.

[meesalikeu]

lol -- willya look at how the beaver glows in the first aerial?! my gawd.

any thoughts on the 'skin' of beekman? do you think it will be better than the wacky all-metallic cladding we see on this one on 10th ave/w24th st? how so?





^ ps -- i took these pics yesterday

[antinimby]

Starting to show up in the view of Downtown from Midtown...


hauchyi

[treebeard]

2 more and they will start working on what looks to be a double, then the setback.

The 38th floor will be 20 ft. high. It's another mechanicals floor ( similar to 6 ) and they say it will take 6 weeks to complete.