400 Fifth Avenue @ 36th St - Setai Hotel and Condo - by Gwathmey Siegel & Associates

[Fabrizio]

heavy and kind of nude.

( that street level corner looks nice though)

[jeffpark]

the new owners should BUY the building next door to the north at
"404 Fifth Avenue" from the Chetrit Family and make one lage Blockfront development site along 5th Avenue from 36th to 37th Street

404 Fifth Ave.
New York, NY </B>

[londonlawyer]

That's a very nice building. No one should raze it.

[pianoman11686]

I really like the building's appearance as a whole. It's very solid-looking, unlike the vast majority of post-war highrises. I'm not worried about the top either: think about how many new residentials have completely botched the top with a half-assed attempt to hide the mechanicals. At least this one does it with some style.

The one major complaint: what's with the slanted windows?

[antinimby]

Looks like that last rendering will not be the final version.

What a shame.

That rounded corner is what I liked best because it's a change of pace from the usual squared corner on most buildings in this city.

...but were critical of the curved corner of the base of the planned new tower as not being “harmonious.”

Charles Gwathmey, the architect, told the commission near the end of the hearing that he was thinking in the past week of “reworking” the corner.

Roger Lang, speaking for The New York Landmarks Conservancy, found the base’s curved corner a “distraction,”

[sfenn1117]

Gwathmey-Siegel's website has been updated:

Looks like the rounded corner has been changed, and it is less dramatic now. However, while it's a conventional and traditional design, I still think it is top notch and has excellent massing, and a nice crown. It will fit in so much better than 325 5th.













http://www.gwathmey-siegel.com/portf...?job_id=200604

[antinimby]

I'm glad he didn't get rid of the rounded sections on the upper portions of the base. Apparently, they were just talking about the first floor.

The groundfloor, while no longer completely rounded, is still thankfully not squared-cornered but chamfered, a very nice compromise.

He did it all very skillfully--a rarity in this city nowadays.

On another note, which entrance will be for the hotel portion and which will be for the residential portion?

[ramvid01]

This seems to be a clear improvement over the previous iteration. I definitely like this new base and it seems to flow much better into the tower. Even the tower part feels less redundant than the previous rendering and the crown still looks good. I hope this gets approved and starts construction soon.

[TREPYE]

http://www.gwathmey-siegel.com/portf...?job_id=200604

That is phat looking crown and the sloped windows are kinda cool too! This is a residential done right. It will be a nice little complement to the ESB aarea.

[londonlawyer]

This building looks nice. I wonder if the facade is limestone. Also, does anyone know if the crown is composed of frosted glass and will be lit from within at night?

[MidtownGuy]

It definitely looks solid and lit from the outside.

Pity about the rounded corner at the bottom. It was quite handsome before, now it is quite unremarkable. I do not agree with the other poster that the base in this iteration is an improvement. The flow isn't better, it's inferior. So elegant before, and now it's a very boring base actually. But, I guess I should be greatful for the slightest deviation from the rectangle.

[antinimby]

This building looks nice. I wonder if the facade is limestone.

Yes, it is limestone.

Also, does anyone know if the crown is composed of frosted glass and will be lit from within at night?

No to both.

[londonlawyer]

It definitely looks solid and lit from the outside.

Pity about the rounded corner at the bottom. It was quite handsome before, now it is quite unremarkable. I do not agree with the other poster that the base in this iteration is an improvement. The flow isn't better, it's inferior. So elegant before, and now it's a very boring base actually. But, I guess I should be greatful for the slightest deviation from the rectangle.

I agree. I preferred the original base, but this is still very nice. Hopefully, the idiots on the local board won't demand further changes.

PS: Does anyone know why the Landmarks Preservation Commission has a say with respect to this tower? Is it within a historic district? If it is, how is the owner of the nearby L&T building allowed to raze the beautiful annex on the building's north end?

[londonlawyer]

Yes, it is limestone....

This will be an awesome building.

[antinimby]

^ Not if you asked the Historic Districts Council:

A statement read by the Historic Districts Council at the commission today urged rejection of the proposal, noting that “Its height alone, of course, sets 400 Fifth Avenue apartment from neighboring structures, and nothing in the proposed design attempts to bridge this gap. Instead, the proposal seems to attempt to draw comparisons between 400 Fifth Avenue and its taller neighbor, the Empire State Building.”

Meanwhile, McSams continue to spring up like weeds with nary a word from anyone.