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

**MidtownGuy** · August 30th, 2009, 07:48 PM

Thanks for posting. What gorgeous views!

**lofter1** · August 30th, 2009, 10:35 PM

Originally Posted by bill schintler

Impromtu visit to penthouse on 08/25/09... Sorry the quality of the photos isn't the best - they were taken with a "thowaway" film camera and scanned.

Next time you go up I'd gladly come along and bring my camera

btw: Thanks for the shots. It's great to see the insides after all these years of talking about the exterior.

**rlrl** · September 23rd, 2009, 07:42 PM

I've read an article about St Malachy's church (W 49th street between B'way and 8th) and it talked about how the surrounding neighborhood became infested with drug pushers and pimps after the old MSG closed in 1968.

I'm real curious, did this mean 8th Avenue(Port Authority, etc) in general or specifically say 49th street and 8th where the church was was also a bad place?

Was the 785 blockfront as bad as say the 689 blockfront (43-44th) back in the day? Or was it any tamer? It's a little hard for me to visualize vice on 8th Avenue in the upper 40's because I've always associated it with the theater area rather than Times Square

Did the hotel (Loews, Ramada, Days, now Hilton Garden) at 790 have security problems as a result of the area, always curious about that

**londonlawyer** · September 23rd, 2009, 07:48 PM

Only in NY could something so half-assed be built. Instead of bitching about a masterpiece like the Torre Verre, Amanda Burden and all of the morons that fought that tower should focus on preventing unfinished monstrosities like this from getting built.

**ZippyTheChimp** · September 23rd, 2009, 07:50 PM

It doesn't even look like a building.

**londonlawyer** · September 23rd, 2009, 08:00 PM

I agree. It's ridiculous. Sadly, moreover, the sides that are finished are decent. However, this vast expanse of unfinished concrete is utterly absurd.

Instead of lecturing a master like Nouvel, Burden should try to prevent hacks like Leyva, et al from perpetuating such monstrosities.

**stache** · September 23rd, 2009, 08:20 PM

It looks Asian.

**antinimby** · September 23rd, 2009, 08:40 PM

Originally Posted by londonlawyer

Only in NY could something so half-assed be built. Instead of bitching about a masterpiece like the Torre Verre, Amanda Burden and all of the morons that fought that tower should focus on preventing unfinished monstrosities like this from getting built.

Don't you know? Looks count for nothin' in this city today.

This gets beaten down:

...but this goes up, no problem:

**Derek2k3** · September 25th, 2009, 03:49 PM

The only reason Torre Verre is a great design is because they want the approvals from the city. When developers get the freedom to throw up whatever they want we end up with Brooklyner.

jamesPolk

**HoveringCheesecake** · September 25th, 2009, 04:34 PM

Looks like a cheap version of Legacy at Millennium Park in Chicago.

**Alonzo-ny** · September 25th, 2009, 06:38 PM

Originally Posted by Derek2k3

The only reason Torre Verre is a great design is because they want the approvals from the city. When developers get the freedom to throw up whatever they want we end up with Brooklyner.

I disagree. Hines put up the handsome building on Jackson Square. Some developers actually give a crap.

**antinimby** · September 25th, 2009, 09:55 PM

^ True.

Plus, even if what Derek said was the case, that shouldn't mean the city should then not approve them.

Soon enough, developers are gonna realize that even if you do try to something nice in this city, you'll still get screwed over by the city, so why even bother trying?

The folks in this city only care about size anyway, so if I was a developer, I'd just give 'em crap either way.

**Derek2k3** · September 26th, 2009, 01:34 AM

True, he also developed 40 Mercer and 383 Mad. I still believe if all these restrictions didn't exist and there was no approval process we'd be getting a much less stunning tower. But your right, the city should approve great designs regardless.

Soon enough, developers are gonna realize that even if you do try to something nice in this city, you'll still get screwed over by the city, so why even bother trying?

I think developers already know that. That route has been tried a few times by developers and failed. Design counts for almost nothing.

Sorry to keep this off topic but here's an interesting thread that portrays what non-skyscraper fanatics think about taller buildings in the city.

http://www.city-data.com/forum/new-y...buildings.html

**195Broadway** · September 28th, 2009, 09:36 PM

There must be something wrong with me. I like the damn thing.

**londonlawyer** · September 28th, 2009, 09:54 PM

Including that blank wall?

I think it would be fine but for that wall. That huge expanse of concrete looks like grey mierda in my opinion. Also, it's a shame that the largely abandoned dump on the north corner will never be redeveloped.