785 Eighth Avenue - 40-story Condo - Theater District - by Ismael Leyva Architects

**stache** · January 15th, 2007, 09:52 AM

How can you say that about the American Savings discount store?

**lofter1** · January 15th, 2007, 10:43 AM

LMAO ^^^ How could I forget that jewel

http://www.wirednewyork.com/forum/sh...&postcount=239

**antinimby** · January 15th, 2007, 09:14 PM

Originally Posted by lofter1

Why do you keep claiming such nonsense regarding the Times Tower?

Did you know that block along 41st / 40th before the Times Tower started going up?

I've worked in and around that area for almost half my life. What was there before: Parking lots / structures, a funky "barber shop", some porn shops, a "smoke" shop / deli, a hat store (since moved a few blocks south on 8th Avenue), a few wholesale fabric stores and a couple of other uses.

There will be new street level RETAIL along both blocks for almost the full stretch of the low-rise section of the Times tower.

How will that "KILL" anything about what was previously a fairly gnarly stretch of streetfront?

I know how much of a fan you are of the Times building so try not to get too offended if it's not praised.

Anyway, you're missing the idea of my point, which is not so much a criticism of the Times building itself or the buildings that it replaced but rather I was using it as an example of towers with large bases.

The fact that it replaced previously undesirable businesses is not the point.

If you follow the context of that post of mine, it was in response to londonlawyer's desire to raze an entire block just to build this one tower.

Now do you see or do I need explain further?

Btw, I actually think the Times base will positive for streetlife (but still thinks that its not so great looks-wise) and I even said so myself over in that thread:

Originally Posted by antinimby

I can tell you right now that the Times will be better simply because it will have retail and shops.
The BOA will be just one huge squeaky clean and pretty but uninteresting investment banking lobby.

**antinimby** · January 15th, 2007, 09:23 PM

Oh btw lofter, about the corner building 787 8th.

I think that might just be a mistake, you know a typo or something.

The 2600 sf number gave it away.

No way a fifty-story tower has that little floor space unless it's modeled after a clothes line.

**lofter1** · January 15th, 2007, 10:51 PM

Originally Posted by antinimby

Oh btw lofter, about the corner building 787 8th.

I think that might just be a mistake, you know a typo or something.

The 2600 sf number gave it away.

No way a fifty-story tower has that little floor space unless it's modeled after a clothes line.

The "Metes and Bounds" on the application descirbe that odd shaped lot at the corner perfectly, so it doesn't seem to be either a typo or a mistake:

Metes and Bounds:

Beginning at a point on the NORTHEAST side of 8th Avenue Distant Ft. NORTHEAST of the corner formed by the intersection of west 48th Street and 8th Avenue:
RUNNING THENCE SE 32 . 33 FT.
THENCE SW 102 . 85 FT.
RUNNING THENCE NW 8 . 33 FT.
THENCE NE 100 FT.

**antinimby** · January 15th, 2007, 10:54 PM

Lol.

Not saying the entire document is incorrect, just that part with the no. of stories and floors.

In fact, I think the no. of floors might actually be the height instead, in which case, it would make a lot of sense.

**lofter1** · January 15th, 2007, 10:58 PM

Originally Posted by antinimby

Anyway, you're missing the idea of my point, which is not so much a criticism of the Times building itself or the buildings that it replaced but rather I was using it as an example of towers with large bases ...

Point taken -- no further explanation necessary -- but you weaken your argument when you willy-nilly toss the Times Tower into the mix as an attempt to make a point when it doesn't apply ...

**lofter1** · January 15th, 2007, 11:01 PM

Originally Posted by antinimby

Not saying the entire document is incorrect, just that part with the no. of stories and floors.

In fact, I think the no. of floors might actually be the height instead, in which case, it would make a lot of sense.

Dunno -- we'll just have to wait and see ...

**antinimby** · January 15th, 2007, 11:03 PM

Originally Posted by lofter1

Point taken -- no further explanation necessary -- but you weaken your argument when you willy-nilly toss the Times Tower into the mix as an attempt to make a point when it doesn't apply ...

True, I guess I could have used a better example like this one perhaps?

**lofter1** · January 15th, 2007, 11:09 PM

Now that ^^ looks like it could be truly deadening ... 1 point

**BrooklynRider** · January 16th, 2007, 11:57 AM

Ugh. Reminds me of that old one on West 42nd Street - Something Plaza- the name escapes me. HUGE parking garage base. Wind-swept dead pedestrian strip.

**ramvid01** · January 24th, 2007, 03:49 PM

Walking down 8th Avenue today i decided to take some pictures of the progress done on site. Mind you this from my camera phone.

and around the corner...

So it looks like this badboy is about to rise

.

**lofter1** · January 24th, 2007, 06:56 PM

48th & 8th is gonna be one scary corner for the next year or so

**ramvid01** · January 24th, 2007, 11:04 PM

Originally Posted by lofter1

48th & 8th is gonna be one scary corner for the next year or so

Well I don't think the crane will rise on that exact spot, it seems they're prepping the site to put in the crane, and that the crane peice is just sitting on the asphalt (hard to tell with the poor quality). it will probably be towards the middle of the building.